The Diocese of South Carolina synod has revised its bylaws in a bid to protect itself from legal predations from the national Episcopal Church. Meeting on Oct 15, at St Paul\u2019s Church in Summerville, South Carolina adopted six resolutions that ended the diocese\u2019s automatic accession to the national church\u2019s canons.<\/p>\n
At the close of its March meeting, Bishop Mark Lawrence postponed the 219th annual meeting of the diocesan convention, after US Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori engaged an attorney to represent the Episcopal Church in South Carolina. The diocese requested an explanation for what it saw as an unlawful usurpation of authority by the presiding bishop, and postponed the adjournment of its synod pending a response.<\/p>\n
The presiding bishop declined to respond, but as it waited the diocesan leadership began a review of the national church canons enacted at the 2009 General Convention covering clergy discipline.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat we found was shocking,\u201d\u009d Canon Kendall Harmon told Anglican TV, as it \u201cviolates due process\u201d\u009d and natural justice.<\/p>\n