National & World News
Six Episcopal bishops portray church's 'broad center' in meeting with Williams
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[Episcopal News Service, London]
Describing themselves as representing the "broad center" of the
Episcopal Church, six bishops were welcomed Oct. 23 as guests of
Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams at his London residence, Lambeth
Palace.
"Our message was to say that the Episcopal Church is not a perfect
church, but … it is alive, it is well, it is vital, it is pursuing the
mission that God has set before it," said Bishop Clifton Daniel of the
Episcopal Diocese of East Carolina in an interview with ENS following
the meeting. "I came away as thankful for the Episcopal Church at this
meeting as I did for the Archbishop of Canterbury -- and I'll continue
to give it everything I have to further its mission and its life."
Daniel was joined by bishops Michael Curry of North Carolina, Stacy
Sauls of Lexington (Kentucky), Neff Powell of Southwestern Virginia,
Assistant Bishop William Gregg and Assisting Bishop Chip Marble, both of
North Carolina.
During their 90-minute meeting, the church leaders discussed a variety
of topics and concerns facing the Episcopal Church and the Anglican
Communion, including the development of an Anglican covenant,
cross-provincial interventions, human sexuality issues, the Millennium
Development Goals, and the Episcopal Church's focus on domestic and
global mission.
South Carolina: Special convention distances diocese from Episcopal Church
By Pat McCaughan[Episcopal News Service] A majority of delegates attending a special convention of the Charleston-based Diocese of South Carolina voted October 24 to distance themselves from the Episcopal Church and to seek "missional relationships with orthodox congregations isolated across North America."
About 300 Episcopalians gathered at Christ Church in Mt. Pleasant, a suburb of Charleston, approved four of five measures that, among other things, declared General Convention Resolutions D025 and C056 "as null and void."
The two resolutions focused on human sexuality and reaffirmed the Episcopal Church's commitment to the Anglican Communion. Resolution D025 affirms "that God has called and may call" gay and lesbian people "to any ordained ministry in the Episcopal Church." Resolution C056 calls for the collection and development of theological resources for the blessing of same-gender blessings and allows bishops to provide "a generous pastoral response to meet the needs of members of this church."
Bishop Mark Lawrence of South Carolina told delegates that the special convention was a protest against "false teaching, that I have called the Gospel of Indiscriminate Inclusivity [that] has challenged the doctrine of the Trinity, the Uniqueness and Universality of Christ, the Authority of Scripture, our understanding of Baptism, and now, that last refuge of order, our Constitution & Canons." The full text of Lawrence's speech may be read on the diocesan Web site.
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