From South Carolina-
The Episcopal Diocese of South Carolina took steps Friday at its reconvened convention to further distance itself from the "national" Episcopal Church by passing resolutions asserting its sovereignty.
The meeting held at St. Paul's Church in Summerville was a continuation of the March convention. Last year, delegates voted "to begin withdrawing from all bodies of the Episcopal Church that have assented to actions contrary to Holy Scripture, the doctrine, discipline and worship of Christ as this Church has received them."
Friday's vote was the latest development in a drawn-out disagreement between the diocese and church leadership, which many local Episcopalians consider too accommodating to social trends and not substantially faithful to the authority of Scripture.
The diocese has made efforts to distance itself from its parent church since the 2003 consecration in New Hampshire of Gene Robinson, who is openly gay.
The convention vote among clergy and lay delegates was decisive, with only a few of the diocese's 75 congregations and clergy objecting to some of the changes, according to participants and observers.
The new set of resolutions was developed in response to what the diocese called "far reaching and polity changing revisions to the disciplinary canon of The Episcopal Church."
The resolutions amend the diocese's constitution, deleting reference to national church canon law, asserting diocese sovereignty and making it easier to change governing documents. It removes the "unqualified accession" clause that recognizes the supremacy of the Episcopal Church's constitution and canons, and deletes a section of canon law stating that property is held in trust for the Episcopal Church. For details, visit www.diosc.com.
More here
http://www.postandcourier.com/news/2010/oct/16/episcopalians-assert-authority/
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