A.S. Haley—South Carolina: a Case Study in How to Tear a Church Apart

Posted by Kendall Harmon

It is ironic indeed that Nick Zeigler would invoke the specter of Fort Sumter in a book published just before the current Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church sent her attorneys and investigators into the Diocese of South Carolina. One would think that she would be highly grateful to Bishop Lawrence for managing to hold his Diocese together after the fractures caused by the rift with All Saints Waccamaw, and the loss of the use of the Dennis Canon as a tool for intimidating the faithful in South Carolina. The parishioners of the Diocese have no sooner put that matter behind them, however, than the Presiding Bishop lets herself be seen further stirring up old divisions and strongly-felt emotions, with no evident clue as to her utter folly in doing so.

Alas, when it comes to the leadership at 815, one can but lament: what else is new? They must want it this way, and they will reap what they sow.

Read the whole thing.

Filed under: * Anglican - Episcopal • Episcopal Church (TEC) • Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori • TEC Bishops • Sept07 HoB Meeting • TEC Conflicts • * Culture-Watch • Law & Legal Issues • * South Carolina

4 Comments
Posted March 13, 2010 at 12:10 pm [Printer Friendly] [Print w/ comments]



1. Dan Ennis wrote:

So history repeats itself…a decade ago Bishop Salmon and his chancellor were concerned that a parish which wanted to make a break would first transfer property to a new entity or trust and then announce they were leaving TEC.

Now the Presiding Bishop suspects the same thing is going on.  But when she asks if certain chruhces have been monekeying with their deeds, well, she’s out of line and beyond her juristiction.

One solution might be a resolution at the upcoming SC Diocesan convention:  Resolved that all proposed changes in church property deeds and titles must be announced in advance, published in the diocesan newspaper, and presented to the congregation for considertaion before any action is taken.

March 13, 9:07 pm | [comment link]
2. David Keller wrote:

#1 Why? To placate 815? Its not their property.  If KJS is upset, tough. The best thing I can say about KJS is that when she comes to Christ Church Greenville to ordain Waldo, I will be out of state on business—I won’t even have to be in the same state with her.

March 14, 8:58 am | [comment link]
3. WestJ wrote:

It is the diocesan bishop’s prerogative to decide what is done with church property in his/her diocese, so it was right for Bishop Salmon to do what he did. KJS has no such authority, though the spineless worms she has bullied so far have not challenged her.
South Carolina will not be bullied.

March 14, 1:03 pm | [comment link]
4. Cennydd wrote:

I can hardly wait to see +Schori’s reaction to the diocese’s telling her that she has no authority there.  It should be “interesting,” to say the least.

March 14, 10:54 pm | [comment link]
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