S.C. Episcopal diocese claims a victory in secession struggle

From The Washington Post-

The breakaway Episcopal Diocese of South Carolina has won the latest round in its fight to secede from the national church.

A South Carolina judge on Wednesday (Jan. 23) issued a temporary restraining order that prevents the national church from using the name or seal of the diocese, which espouses a more traditional theology and disapproves of the national church’s acceptance of same-sex marriage and gay bishops.

The order, as diocesan officials understand it, essentially tells the national church that it may not preside over the existing diocese.

“We believe what the judge has said is what we have been saying for quite some time,” said Jim Lewis, a top aide to Bishop Mark Lawrence.

“The Episcopal Church is more than free to establish a new diocese in South Carolina,” Lewis said. “What the ruling says, though, is that they can’t do that and claim to be us.”
More here-

http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/on-faith/sc-episcopal-diocese-claims-a-victory-in-secession-struggle/2013/01/24/e92f4ca0-666e-11e2-889b-f23c246aa446_story.html

Also here-

http://thetandd.com/lifestyles/faith-and-values/restraining-order-issued-in-s-c-episcopal-case/article_9a38b2e4-6673-11e2-8bae-001a4bcf887a.html

and here-

http://www.christianpost.com/news/sc-judge-bans-episcopal-church-from-using-breakaway-dioceses-identity-for-now-88822/