Statement of the Standing Committee of the Diocese of South Carolina for immediate release:On September 16, 2006, the people of the Diocese of South Carolina overwhelmingly elected the Very Rev. Mark Lawrence as our next bishop on the first ballot. We are fully persuaded that the Holy Spirit spoke in that election and we were reassured that a majority of both bishops and standing committee's intended to consent to this election. We are determined to carry forward our diocesan mission within the context of the canons which give order to our common life.Accordingly, at our meeting today, we unanimously passed a resolution reconvening the 216th annual meeting of the Diocese of South Carolina, with was recessed. At that re-convened meeting, we will request that the convention take the necessary steps to allow the calling of a special convention later in the summer for the purpose of again electing the Very Rev. Mark Lawrence. Formal notification will follow shortly.
Read the whole thing. Note that Lawrence received 1 more consent than was necessary, but PB Jefferts-Schori threw them out on a technicality -- as is believed, out of spite, since South Carolina has asked for alternative primatial oversight.
1 comment:
I think it's a bit unfair to say that she pronounced the election invalid "out of spite." She followed the rules for the approval of an election to the episcopate as they are defined by General Convention. Some have said that she has followed them too closely, which could be argued, although I would note that in her statement she also said outright that Fr. Lawrence is eligible to be elected again. There was no statement of anymosity made by the presiding bishop. What is clear, though, is the problem we run into by allowing standing committees this kind of authority in the first place.
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