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Episcopal Diocese of South Carolina (1785–2012)

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193:. The commissary was the personal representative of the Bishop of London, who had nominal jurisdiction over the church in the colonies. His role was to supervise the clergy and the affairs of the church, and Johnston was a strong advocate of episcopal and clerical authority and adhering to official Anglican doctrine and form. The commissary's influence was limited, however, by lay power and loopholes in the Church Acts. The 1706 Act had taken from the lay commission the power to remove ministers without providing other means of removal. As a result, once a minister had been elected to a parish, a minister could not be removed for behavior. Theoretically, the commissary could revoke a problematic minister's license but not the minister's 318:), the diocese responded by holding a special convention on October 24, 2009. The convention passed a resolution authorizing "the Bishop and Standing Committee 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 ... until such bodies show a willingness to repent of such actions." It also declared "Resolutions DO25 and CO56, to be null and void, having no effect in this Diocese, and in violation of our diocesan canon." 221:, dissenters successfully advocated for the disestablishment of the Church of England and ensured that all Protestant religions were treated equally with the adoption of a state constitution in 1778 (equality was extended to Catholics and Jews in 1790). The first state convention of the Protestant Episcopal Church in South Carolina was held on May 12, 1785. In October 1790, South Carolina's state convention unanimously accepted the constitution and 205:, with its center at Charleston, the colonial church's membership included the plantation gentry, the professional class, urban merchants, and skilled craftsmen. Most of the Huguenots who immigrated to the colony also converted to Anglicanism. This influence caused the clergy in South Carolina to be more 302:
was consecrated and installed as bishop on January 26, 2008, after being elected twice. The polity of the Episcopal Church requires that a majority of standing committees and diocesan bishops give consent to the election of any diocesan bishop. Because of "canonical deficiencies" in several dioceses'
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In the aftermath of the 2012 General Convention, which voted to allow the blessing of same-sex unions, there was speculation that the diocese was heading for secession. Bishop Lawrence was reported to have said that he personally "no longer sees a place for the diocese in the General Convention." In
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to all parishes in the diocese, thereby surrendering any claim that it might have over parish property. Under the canons of the Episcopal Church, parish property is held in trust for the diocese and the Episcopal Church as a whole; however, South Carolina's diocesan chancellor defended the quitclaim
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of the Episcopal Church too much authority in internal diocesan affairs. While Lawrence stated that he did not intend to lead the diocese out of the Episcopal Church, 12 allegations made by an anonymous party charged that the bishop had "abandon the doctrine, discipline and worship of the Episcopal
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and gave them "Power to build and found Churches, Chapels, and Oratories" for use according to the "Ecclesiastical Laws" of England. The first permanent settlement in South Carolina was at Charleston, founded in 1670. The city received its first cleric in 1680 with the arrival of Atkin Williamson,
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The Episcopal Church in South Carolina remained disorganized and stagnant during the immediate years after the Revolutionary War. The strong congregationalist tendencies held by the churches contributed to a lack of interest beyond local affairs. After 1798, no convention would meet until 1804.
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declared the acts null and void. On November 30, 1706, the General Assembly repealed both acts. They were replaced by a new Establishment Act that eliminated the commission's ability to discipline clergy. However, parishioners still elected their clergy and the lay commission still administered
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or salary. Parishes ultimately resorted to paying troublesome ministers to resign. Johnston also attempted to conform the colonial church in all respects to the church in England. He found opposition not only from dissenters but from Anglicans who disliked episcopacy and embraced many of the
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The diocese attempted to distance itself further from the actions of General Convention in October 2010 and February 2011. At these consecutive diocesan conventions, accession clauses to the canons of the Episcopal Church were removed from the diocese's constitution. This was in response to
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elections and supervised the Church of England in Carolina. A 1710 amendment to the act abolished parish levies and instead provided that vestries could draw up to £40 annually from public funds to cover parish expenses. In this way, dissenters would not directly fund the Church of England.
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wrote a pamphlet, "Case of the Protestant Dissenters", that set out the argument of the nonconformists. They argued that the Exclusion Act was contrary to colonial precedent and the Carolina charter. On the Establishment Act, they argued that it violated the Church of England's
875: 852: 241:. At the 1804 convention, a standing committee was appointed, and Edward Jenkins was elected bishop. Jenkins, however, declined the office. A lingering fear of tyrannical bishops would leave South Carolina without a bishop until 1812 when 121:. At the start of the 18th century, religious harmony in Carolina began to break down as political factions began to coalesce along religious lines. The Barbadian planters disputed with the Proprietors over debts, land policies, and the 871: 296:, they were in the minority, which was generally not the case with most other Episcopal dioceses. Since 2008, a number of developments heightened tensions between the diocese and the Episcopal Church. 293: 226: 141:, effectively excluding non-Anglicans from the legislature. The Exclusion Act passed by one vote. In November, the General Assembly passed the Establishment Act, making the Church of England the 272:
From the 2000s until 2012 a large number of clergy and laypeople in the diocese became more and more dissatisfied with decisions made by the Episcopal Church, and increasingly supported
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than the surrounding colonies. Outside of the lowcountry, however, the Church of England's presence was very weak, the interior being predominantly Presbyterian and Baptist.
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Church." Following an investigation in the fall of 2011, the Disciplinary Board for Bishops announced on November 28 that Lawrence's actions did not constitute abandonment.
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Anglicanism in South Carolina, 1660-1976: A Chronological History of Dates and Events in the Church of England and the Episcopal Church in South Carolina
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and the vestry, which would manage the parish. A lay commission would exercise oversight over the church at large, with the power to remove clergy.
506: 326:, the canons of the Episcopal Church governing the ecclesiastical discipline of priests and bishops. The diocese claimed the revisions gave the 709:
A Brief History of the Episcopal Church: With A Chapter on the Anglican Reformation and an Appendix on the Quest for an Annulment of Henry VIII
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was elected. In 1810, the Protestant Episcopal Society for the Advancement of Christianity in South Carolina was created on the model of the
323: 957: 310:). After the 76th General Convention of the Episcopal Church passed resolutions DO25 (opening "any ordained ministry" to individuals in 836: 261: 246: 33: 788: 799: 149:
were empowered to raise revenue by assessing the real and personal property of Anglicans and dissenters alike. The act gave the
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was chaplain and presided over the first Anglican services in South Carolina. The colony was unsuccessful and later abandoned.
356: 256:, the Diocese of South Carolina was briefly separated from the Episcopal Church in the United States and was part of the 41: 145:
of the Province. Minister salaries and church construction were to be financed by an export and import tax, while local
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The 1704 acts were highly controversial, and dissenters lobbied the English government and public for their repeal.
25: 801:"South Carolina election voided due to canonical deficiencies in responses"] Episcopal News Service, 15 March 2007 811: 281: 277: 134: 822: 465: 459: 344: 327: 289: 130: 351:
the fall of 2012, members of the historic diocese split into two rival factions: one of which formed today's
307: 98: 347:. He also cited the fact that before 1979, the Episcopal Church never claimed ownership of parish property. 340: 174: 285: 129:
gave their support to the Proprietors who had given them toleration. On May 6, 1704, Anglican governor
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The diocese opposed actions of the Episcopal Church that it viewed as contrary to scripture (see
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Bishop Smith had died in 1801 and there was no standing committee to examine candidates for
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ruling that the Episcopal Church's property canon was not binding on All Saints Parish in
8: 790:"South Carolina re-elects Mark Lawrence as bishop"] Episcopal News Service, 4 August 2007 218: 233:
was elected South Carolina's first bishop on February 10, 1795, at the 12th convention.
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where a bill was introduced to require all members of that body to subscribe to the
529:(Easley, SC: Southern Historical Press and the Rev. Emmett Lucas, Jr., 1976), p. 1. 487: 411: 299: 186: 166: 97:
Religious toleration fostered by the Lords Proprietors made Carolina attractive to
908:"Disciplinary Board dismisses abandonment complaint against South Carolina bishop" 879: 859: 840: 829: 818: 395: 383: 926:
South Carolina mulls secession: The Church of England Newspaper, August 12, 2012
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in 1922. In 2012, a controversy led to the existence of two rival dioceses, the
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responses, the first election was declared void, requiring a second election.
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while the other became the "Episcopal Church in South Carolina" and today's
161: 122: 911: 276:. Similar controversies occurred in four other Episcopal Church dioceses: 453: 238: 28:
in the United States. The diocese originally covered the entire state of
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These are the bishops who served the South Carolina diocese up to 2012:
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In November 2011, the diocese generated more controversy when it issued
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Southern Anglicanism: The Church of England in Colonial South Carolina
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attempted to establish an English settlement at or near present-day
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control over the church. Taxpaying parishioners were to select the
138: 110: 102: 545:(Charleston, South Carolina: Dalcho Historical Society, 1959), 10. 264:
was created from territory formerly part of the original diocese.
125:. The Huguenots sided with the Anglicans, while the newly arrived 267: 114: 258:
Protestant Episcopal Church in the Confederate States of America
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sent Samuel Thomas as its first missionary to South Carolina.
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by giving lay commissioners powers to discipline clergy. The
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who tended to be Anglican, there were significant numbers of
101:. While the colony was dominated by immigrant planters from 711:. Harrisburg, PA: Trinity Press International. p. 35. 897: 890:
Adam Parker, "Episcopal Diocese of S.C. looks to future",
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Resolutions Offered at Special October 24, 2009 Covention"
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Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts
874:, Diocese of South Carolina, accessed April 28, 2011. 862:, Diocese of South Carolina, accessed April 28, 2011. 543:
Church and State In Eighteenth-Century South Carolina
90:, was built in 1681. In 1702, the newly incorporated 212: 766: 764: 734: 725: 665: 571:(Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 1982), pp. 18-23. 537: 535: 963:Dioceses of the Episcopal Church (United States) 949: 773: 761: 752: 743: 507:History of the Episcopal Church (United States) 47: 32:, but the western part of the state became the 532: 268:Tensions with the Episcopal Church (2008–2012) 906:Mary Frances Schjonberg (28 November 2011), 865: 939:. Morehouse Publishing: New York, NY (2005) 894:, 27 February 2011, accessed 29 April 2011. 884: 600: 587: 561: 294:General Convention of the Episcopal Church 198:religious outlooks of the nonconformists. 846: 262:Episcopal Diocese of Upper South Carolina 247:Society for the Propagation of the Gospel 34:Episcopal Diocese of Upper South Carolina 700: 687: 674: 652: 639: 548: 626: 225:for the national church adopted by the 950: 706: 613: 574: 519: 229:at Philadelphia earlier in July 1789. 20:was established in 1785 as one of the 804: 462:, Coadjutor Bishop (consecrated 1980) 426:, Coadjutor Bishop (consecrated 1907) 181:In 1708, Gideon Johnston was sent by 834:General Convention 2009 Legislation 357:Episcopal Diocese of South Carolina 133:called an emergency session of the 86:and South Carolina's first church, 42:Episcopal Diocese of South Carolina 18:Episcopal Diocese of South Carolina 13: 958:Episcopal Church in South Carolina 353:Anglican Diocese of South Carolina 316:blessing of same-sex relationships 38:Anglican Diocese of South Carolina 14: 974: 213:Creation and division (1775–1922) 54:Colonial period of South Carolina 58:On April 19, 1660, a group from 930: 919: 810:General Convention Resolutions 793: 782: 438:, Coadjutor Bishop (1921–1922) 1: 621:Anglicanism in South Carolina 582:Anglicanism in South Carolina 556:Anglicanism in South Carolina 512: 308:Homosexuality and Anglicanism 740:Rogers, Jr. 1959, pp. 22-23. 731:Rogers, Jr. 1959, pp. 18-19. 671:Rogers, Jr. 1959, pp. 13-14. 48:Colonial origins (1660–1775) 7: 937:The Episcopal Church Annual 500: 314:) and CO56 (concerning the 10: 979: 362: 51: 843:, accessed 29 April 2011. 749:Rogers, Jr. 1959, pp. 26. 707:Holmes, David L. (1993). 339:deeds by citing a recent 779:Rogers, Jr. 1959, p. 30. 770:Rogers, Jr. 1959, p. 29. 758:Rogers, Jr. 1959, p. 28. 474:, (Assistant, 1985–1990) 189:, as the colony's first 916:, accessed May 1, 2011. 817:April 24, 2012, at the 541:George C. Rogers, Jr., 525:Philip G. Clarke, Jr., 913:Episcopal News Service 390:Christopher E. Gadsden 312:same-sex relationships 66:. Morgan Jones of the 478:Edward L. Salmon, Jr. 466:C. FitzSimons Allison 460:C. FitzSimons Allison 436:Kirkman George Finlay 324:revisions of Title IV 52:Further information: 892:The Post and Courier 695:Southern Anglicanism 682:Southern Anglicanism 660:Southern Anglicanism 647:Southern Anglicanism 634:Southern Anglicanism 608:Southern Anglicanism 595:Southern Anglicanism 472:G. Edward Haynsworth 448:Thomas N. Carruthers 442:Albert Sidney Thomas 274:Anglican realignment 201:Concentrated in the 83:Province of Carolina 567:S. Charles Bolton, 341:state Supreme Court 219:American Revolution 878:2011-07-26 at the 858:2011-07-26 at the 839:2011-04-23 at the 828:2011-05-12 at the 484:William J. Skilton 414:(consecrated 1893) 402:William B. W. Howe 254:American Civil War 227:General Convention 430:William A. Guerry 424:William A. Guerry 131:Nathaniel Johnson 79:Lords Proprietors 68:Church of England 970: 940: 934: 928: 923: 917: 904: 895: 888: 882: 869: 863: 850: 844: 808: 802: 797: 791: 786: 780: 777: 771: 768: 759: 756: 750: 747: 741: 738: 732: 729: 723: 722: 704: 698: 691: 685: 678: 672: 669: 663: 656: 650: 643: 637: 630: 624: 617: 611: 604: 598: 591: 585: 578: 572: 565: 559: 552: 546: 539: 530: 523: 488:Suffragan Bishop 412:Coadjutor Bishop 328:Presiding Bishop 300:Mark J. Lawrence 187:Bishop of London 167:episcopal polity 135:General Assembly 26:Episcopal Church 24:dioceses of the 978: 977: 973: 972: 971: 969: 968: 967: 948: 947: 944: 943: 935: 931: 924: 920: 905: 898: 889: 885: 880:Wayback Machine 870: 866: 860:Wayback Machine 851: 847: 841:Wayback Machine 830:Wayback Machine 819:Wayback Machine 809: 805: 798: 794: 787: 783: 778: 774: 769: 762: 757: 753: 748: 744: 739: 735: 730: 726: 719: 705: 701: 692: 688: 679: 675: 670: 666: 657: 653: 644: 640: 631: 627: 618: 614: 605: 601: 592: 588: 579: 575: 566: 562: 553: 549: 540: 533: 524: 520: 515: 503: 481: 469: 457: 433: 421: 405: 396:Thomas F. Davis 384:Nathaniel Bowen 365: 336:quitclaim deeds 270: 260:. In 1922, the 215: 56: 50: 12: 11: 5: 976: 966: 965: 960: 942: 941: 929: 918: 896: 883: 864: 845: 803: 792: 781: 772: 760: 751: 742: 733: 724: 717: 699: 686: 673: 664: 651: 638: 625: 612: 599: 586: 573: 560: 547: 531: 517: 516: 514: 511: 510: 509: 502: 499: 498: 497: 491: 475: 463: 451: 445: 439: 427: 418:Ellison Capers 415: 408:Ellison Capers 399: 393: 387: 381: 378:Theodore Dehon 375: 364: 361: 345:Pawleys Island 269: 266: 243:Theodore Dehon 214: 211: 171:House of Lords 143:state religion 99:nonconformists 49: 46: 30:South Carolina 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 975: 964: 961: 959: 956: 955: 953: 946: 938: 933: 927: 922: 915: 914: 909: 903: 901: 893: 887: 881: 877: 873: 868: 861: 857: 854: 849: 842: 838: 835: 831: 827: 824: 820: 816: 813: 807: 800: 796: 789: 785: 776: 767: 765: 755: 746: 737: 728: 720: 718:1-56338-060-9 714: 710: 703: 696: 690: 683: 677: 668: 661: 655: 648: 642: 635: 629: 622: 619:Clarke, Jr., 616: 609: 603: 596: 590: 583: 580:Clarke, Jr., 577: 570: 564: 557: 554:Clarke, Jr., 551: 544: 538: 536: 528: 522: 518: 508: 505: 504: 495: 494:Mark Lawrence 492: 489: 485: 479: 476: 473: 468:, (1982–1990) 467: 464: 461: 455: 452: 450:, (1944–1960) 449: 446: 443: 440: 437: 431: 428: 425: 419: 416: 413: 409: 403: 400: 397: 394: 391: 388: 385: 382: 379: 376: 373: 370: 369: 368: 360: 358: 354: 348: 346: 342: 337: 332: 329: 325: 319: 317: 313: 309: 304: 301: 297: 295: 291: 287: 283: 279: 275: 265: 263: 259: 255: 250: 248: 244: 240: 234: 232: 228: 224: 220: 210: 208: 204: 199: 196: 192: 188: 184: 183:Henry Compton 179: 176: 172: 168: 163: 158: 156: 152: 148: 144: 140: 136: 132: 128: 124: 120: 117:, and French 116: 112: 108: 107:Presbyterians 104: 100: 95: 93: 89: 84: 80: 76: 71: 69: 65: 61: 55: 45: 43: 39: 35: 31: 27: 23: 22:nine original 19: 945: 936: 932: 921: 912: 891: 886: 867: 848: 806: 795: 784: 775: 754: 745: 736: 727: 708: 702: 694: 689: 681: 676: 667: 659: 654: 646: 641: 633: 628: 620: 615: 610:, pp. 26-27. 607: 602: 597:, pp. 24-26. 594: 589: 581: 576: 568: 563: 555: 550: 542: 526: 521: 372:Robert Smith 366: 349: 333: 320: 305: 298: 271: 251: 235: 231:Robert Smith 216: 200: 180: 173:agreed, and 162:Daniel Defoe 159: 123:Indian Trade 96: 88:St. Philip's 77:granted the 72: 57: 17: 15: 496:(2008–2012) 490:(1996–2006) 480:(1990–2008) 456:(1961–1982) 454:Gray Temple 444:(1928–1944) 432:(1908–1928) 420:(1894–1908) 404:(1871–1894) 398:(1853–1871) 392:(1840–1852) 386:(1818–1839) 380:(1812–1817) 374:(1795–1801) 278:San Joaquin 252:During the 239:holy orders 217:During the 952:Categories 558:, pp. 2-4. 513:References 290:Pittsburgh 282:Fort Worth 203:lowcountry 191:commissary 175:Queen Anne 127:dissenters 75:Charles II 207:Calvinist 119:Huguenots 73:In 1663, 876:Archived 856:Archived 837:Archived 826:Archived 815:Archived 693:Bolton, 684:, p. 30. 680:Bolton, 662:, p. 29. 658:Bolton, 649:, p. 32. 645:Bolton, 636:, p. 28. 632:Bolton, 606:Bolton, 593:Bolton, 501:See also 195:benefice 147:vestries 139:Test Act 111:Baptists 103:Barbados 64:Beaufort 60:Virginia 40:and the 697:, p. 31 623:, p. 6. 584:, p. 5. 363:Bishops 115:Quakers 715:  288:, and 286:Quincy 223:canons 155:rector 151:laity 823:D025 821:and 812:C056 713:ISBN 81:the 16:The 954:: 910:, 899:^ 832:, 763:^ 534:^ 486:, 482:* 470:* 458:* 434:* 422:* 410:, 406:* 359:. 284:, 280:, 249:. 185:, 113:, 109:, 721:.

Index

nine original
Episcopal Church
South Carolina
Episcopal Diocese of Upper South Carolina
Anglican Diocese of South Carolina
Episcopal Diocese of South Carolina
Colonial period of South Carolina
Virginia
Beaufort
Church of England
Charles II
Lords Proprietors
Province of Carolina
St. Philip's
Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts
nonconformists
Barbados
Presbyterians
Baptists
Quakers
Huguenots
Indian Trade
dissenters
Nathaniel Johnson
General Assembly
Test Act
state religion
vestries
laity
rector

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