South Carolina is a together diocese. It has been graciously and effectively led by its previous bishop. It represents the best of the evangelical and catholic traditions of American Anglicanism. It has sought to play a positive and effective role in the deliberations and decisions of the national church, striving for the comprehensive ecclesiastical balance that the three theological streams, (evangelical, catholic, liberal) must hold in creative tension if we are to be true to our heritage.

But along with other conservative voices in TEC, South Carolina has been deeply frustrated by the sense that the deck is stacked against them and their theological convictions disvalued.

In a truly liberal democratic society the political victors win the right to govern, but not the right of arbitrary rule. The rights of the minority must always be protected and their voices always heard in the halls of public debate. What has been lost for us as a national church is trust in the political process itself. What seems to be imposed is an ecclesiastical Taliban tolerating none but its own views enforced by a canonical fundamentalism.

Instead of asking who is loyal to the canons, it should rather be asked, "why do so many of our most committed laity, our best clergy, our strongest parishes feel they have no option but to leave TEC willing to buy, fight for or even walk away from the beautiful treasures, both real and spiritual, that is our church's incredible inheritance?".

To fail to understand this is to fail to understand the politics of a diocese such as South Carolina. Where no other options seem open, the only course remaining is to vote with the purse or the feet. No candidate in the South Carolina election could be seriously considered if they did not acknowledge this as a viable possibility. Of the three, Mark Lawrence did so, but in such a way as to turn the issue into support of more positive engagement with the national church and the hope of a truly gospel vision for the way ahead.

It was a transforming vision for the SC election. He won on the first ballot with just less than 75% of the clergy vote and over 75% of the laity. I am told that after his presence and address to the diocesan convention a few weeks ago, if election were held then, he would have won about 100%. It is a bit disingenuous to hold that there were fatal flaws in the nomination and election process. There seems to be, in the Diocese of South Carolina, zero dissatisfaction with the result.

What is so desperately needed in our Episcopal Church is a restoration of trust. Not this ham-fisted canonical leveraging, this attitude toward anyone who questions the government of the church or its public theological face "There's the door, What's your hurry. We'll keep your hat." What is needed is ecclesiastical 'statespersonship'. Leadership which is willing to go out of the way to mend the breach, at great sacrifice, leaving the ninety and nine to regain the lost. What it needs is the transforming hope of a truly gospel vision of the way ahead for us. What it needs is the likes of Mark Lawrence.

What I am saying is that Mark is not only the best chance for South Carolina, he is the best chance on behalf of the dioceses of Maine and Massachusetts, of California and San Diego. He is the best chance of a way ahead for the Episcopal Church. This bishop elect should be certified by every sitting bishop and every standing committee of this church.

George Werner and I were bonded in ecclesiastical marriage in Pittsburgh for sixteen years. It was not always a happy or peaceful union, he being who he is and I being who I am. But it was a marriage. For the good of the church and the integrity of our own ministries, we saw it through. And that was good, it was very good indeed. So take it from these two old farts, vote yes for Bishop Mark Lawrence and trust this old Episcopal Church of ours into the hands of God.

--The Rt. Rev. Alden Hathaway is the former Bishop of Pittsburgh

VOL obtained permission from Bishop Hathaway to run this piece. It first appeared on the HOB/D listserv.

VOL also strongly urges its readers to support the ministry of Bishop Hathaway providing solar light for Africa. You can go to his website here: www.solarlightforafrica.org.
Solar Light is now taking aplications for their 2007 Solar Youth Mission. Application forms are on the web.