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Episcopal Diocese of South Carolina (1785–2012)

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204:. 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 329:), 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." 232:, 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 216:, 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 313:
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
886: 863: 252:. 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 132:. 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 882: 307:, 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. 304: 237: 152:, 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 283:
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.
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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
334: 968: 321:). After the 76th General Convention of the Episcopal Church passed resolutions DO25 (opening "any ordained ministry" to individuals in 847: 272: 257: 44: 799: 810: 160:
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.
367: 267:, the Diocese of South Carolina was briefly separated from the Episcopal Church in the United States and was part of the 52: 156:
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.
36: 812:"South Carolina election voided due to canonical deficiencies in responses"] Episcopal News Service, 15 March 2007 822: 292: 288: 145: 833: 476: 470: 355: 338: 300: 141: 362:
the fall of 2012, members of the historic diocese split into two rival factions: one of which formed today's
318: 109: 358:. He also cited the fact that before 1979, the Episcopal Church never claimed ownership of parish property. 351: 185: 296: 140:
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
458: 452: 303:. Although some clergy and parishioners in the diocese supported the decisions made by the 284: 93: 844: 354:
ruling that the Episcopal Church's property canon was not binding on All Saints Parish in
8: 801:"South Carolina re-elects Mark Lawrence as bishop"] Episcopal News Service, 4 August 2007 229: 244:
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
540:(Easley, SC: Southern Historical Press and the Rev. Emmett Lucas, Jr., 1976), p. 1. 498: 422: 310: 197: 177: 108:
Religious toleration fostered by the Lords Proprietors made Carolina attractive to
919:"Disciplinary Board dismisses abandonment complaint against South Carolina bishop" 890: 870: 851: 840: 829: 406: 394: 937:
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
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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
149: 121: 113: 556:(Charleston, South Carolina: Dalcho Historical Society, 1959), 10. 275:
was created from territory formerly part of the original diocese.
136:. The Huguenots sided with the Anglicans, while the newly arrived 278: 125: 269:
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
112:. While the colony was dominated by immigrant planters from 722:. Harrisburg, PA: Trinity Press International. p. 35. 908: 901:
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
885:, Diocese of South Carolina, accessed April 28, 2011. 873:, Diocese of South Carolina, accessed April 28, 2011. 554:
Church and State In Eighteenth-Century South Carolina
101:, was built in 1681. In 1702, the newly incorporated 223: 777: 775: 745: 736: 676: 582:(Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 1982), pp. 18-23. 548: 546: 18:Episcopal Diocese of South Carolina (before 2012) 974:Dioceses of the Episcopal Church (United States) 960: 784: 772: 763: 754: 518:History of the Episcopal Church (United States) 58: 43:, but the western part of the state became the 543: 279:Tensions with the Episcopal Church (2008–2012) 917:Mary Frances Schjonberg (28 November 2011), 876: 950:. Morehouse Publishing: New York, NY (2005) 905:, 27 February 2011, accessed 29 April 2011. 895: 611: 598: 572: 305:General Convention of the Episcopal Church 209:religious outlooks of the nonconformists. 857: 273:Episcopal Diocese of Upper South Carolina 258:Society for the Propagation of the Gospel 45:Episcopal Diocese of Upper South Carolina 711: 698: 685: 663: 650: 559: 637: 236:for the national church adopted by the 14: 961: 717: 624: 585: 530: 240:at Philadelphia earlier in July 1789. 31:was established in 1785 as one of the 815: 473:, Coadjutor Bishop (consecrated 1980) 437:, Coadjutor Bishop (consecrated 1907) 192:In 1708, Gideon Johnston was sent by 845:General Convention 2009 Legislation 368:Episcopal Diocese of South Carolina 144:called an emergency session of the 97:and South Carolina's first church, 53:Episcopal Diocese of South Carolina 29:Episcopal Diocese of South Carolina 24: 969:Episcopal Church in South Carolina 364:Anglican Diocese of South Carolina 327:blessing of same-sex relationships 49:Anglican Diocese of South Carolina 25: 985: 224:Creation and division (1775–1922) 65:Colonial period of South Carolina 69:On April 19, 1660, a group from 941: 930: 821:General Convention Resolutions 804: 793: 449:, Coadjutor Bishop (1921–1922) 13: 1: 632:Anglicanism in South Carolina 593:Anglicanism in South Carolina 567:Anglicanism in South Carolina 523: 319:Homosexuality and Anglicanism 751:Rogers, Jr. 1959, pp. 22-23. 742:Rogers, Jr. 1959, pp. 18-19. 682:Rogers, Jr. 1959, pp. 13-14. 59:Colonial origins (1660–1775) 7: 948:The Episcopal Church Annual 511: 325:) and CO56 (concerning the 10: 990: 373: 62: 854:, accessed 29 April 2011. 760:Rogers, Jr. 1959, pp. 26. 718:Holmes, David L. (1993). 350:deeds by citing a recent 790:Rogers, Jr. 1959, p. 30. 781:Rogers, Jr. 1959, p. 29. 769:Rogers, Jr. 1959, p. 28. 485:, (Assistant, 1985–1990) 200:, as the colony's first 927:, accessed May 1, 2011. 828:April 24, 2012, at the 552:George C. Rogers, Jr., 536:Philip G. Clarke, Jr., 924:Episcopal News Service 401:Christopher E. Gadsden 323:same-sex relationships 77:. Morgan Jones of the 489:Edward L. Salmon, Jr. 477:C. FitzSimons Allison 471:C. FitzSimons Allison 447:Kirkman George Finlay 335:revisions of Title IV 63:Further information: 903:The Post and Courier 706:Southern Anglicanism 693:Southern Anglicanism 671:Southern Anglicanism 658:Southern Anglicanism 645:Southern Anglicanism 619:Southern Anglicanism 606:Southern Anglicanism 483:G. Edward Haynsworth 459:Thomas N. Carruthers 453:Albert Sidney Thomas 285:Anglican realignment 212:Concentrated in the 94:Province of Carolina 578:S. Charles Bolton, 352:state Supreme Court 230:American Revolution 889:2011-07-26 at the 869:2011-07-26 at the 850:2011-04-23 at the 839:2011-05-12 at the 495:William J. Skilton 425:(consecrated 1893) 413:William B. W. Howe 265:American Civil War 238:General Convention 441:William A. Guerry 435:William A. Guerry 142:Nathaniel Johnson 90:Lords Proprietors 79:Church of England 16:(Redirected from 981: 951: 945: 939: 934: 928: 915: 906: 899: 893: 880: 874: 861: 855: 819: 813: 808: 802: 797: 791: 788: 782: 779: 770: 767: 761: 758: 752: 749: 743: 740: 734: 733: 715: 709: 702: 696: 689: 683: 680: 674: 667: 661: 654: 648: 641: 635: 628: 622: 615: 609: 602: 596: 589: 583: 576: 570: 563: 557: 550: 541: 534: 499:Suffragan Bishop 423:Coadjutor Bishop 339:Presiding Bishop 311:Mark J. Lawrence 198:Bishop of London 178:episcopal polity 146:General Assembly 37:Episcopal Church 35:dioceses of the 21: 989: 988: 984: 983: 982: 980: 979: 978: 959: 958: 955: 954: 946: 942: 935: 931: 916: 909: 900: 896: 891:Wayback Machine 881: 877: 871:Wayback Machine 862: 858: 852:Wayback Machine 841:Wayback Machine 830:Wayback Machine 820: 816: 809: 805: 798: 794: 789: 785: 780: 773: 768: 764: 759: 755: 750: 746: 741: 737: 730: 716: 712: 703: 699: 690: 686: 681: 677: 668: 664: 655: 651: 642: 638: 629: 625: 616: 612: 603: 599: 590: 586: 577: 573: 564: 560: 551: 544: 535: 531: 526: 514: 492: 480: 468: 444: 432: 416: 407:Thomas F. Davis 395:Nathaniel Bowen 376: 347:quitclaim deeds 281: 271:. In 1922, the 226: 67: 61: 23: 22: 15: 12: 11: 5: 987: 977: 976: 971: 953: 952: 940: 929: 907: 894: 875: 856: 814: 803: 792: 783: 771: 762: 753: 744: 735: 728: 710: 697: 684: 675: 662: 649: 636: 623: 610: 597: 584: 571: 558: 542: 528: 527: 525: 522: 521: 520: 513: 510: 509: 508: 502: 486: 474: 462: 456: 450: 438: 429:Ellison Capers 426: 419:Ellison Capers 410: 404: 398: 392: 389:Theodore Dehon 386: 375: 372: 356:Pawleys Island 280: 277: 254:Theodore Dehon 225: 222: 182:House of Lords 154:state religion 110:nonconformists 60: 57: 41:South Carolina 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 986: 975: 972: 970: 967: 966: 964: 957: 949: 944: 938: 933: 926: 925: 920: 914: 912: 904: 898: 892: 888: 884: 879: 872: 868: 865: 860: 853: 849: 846: 842: 838: 835: 831: 827: 824: 818: 811: 807: 800: 796: 787: 778: 776: 766: 757: 748: 739: 731: 729:1-56338-060-9 725: 721: 714: 707: 701: 694: 688: 679: 672: 666: 659: 653: 646: 640: 633: 630:Clarke, Jr., 627: 620: 614: 607: 601: 594: 591:Clarke, Jr., 588: 581: 575: 568: 565:Clarke, Jr., 562: 555: 549: 547: 539: 533: 529: 519: 516: 515: 506: 505:Mark Lawrence 503: 500: 496: 490: 487: 484: 479:, (1982–1990) 478: 475: 472: 466: 463: 461:, (1944–1960) 460: 457: 454: 451: 448: 442: 439: 436: 430: 427: 424: 420: 414: 411: 408: 405: 402: 399: 396: 393: 390: 387: 384: 381: 380: 379: 371: 369: 365: 359: 357: 353: 348: 343: 340: 336: 330: 328: 324: 320: 315: 312: 308: 306: 302: 298: 294: 290: 286: 276: 274: 270: 266: 261: 259: 255: 251: 245: 243: 239: 235: 231: 221: 219: 215: 210: 207: 203: 199: 195: 194:Henry Compton 190: 187: 183: 179: 174: 169: 167: 163: 159: 155: 151: 147: 143: 139: 135: 131: 128:, and French 127: 123: 119: 118:Presbyterians 115: 111: 106: 104: 100: 95: 91: 87: 82: 80: 76: 72: 66: 56: 54: 50: 46: 42: 38: 34: 33:nine original 30: 19: 956: 947: 943: 932: 923: 902: 897: 878: 859: 817: 806: 795: 786: 765: 756: 747: 738: 719: 713: 705: 700: 692: 687: 678: 670: 665: 657: 652: 644: 639: 631: 626: 621:, pp. 26-27. 618: 613: 608:, pp. 24-26. 605: 600: 592: 587: 579: 574: 566: 561: 553: 537: 532: 383:Robert Smith 377: 360: 344: 331: 316: 309: 282: 262: 246: 242:Robert Smith 227: 211: 191: 184:agreed, and 173:Daniel Defoe 170: 134:Indian Trade 107: 99:St. Philip's 88:granted the 83: 68: 28: 26: 507:(2008–2012) 501:(1996–2006) 491:(1990–2008) 467:(1961–1982) 465:Gray Temple 455:(1928–1944) 443:(1908–1928) 431:(1894–1908) 415:(1871–1894) 409:(1853–1871) 403:(1840–1852) 397:(1818–1839) 391:(1812–1817) 385:(1795–1801) 289:San Joaquin 263:During the 250:holy orders 228:During the 963:Categories 569:, pp. 2-4. 524:References 301:Pittsburgh 293:Fort Worth 214:lowcountry 202:commissary 186:Queen Anne 138:dissenters 86:Charles II 218:Calvinist 130:Huguenots 84:In 1663, 887:Archived 867:Archived 848:Archived 837:Archived 826:Archived 704:Bolton, 695:, p. 30. 691:Bolton, 673:, p. 29. 669:Bolton, 660:, p. 32. 656:Bolton, 647:, p. 28. 643:Bolton, 617:Bolton, 604:Bolton, 512:See also 206:benefice 158:vestries 150:Test Act 122:Baptists 114:Barbados 75:Beaufort 71:Virginia 51:and the 708:, p. 31 634:, p. 6. 595:, p. 5. 374:Bishops 126:Quakers 726:  299:, and 297:Quincy 234:canons 166:rector 162:laity 834:D025 832:and 823:C056 724:ISBN 92:the 27:The 965:: 921:, 910:^ 843:, 774:^ 545:^ 497:, 493:* 481:* 469:* 445:* 433:* 421:, 417:* 370:. 295:, 291:, 260:. 196:, 124:, 120:, 732:. 20:)

Index

Episcopal Diocese of South Carolina (before 2012)
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

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