Week Ending 03/15/21

US Delegation Works for Gender Justice 

The meeting of the United Nation's Commission on the Status of Women is being held virtually.  The meeting is usually a chance for a whole range of advisory deputations from around the globe to meet and learn from each other while advising the commission.  The deputation from the U.S. is focused on finding ways to advance the cause of gender justice.  The Anglican Communion also has a presence at the commission meetings. The Episcopal News Service has all the details here.

Continuing Stories

South Carolina Episcopalians File Response

Last week the attorneys for the Episcopal Diocese of South Carolina filed their response to a February 12 filing by those that left the Episcopal Church.  Now the waiting begins. The State Supreme Court has no timetable on when they might respond.  At stake is the property of 28 parishes and all the diocesan holdings.  The South Carolina Supreme Court has already ruled that the properties belong to the Episcopalians,  The SC Supreme Court then designated a district judge to preside over implementation of their decision.  After a several year wait, the judge overruled the state Supreme Court opinion and ruled that the properties belonged to those that left.  The Episcopalians appealed to the state Supreme Court asking them to uphold their earlier decision.  Those that left have argued that the the earlier Supreme Court ruling was so fragmented as to be understandable.  They want the state Supreme Court reopen the whole decision.

Albany Bishop Leaves Church Again

Retired Bishop Daniel Herzog, who left the Episcopal Church to become a Roman Catholic, and was reinstated in The Episcopal Church, has announced that he is again resigning his ordination and is leaving the Church.  He has not said what his next step will be. The action appears to be in response to the Episcopal Church's requirement that all dioceses develop means ensuring that same sex couples can marry in the church.

Churches Serving as Vaccination Sites

Several Episcopal Parishes have opened their doors to provide a site for covid-19 vaccination clinics.  The parishes are helping ensure that the vaccine is available to under-served communities and areas  with high numbers of people or color.  This is the most recent posting by Update documenting the Church's response to the pandemic.

Oxford Investigation Goes Forward

In the seemingly endless saga of woes for the Dean for Christ Church Cathedral and College at Oxford, an independent review has concluded that the charges of sexual harassment should go forward to a tribunal.  There had been questions as to whether the College's governing board had been influenced by a nasty fight to remove the Dean by faculty who were unhappy with his policies.  The review confirms that the case has enough substance to go to a tribunal.  The most recent former post by Update on the Christ Church controversy is here.