SOUTH CAROLINA: Four Retired Bishops Blast New Arbitrary Canons
SOUTH CAROLINA: Four Retired Bishops Blast New Arbitrary Canons
Special to Virtueonline
www.virtueonline.org
October 30, 2010
Radical new canons were passed at General Convention in 2009 to go into effect in July, 2011. These canons give bishops (and the presiding bishop) unprecedented and virtually unlimited powers that replace the historic restraints and checks on arbitrary authority and reduce the role of laity in church discipline.
They greatly increase the number and nature of clergy offenses, while dramatically inflating the role of bishops, not only in initiating, but effectively controlling, the outcome of disciplinary decisions. The central and historic role of the Standing Committee (made up of elected laity and clergy, without the bishop) has served in these cases as a grand jury deciding whether the facts do, or do not, merit a trial. The Standing Committee's role has been removed. These new canons will give bishops (and the presiding bishop) authority to depose clergy (and bishops) without an adequate trial.
Read the full story at www.VirtueOnline.org
Special to Virtueonline
www.virtueonline.org
October 30, 2010
Radical new canons were passed at General Convention in 2009 to go into effect in July, 2011. These canons give bishops (and the presiding bishop) unprecedented and virtually unlimited powers that replace the historic restraints and checks on arbitrary authority and reduce the role of laity in church discipline.
They greatly increase the number and nature of clergy offenses, while dramatically inflating the role of bishops, not only in initiating, but effectively controlling, the outcome of disciplinary decisions. The central and historic role of the Standing Committee (made up of elected laity and clergy, without the bishop) has served in these cases as a grand jury deciding whether the facts do, or do not, merit a trial. The Standing Committee's role has been removed. These new canons will give bishops (and the presiding bishop) authority to depose clergy (and bishops) without an adequate trial.
Read the full story at www.VirtueOnline.org
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