TRUTH AND CONSEQUENCES 

IN SOUTH CAROLINA

There is a common belief circulating in the Diocese of South Carolina. It is that the 29 parishes in question are not going back to the Episcopal Church or if they do it will be so many years off, so no one has to worry about it. The DSC leaders, some clergy, and allies spread the word all week that the supreme court decision means nothing. No doubt, many if not most of the 13,000 communicants in the 29 parishes believe this myth. This is a very serious issue and must not be left unaddressed.

Here are the talking points being promoted within DSC:

---the South Carolina Supreme Court decision did not make a decision on the property. It was "fractured."

---the SCSC decision cannot be enforced because it is too unclear. It is "unenforceable."

---the other litigation will keep a resolution of the property issue off for a very long time.

---DSC can and will go back to the circuit court and block any court enforcement of the SCSC decision.

All of this means the 29 parishes are "safe" from the Episcopal Church, at least for the foreseeable future.

In the first place, by this point it should be clear that the DSC leaders have little to no credibility. For many years before the schism and for all the while since, they have been proven wrong time and again. Why should anyone believe them now? After spending millions of dollars of the people's money, they have failed to deliver their promises to their long suffering faithful. Here are some of the incredible points:

---the Episcopal Church no longer believes in Jesus Christ or the Bible. This, apparently, is widely believed in the DSC. 

Fact:  The religion of the Episcopal Church is the same as it has been. What has changed is social policy.

---TEC tried to kick out Bishop Lawrence and flip the diocese from "orthodox" to liberal. 

Fact:   Read my history of the schism.

---the DSC was an independent unit that did not have to obey the law of the Episcopal Church. 

Fact:   Proven wrong in the courts which ruled TEC to be hierarchical and its laws to be superior.

---the Dennis Canon was not applicable in South Carolina. 

Fact:   The SCSC ruled 4-1 that the Dennis Canon went into effect in SC.

---DSC would prevail in court under state corporation and property laws.

Fact:   DSC lost in the SCSC 3-2. The U.S. Supreme Court refused to touch it.

---TEC did not mean what it said in June of 2015 when it offered to give independence and property to the 29 parishes.

Fact:   It did indeed mean it. If DSC had accepted this, the 29 would be on their own today.

---DSC is in the Anglican Communion.

Fact:   The DSC and its parent, the Anglican Church in North America, are not in the Anglican Communion.

By this point, the DSC faithful should wonder whether their leadership should be believed. So many things the leaders told their followers were either not true or were seriously misconstrued. Yet, here we are and they are telling their people the SCSC decision does not say what it says.

I will try to clear up the present mis-beliefs briefly. Here are the facts:

---the South Carolina Supreme Court decision of August 2, 2017 was a 3-2 decision recognizing the Episcopal Church control over 29 parishes and Camp St. Christopher.

---the U.S. Supreme Court refused to take the case. This left the SCSC decision as the law of the land. It cannot be appealed, ignored, or altered. It is final.

---The SCSC decision is clear and final. The circuit court now has the responsibility of enforcing the decision. The court does not have the power to ignore or change the decision. DSC cannot block the circuit court from enforcing the SCSC decision.

---the other parts of litigation going on are irrelevant to the property issue. There are two avenues active. 1-in the circuit court, DSC has a suit demanding payments from TEC under the "Betterments Statute." Actually, under this, DSC recognizes that the property belongs to TEC. I expect this to be dismissed. 2-in the federal court, TEC is suing for legal possession of the entity of the pre-schism diocese (titles, rights, assets). Odds are strong TEC will prevail. Thus, no other piece of litigation going on has anything to do with the properties of the 29 parishes and Camp. That was settled in the SCSC decision.

I think two things are going on here to explain why DSC is spreading this astounding and cruel myth about the property. In the first place, the DSC leaders are in denial. This was their first response to the announcement from the U.S. Supreme Court on Monday. Denial is the first stage of grief. So, they are telling their people that what happened really did not happen. Too, the DSC leaders have dug themselves into a hole and they do not know what to do except keep digging. The responses this week have been all over the place and incoherent. But, what choice do they have? If they admit the truth, they lose all credibility and influence among the faithful. Now we come down to the immediate problem.

I think the DSC leaders know they have lost the properties. They knew this last November when the SCSC refused to rehear the case. In December they issued a plan for the parishes to move congregations out of the buildings so they would continue as DSC churches elsewhere. This spring they conducted teaching (propaganda) missions to demonize TEC and spread this among the churches. So all they are doing now is buying themselves time to pursue the goal of keeping the diocese going through churches in exile. It seems to me they are trying to keep people from staying in the buildings when they are returned to the Episcopal Church bishop.

The fact is the property issue is settled. It is just a matter of time before the circuit court enforces the SCSC decision. TEC has asked for a Special Master to be chosen to oversee the process. Under the settled law of the land, the 29 parishes are Episcopal churches and have been all along. There is no longer a question of whether they are Episcopal churches or not. They are; and it will not be long before Episcopal priests will be at the altars. 

The DSC leaders are doing their followers a disservice by misleading them into believing they will keep their buildings at least for a very long time. This is just not true. 

The Church diocese has set up a structure for the reintegration of the 29 parishes into the Episcopal Church diocese. The clergy and laity of the parishes can reach out to the Church for guidance on how to make the inevitable reconciliation. Start by reading the Church Frequently Asked Questions here .

Message to the 13,000 communicants of the 29 parishes:

Do not believe it when you leaders tell you your churches are not going back to the Episcopal Church. They most definitely are, and sooner rather than later.

The 29 parishes are Episcopal churches. This is a fact. And that means they will be returning to control of the Episcopal Church bishop soon. You 13,000 communicants will have to choose whether to stay in the buildings or go out and follow the DSC leaders. The decision is up to you and no one should tell you what to do.