Both stories are continuing from previous weeks.
South Carolina Diocese Moves Ahead
Several weeks ago Update gave notice that the first transition of an ACNA property being returned to the Episcopal Diocese would take place in July. That first service led by Canon Walpole was a joyous occasion with a full church. there was also a small service in a chapel that was part of the parish properties. Now a second property, Christ Episcopal Church in Mount Pleasant, will transition in August and Bishop Ruth Woodliff Stanley has announced that the priest assigned to that property, is the Rev. Furman Buchannan, who is coming from the Diocese of Upper South Carolina. Blogger Steve Skardon, Jr. has comments on the whole process now underway in his July 18 post. Skardon is still unhappy with the South Carolina Supreme Court for backing off its first decision which gave more of the properties to the Episcopalians.
Sexual and Anglican Politics Roil Lambeth Waters
The last minute publication of a study booklet with a list of "Calls" and an explanation of how voting would occur has had the effect of the proverbial excrement hitting the fan, and the posting of a lot of statements by Bishops on their way to Lambeth, and others in the Anglican Communion. Update noted last week that the "Call" on human dignity has slipped in an endorsement of the 1998 Lambeth Resolution 1.10 which denounced same sex marriage. Bishops were going to be given only two options in voting: 1) to agree with the call and pledge to implement it, or 2) to say that they would commit to further study. Bishops from The Episcopal Church, the Anglican Church of Canada, the Scottish Episcopal Church, and the Church in Wales have all protested, as did some leaders in England. The most vehement protest came from the Canadian bishop, Kevin Robertson, himself in a same sex marriage, and a member of the drafting committee for the human dignity "Call." He protested that at no time did the drafting committee discuss or include anything about Lambeth 1.10. That was inserted AFTER the committee had submitted its work. The protests from bishops used phrases such as "blind-sided," and "bait and switch," to describe what they saw as major changes in the way Lambeth was to function. The TEC bishops will meet on Wednesday to come to a coordinated response to this call. The LGBTQ+ caucus of General Convention has compiled a web site with links to all of the statements here. The fuss has been great enough that the Archbishop of Canterbury and the committee chair have already announced a change in voting responses to include a third option, rejecting the call. There are promises of further rewriting. Most of those protesting are also sorry that this furor will take away from the other areas for discussion, many of which focus on the environment, climate, change, poverty, and racism. If you are fuzzy about what happened in 1998 at Lambeth, Anglicans On Line has provided a summary of its reporting of on the human sexuality discussion and resolution and the Episcopal News Service has a piece with background focused on more recent events.