From South Carolina-
Officials of the Episcopal Diocese of South Carolina affirmed this month their sovereignty and discussed the need to encourage growth by starting new congregations.
At the 220th convention, held Feb. 18 and 19 at the Parish Church of St. Helena in Beaufort, delegates voted a second time to pass two resolutions amending the diocesan constitution. The first removes the accession clause to the canons of the Episcopal Church and the second permits the diocese to convene its representatives more than once a year if required.
"These resolutions seek to protect the diocese from any attempt at unconstitutional intrusions in our corporate life in South Carolina and were in response to the revisions to the Title IV Canons of the Episcopal Church," the diocese wrote in a summary of the convention.
The resolutions are part of six drafted last year in response to what the diocese called "far-reaching and polity-changing revisions to the disciplinary canon of the Episcopal Church."
In 2009, the national church body changed a portion of its canon law, clarifying -- augmenting, the diocese argues -- the authority of the presiding bishop with regard to "ecclesiastical discipline." That change takes effect in July this year.
The six resolutions that passed in October at the reconvened 219th diocesan convention delete reference in the diocesan constitution to national church canon law, assert diocese sovereignty and make it easier to change governing documents. They remove the "unqualified accession" clause that recognizes the supremacy of the Episcopal Church's constitution and canons, and delete a section of canon law stating that property is held in trust for the Episcopal Church.
Read more:
http://www.islandpacket.com/2011/02/26/1561409/sc-episcopal-diocese-responds.html#ixzz1F4K11GNt
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