Conservative bishop-elect

gets hard ride

By Sue Careless

Photo: Sue Careless  

Although he was elected on the first ballot by his diocese, the Bishop-Elect of South Carolina is in danger of not having his election confirmed by the national church. Usually such confirmation is just a formality, but Mark Lawrence (right) is an orthodox priest seeking consecration in an orthodox diocese and there is a movement afoot by the revisionist majority in the Episcopal Church to prevent his consecration.

It often takes several ballots before a candidate receives a majority

in both lay and clerical orders. Lawrence, 56, managed a majority in both orders on the first ballot. In Canada that would be the end of it but in The Episcopal Church (TEC) there is also a national consent process. A majority of national diocesan bishops and diocesan Standing Committees must grant consent to any election held by a

diocese.

In 2006 Gene Robinson, who was living in a partnered homosexual relationship, was elected as Bishop-Elect of New Hampshire and later confirmed by the national consent process.

In South Carolina’s diocesan paper, Jubilate Deo, Lawrence wrote, “Many have argued in the past that this [process] is merely a matter of certifying that proper canonical procedures were followed. (This was a mantra heard often during the General Convention process when Gene Robinson’s election was confirmed.) Frankly, I didn’t accept this argument then, nor do I believe it should be applicable in my case. I do, however, believe some have changed their position regarding this matter as it applies to me—holding one opinion when it applies to a bishop-elect who held their position on issues, and quite another now.”

A month after his election Via Media USA, an advocacy group in TEC, sent a letter to every bishop and diocesan Standing Committee arguing that “Father Lawrence’s episcopacy would represent a threat to the unity of our church and to the cohesion of the Diocese of South Carolina.”

Some Standing Committees have objected to South Carolina’s request (along with six other dioceses) for Alternative Primatial Oversight (APO). Lawrence wrote that “I defended this request because, after the General Convention in 2006, I thought many

within the Church needed both pastoral space and theological differentiation if we were to remain Anglicans as well as Episcopalians. Others fear I will lead the diocese out of TEC, or will not work hard enough to keep the diocese from leaving the ‘national’ Church or ‘denomination.’”

Lawrence claims that in the last 26 years, “I have neither taught nor acted contrary to the doctrine, discipline or worship of the Episcopal Church.” He admits some dislike his “traditional theological convictions regarding the Scriptures, Creeds, and liturgy….I am conservative towards the essential doctrine and discipline of the Faith, yet progressive in regard to how the Church needs to change if it is to live out its calling in the age of globalism.”

Lawrence has spent his entire ordained ministry in parish work where average Sunday attendance rose by 50 to 65 percent. Lawrence was elected on Sept. 16. The consent process should have been finalized 120 days later but there were “unanticipated delays” in the mailing of the consent requests.  The process is now expected to be finalized by March 9.

Other orthodox bishops have faced contentious debate during the consent process, notably Jack Iker, Bishop of Fort Worth in 1993, and Quincy Keith Ackerman, Bishop of Quincy, the following year. The other Episcopal dioceses requesting APO are Central Florida (Orlando-based), Dallas, Fort Worth, Pittsburgh, Quincy (Illinois), Springfield (Illinois), and San Joaquin (California).