An attorney for The Episcopal Church on Monday acknowledged that \u201d\u201c despite TEC\u2019s repeated claim that dioceses may not leave the denomination \u201d\u201c there is nothing in the group\u2019s constitution that specifically prohibits such a disassociation.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s true it doesn\u2019t say whether a diocese in the U.S. can or cannot [leave],\u201d\u009d said Mary Kostel, attorney for TEC. \u201cIt\u2019s arguably ambiguous.\u201d\u009d<\/p>\n
The comment came during the 10th day of trial in suit to prevent TEC from seizing the property of the Diocese of South Carolina and its parishes. Much of the morning was spent in a discussion between attorneys and Judge Diane S. Goodstein about the admissibility of testimony by historian Walter Edgar, a professor at the University of South Carolina.<\/p>\n
Though Edgar was not identified as an expert witness, TEC wanted him to testify about his expertise and provide opinions on the hierarchical nature of TEC and to demonstrate that it has authority over its dioceses and parishes. But Judge Goodstein denied that he would be allowed to.<\/p>\n