Bishop and Standing Committee of the Diocese of South Carolina postpones Diocesan Convention

The Bishop of South Carolina has released an important pastoral letter which outlines reasons why he had to take action to postpone the annual Diocesan Convention. From the vantage point of Virginia, it shine fascinating light on why, after the Virginia churches voted to separate, the Episcopal Diocese of Virginia suddenly left the negotiating table to pursue litigation. As Kendall says, read it carefully, and read it all.

The Bishop of South Carolina's "important pastoral letter" is here.

Rowan Williams was not kidding when he rhetorically inquired of the Church of England Synod yesterday regarding the actions of litigious divisions in the Episcopal Church, "What are the vehicles for sharing perspectives, communicating protest, yes, even, negotiating distance or separation, that might spare us a worsening of the situation and the further reduction of Christian relationship to vicious polemic and stony-faced litigation?"

It seems clear that Bishop Mark Lawrence has been pursuing, as Bishop Peter Lee did briefly before him, another "vehicle" and The Episcopal Church is taking steps to intervene with litigation. Now is the time to pray for our brothers and sisters in the Diocese of South Carolina.