Despite Lawrence’s differences with progressive leaders in the church, his conviction that God spoke to him is why he accepted the nomination for bishop of South Carolina from the Rt. Rev. Alden Hathaway, retired bishop of the Pittsburgh Diocese, where Lawrence served for 13 years. (That diocese also asked to be placed under the leadership of someone other than Jefferts Schori.)<\/p>\n
That same conviction has sustained Lawrence through his election tribulations.<\/p>\n
First, Lawrence said, there was the grueling questioning by the bishops and the standing committee of the 111 dioceses in the Episcopal Church who voted to consent or not to the South Carolina election. Lawrence has called the process “abuse” and “harassment.”<\/p>\n
“What would I do to keep the Diocese of South Carolina from leaving the Episcopal Church?” he said he was asked.<\/p>\n
“That diocese has made no statement regarding leaving the Episcopal Church,” he said. “It’s analogous to asking a man who is about to be married to his fiancee what he’s going to do to keep her faithful to her vows,” he said, “as if she’s shown any signs of being unfaithful. It’s insulting to him. It’s insulting to her.<\/p>\n
“I answered that I will work at least as hard at keeping the Diocese of South Carolina in the Episcopal Church as my sister and brother bishops work at keeping the Episcopal Church in covenant relationship with the Anglican Communion.”<\/p>\n
That was seen by some as evasive, Lawrence said, but what he was trying to highlight was the need for greater mutual accountability, cooperation and respect.<\/p>\n
“There’s no question that South Carolina wanted him,” said the Rev. Van McCalister, spokesman for the local San Joaquin Diocese. “He was elected overwhelmingly on a first ballot. He is an outstanding priest. I have not talked to anybody who doesn’t think he is bishop material.”<\/p>\n
A house divided<\/p>\n
A longtime friend of Lawrence’s, the Rev. Kevin Higgins, pastor of Bakersfield’s Quest Church, faced his own issues with the Episcopal Church.<\/p>\n
His 40-member congregation split from the church in January 2006. He said it was a decision preceded by an entire year of consideration, prayer and meetings with the local bishop.<\/p>\n
“I knew it would probably be interpreted by many as us leaving because of the issue of sexuality in the church,” Higgins said, referring to the 2003 appointment of Rev. Gene Robinson, who is openly gay, as bishop of New Hampshire.<\/p>\n
“The issue has been the gradual slow move away from basic Christianity in the Episcopal Church,” Higgins said. “We have an environment in which many of our bishops, who are supposed to be the defenders of the faith, question whether Jesus rose from the dead and whether he was completely divine.<\/p>\n
“Integrity would call that if you come to those views, that you would give up the collar. It’d be as if a member of Congress felt that the Constitution was not a valid document or obsolete.”<\/p>\n