South Carolina Episcopalians
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NEW! Bishop Waldo Calls Congregational Meetings for Trinity Members (July 22, 2010)
Bishop Andrew Waldo will hold meetings with members of Trinity Cathedral Parish Thursday evening and Sunday afternoon to discuss events leading up to his suspension of Dean Phil Linder last week. The meetings are only open to members of Trinity and all participants will have to sign a confidentiality agreement. read entire invitation
NEW! Support for Dean Linder Evaporates (July 19, 2010)
Lay leaders at Trinity Cathedral in Columbia have called for a special Vestry meeting to discuss "the dissolution of the pastoral relationship between Dean (Philip) Linder and the Cathedral."
A Vestry resolution to that effect, posted on the parish website over the weekend, seemed to reflect the growing possibility that the 50-year-old Linder will be out of a job in the near future. Those signing included all but one current Vestry member, a number of past wardens, and the elected members of the Trinity Cathedral Foundation. Read it all
Anxiety over Linder's leadership has been building for some time. Insiders say in the latest flap, Linder has insisted that he has authority to make certain financial and policy decisions that properly are reserved for the Vestry.
However, they say the issues to be mediated reflect years of frustration with Linder's leadership style and are based more on a pattern of behavior than a single issue. According to one source, "Phil wouldn't listen to anybody" such that the Vestry asked newly-consecrated Bishop Andrew Waldo to intervene. However, Linder was equally unresponsive to Waldo.
The Bishop's attempt to mediate the situation fell apart last week when Linder violated Waldo's pastoral directive to both sides to refrain from discussing contentious issues between them in public.
According to insiders, Waldo had no choice but to suspend Linder from his position. The Dean and his wife were reported to have spoken to staff and members of the 4200-member congregation about the matter since the pastoral directive. Linder's unpaid attorney disagrees with that allegation.
In a letter read to a full house on Sunday morning, the Bishop placed blame for his action on "Philip's behavior." Parishioners at church on Sunday were not optimistic that an outcome could be found that would include Linder's staying on as Dean.
(Read additional news coverage by The State)
NEW! Struggle at Columbia's Trinity Cathedral Goes Public as Bishop Suspends its Dean (July 17, 2010)
Delegates to last year's Diocesan Convention in Upper South Carolina have gotten the "decisive" bishop they had hoped to elect. No one is asking "Where's Waldo?" now.
On Friday, Bishop Andrew Waldo suspended the Dean of his Cathedral in Columbia after the Dean violated a pastoral directive from the bishop in an ongoing mediation between himself and his Vestry. Apparently Waldo had directed both Dean Phil Linder and the Vestry to keep their mouths shut about their ongoing conversations, but reportedly that did not sit well with the Dean.
Facing his first high-profile challenge, Bishop Waldo seems to have the full support of diocesan clergy in, what the few we've heard from describe as, differences about "authority" at the venerable Cathedral.
Linder has been highly effective as the leader of the 4,200-member Cathedral over the past ten years, but his independent streak and frequent head butts with lay leaders may be doing him in. Waldo was consecrated only three months ago. full story
Commentary: Anglican Smack-Down by Diana Butler Bass
(June 9, 2010)
What does the latest missive from the Archbishop of Canterbury mean to us, if anything? Celebrated church historian and commentator breaks it down for the rest of us. full story
Jubilant Crowd Cheers New Bishop in Upper SC.
Katharine Jefferts Schori presided over the consecration of Andrew Waldo as the new Bishop of the Diocese of Upper South Carolina amid pomp and excitement. With the Cathedral under renovation, the new Bishop rejected plans for a secular setting in favor of Christ Church, Greenville. full story
Convention Rallies to Bishop's Shadowbox "War"; Financial and Constitutional Challenges Loom (March 25, 2010)
NEW! Bishop Waldo Calls Congregational Meetings for Trinity Members (July 22, 2010)
Bishop Andrew Waldo will hold meetings with members of Trinity Cathedral Parish Thursday evening and Sunday afternoon to discuss events leading up to his suspension of Dean Phil Linder last week. The meetings are only open to members of Trinity and all participants will have to sign a confidentiality agreement. read entire invitation
NEW! Support for Dean Linder Evaporates (July 19, 2010)
Lay leaders at Trinity Cathedral in Columbia have called for a special Vestry meeting to discuss "the dissolution of the pastoral relationship between Dean (Philip) Linder and the Cathedral."
A Vestry resolution to that effect, posted on the parish website over the weekend, seemed to reflect the growing possibility that the 50-year-old Linder will be out of a job in the near future. Those signing included all but one current Vestry member, a number of past wardens, and the elected members of the Trinity Cathedral Foundation. Read it all
Anxiety over Linder's leadership has been building for some time. Insiders say in the latest flap, Linder has insisted that he has authority to make certain financial and policy decisions that properly are reserved for the Vestry.
However, they say the issues to be mediated reflect years of frustration with Linder's leadership style and are based more on a pattern of behavior than a single issue. According to one source, "Phil wouldn't listen to anybody" such that the Vestry asked newly-consecrated Bishop Andrew Waldo to intervene. However, Linder was equally unresponsive to Waldo.
The Bishop's attempt to mediate the situation fell apart last week when Linder violated Waldo's pastoral directive to both sides to refrain from discussing contentious issues between them in public.
According to insiders, Waldo had no choice but to suspend Linder from his position. The Dean and his wife were reported to have spoken to staff and members of the 4200-member congregation about the matter since the pastoral directive. Linder's unpaid attorney disagrees with that allegation.
In a letter read to a full house on Sunday morning, the Bishop placed blame for his action on "Philip's behavior." Parishioners at church on Sunday were not optimistic that an outcome could be found that would include Linder's staying on as Dean.
(Read additional news coverage by The State)
NEW! Struggle at Columbia's Trinity Cathedral Goes Public as Bishop Suspends its Dean (July 17, 2010)
Delegates to last year's Diocesan Convention in Upper South Carolina have gotten the "decisive" bishop they had hoped to elect. No one is asking "Where's Waldo?" now.
On Friday, Bishop Andrew Waldo suspended the Dean of his Cathedral in Columbia after the Dean violated a pastoral directive from the bishop in an ongoing mediation between himself and his Vestry. Apparently Waldo had directed both Dean Phil Linder and the Vestry to keep their mouths shut about their ongoing conversations, but reportedly that did not sit well with the Dean.
Facing his first high-profile challenge, Bishop Waldo seems to have the full support of diocesan clergy in, what the few we've heard from describe as, differences about "authority" at the venerable Cathedral.
Linder has been highly effective as the leader of the 4,200-member Cathedral over the past ten years, but his independent streak and frequent head butts with lay leaders may be doing him in. Waldo was consecrated only three months ago. full story
Commentary: Anglican Smack-Down by Diana Butler Bass
(June 9, 2010)
What does the latest missive from the Archbishop of Canterbury mean to us, if anything? Celebrated church historian and commentator breaks it down for the rest of us. full story
Katharine Jefferts Schori presided over the consecration of Andrew Waldo as the new Bishop of the Diocese of Upper South Carolina amid pomp and excitement. With the Cathedral under renovation, the new Bishop rejected plans for a secular setting in favor of Christ Church, Greenville. full story
To no one's surprise, St.
Andrew's in Mount Pleasant formally voted on Sunday to sever its ties
with the Episcopal Church. In preparation last summer, the congregation took legal steps to try to take its property with them. The parish's theology and politics have not
been particularly "Episcopal" or "Anglican" for years. full story
Lawrence Sandbags Church Leaders over Rebel Parishes;
Postpones 2010 Diocesan Convention (February 12, 2010)
Postpones 2010 Diocesan Convention (February 12, 2010)
Three S.C. Parishes Trying to Separate from the Episcopal Church (December 21, 2009) full story
Minnesota Priest elected Bishop of Upper South Carolina;
Candidates with Ties to Lawrence Rejected (December 12, 2009)
full story
Candidates with Ties to Lawrence Rejected (December 12, 2009)
full story
The Diocese of Upper
South Carolina has elected Andrew Waldo, the 56-year-old rector of a small
parish in Minnesota, as the eighth bishop of the
28,000-member diocese. The Alabama native and Sewanee
graduate emerged as a consensus candidate among delegates hoping
to continue the moderate course set by retiring Bishop Dorsey
Henderson. The election was a blow to critics of the leadership of
the Episcopal Church, hoping to pull the diocese to the right.
Diocese is on Its Own after Special Diocesan Convention
in Mt. Pleasant (October 24, 2009) full story
in Mt. Pleasant (October 24, 2009) full story
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On the following pages are commentaries on the Episcopal Church, especially in its two very different dioceses in South Carolina. They are intended as alternate points of view, and not presented with any malicious or disrespectful purpose. Our view is that all of us in the Episcopal Church are trying to fulfill our call to ministry and service in ways we believe God has intended.
You can access the following pages by clicking on the menu in the right column or just clicking on the links below.
The Church Dishonest
How careless rhetoric has taken the Diocese of South Carolina down a dangerous and unnecessary path. read more
The Anglican Communion
Relevant commentary from Anglicans around the world including a great essay "The Imagined Community of the Anglican Communion" by Frank M. Turner. read more
Relevant commentary from Anglicans around the world including a great essay "The Imagined Community of the Anglican Communion" by Frank M. Turner. read more
News from Diocese of South Carolina
Learn more about the challenges facing the Diocese as three large parishes consider leaving the Church. read more
News from the Diocese of Upper South Carolina
Formed in 1922, learn more about this Diocese which has taken a very different path from its "parent" and neighbor. read more
Other SC News
News briefs from around the Dioceses of South Carolina &
Upper South Carolina read more
The 2009 Special Convention
Delegates put Diocese of South Carolina on increasingly slippery slope, as Bishop assures Special Convention that we are not leaving the Church. read more
Learn more about the challenges facing the Diocese as three large parishes consider leaving the Church. read more
News from the Diocese of Upper South Carolina
Formed in 1922, learn more about this Diocese which has taken a very different path from its "parent" and neighbor. read more
Other SC News
News briefs from around the Dioceses of South Carolina &
Upper South Carolina read more
The 2009 Special Convention
Delegates put Diocese of South Carolina on increasingly slippery slope, as Bishop assures Special Convention that we are not leaving the Church. read more
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NEW! Diocesan History Lesson. Bishop Lawrence is not the first Bishop of South Carolina to encounter the so-called Theology of Indiscriminant Inclusion. click
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The site content is edited by Steve Skardon in Mount Pleasant. Anyone with an interest in offering any comments, criticisms, questions of accuracy, or other perspectives is welcome to submit them to scepiscopalians@aol.com
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SC Episcopalians is not affiliated with any group or organization. However, you are encouraged to join the Episcopal Forum of South Carolina and visit its website. www.episcopalforumofsc.org
You can learn more about the work of the Diocese of South Carolina by visiting its website at www.dioceseofsc.org.
