The Admiral of Morality: South Carolina’s Episcopal Choice Should be Rejected
The letter is a last ditch effort to secure approval for a man whose statements and writings proudly argue that he considers the Episcopal Church heretical and that he would take his diocese out of the Episcopal Church at the drop of a hat.
The new letter does nothing to dispel this clear sense and in fact only heightens it.
On the issue of why South Carolina does not want the Presiding Bishop at the consecration of the new bishop, the standing committee writes that the bishop-elect had nothing to do with this decision, it was the old bishop who demanded this. True–but this is not a sign of good will in the Diocese of South Carolina. And Lawrence himself has said more than once that having ++Katharine at his consecration would disgrace and weaken his ministry.
Lawrence could simply say: “We would love to have her. She is the presiding bishop of our church and it would be right and proper.” That he doesn’t only shows that he is committed to maintaining the pattern of division and antagonism of the diocese.
On the issue of alternative primatial oversight, the standing committee says it has only sought it in order to secure the unity of the whole church. What about the unity of the Episcopal Church? On this the standing committee, and the bishop-elect, are silent. An alternative primate weakens and divides our church. They know it, that is why they ask for it….
In the end the standing committee’s new letter is just more of the same that has come out of South Carolina in all this–dishonesty, prevarication, veiled threats, and spin.
posted by t19elves at 9:50 AM
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