SOUTH CAROLINA: Diocese proposes resolutions to 'protect' itself

From ELO- Click on the link below to find links to the original documents-

Each of six proposed convention resolutions in the Episcopal Diocese of South Carolina "represents an essential element of how we protect the diocese from any attempt at un-constitutional intrusions into our corporate life in South Carolina," the diocese says.
An explanation on the diocese's homepage says all of the resolutions come in response to the General Convention's 2009 passage of revised Title IV canons on clergy discipline which were approved (via Resolution A185). When they were approved, supporters characterized the revised canons as an effort to move away from a court-oriented system towards one based on safety, truth-telling, healing and reconciliation.

The changes are due to go into effect July 1, 2011.

The South Carolina diocese says they "contradict the constitution of the Episcopal Church and make unacceptable changes in our polity, elevating the role of bishops, particularly the Presiding Bishop, and removing the duly elected Standing Committee of a diocese from its current role in most of the disciplinary process." The statement adds that the diocese believes that the revisions remove "much of the due process and legal safeguards for accused clergy" that were provided under the current version.

The diocese's objections are detailed in a paper written by Alan Runyan and Mark McCall, and posted on the Anglican Communion Institute's website. Runyan is a South Carolina trial attorney and referred to on both sites as the diocese's legal counsel.

The sometimes multi-faceted resolutions appear to propose four types of changes. One group consists of amendments to the diocesan constitution that would remove the required "unqualified accession" to the Episcopal Church's constitution.

More here-

http://www.episcopalchurch.org/81803_124595_ENG_HTM.htm

No Lay Discipline in Proposed Canon Changes

One of the arguments which was frequently offered in the Diocese of Pittsburgh for realignment was that the next General Convention was going to pass disciplinary canons aimed at the laity. Language such as "they're going to come after you" was sometimes used in congregational forums advocating realignment. Some of us (who have actually been to a General Convention) kept saying that the proposal was being considered by an interim body and would then go to a convention committee which would reshape it and then have to pass both houses to become a canon. We also said that this was unlikely as similar proposals were not well received in the past.

The Living Church is now reporting that the Title IV task force has dropped all of the lay discipline language from the revised canons. The article is not on line but here's a section of it from the January 18 edition-


In a change from an earlier draft, the Title IV Task Force on Disciplinary Policies and Procedures will not propose new canons to address discipline of members of the laity.

The much anticipated new draft of its proposed changes to The Episcopal Church’s canon on discipline will be included in the church’s Blue Book of pre-filed General Convention legislation.

“It is the judgment of Task Force II that the time is not yet propitious for the inclusion of disciplinary provisions for the laity other than as already provided in the Book of Common Prayer, and no inclusion of laity is contemplated at this time,” the task force wrote.

The 48-page document includes a six-page introduction that summarizes the work of the task force, and lists the underlying theological principles upon which the task force based its revisions, and a brief description of the extent of changes.

“The large bulk of Title IV is or will be unchanged,” the task force said. “Task Force II did not attempt to reinvent the wheel, but simply to express in new language much of what already existed. The abandonment provisions, appeals, modifications are essentially untouched, as is most of the other content of the canon. What has changed is the process by which complaints are brought and heard.”