And once again the diocese will seek consents from 100 dioceses for Lawrence in the hope of bringing an end to an embarrassing episode in its life and history - the rejection of a well-qualified bishop for an orthodox diocese.

Failure to receive consent is not unprecedented. In 1934 the Rev. John Torok was denied consent as Bishop Suffragan of Eau Claire (Wisconsin). No one else has been denied consent in more than 70 years.

South Carolina has been without a diocesan bishop since Bishop Salmon, Jr., reached the mandatory retirement age of 72 in January 2006. He continues to serve as acting bishop by invitation of the standing committee. Last September a special electing convention overwhelmingly chose the Very Rev. Mark L. Lawrence, rector of St. Paul's, Bakersfield, Calif., as Bishop of South Carolina on the first ballot. National church canons require consent from a majority of standing committees and bishops with jurisdiction before a bishop-elect can be consecrated. Fr. Lawrence failed to receive enough correctly notarized consents from standing committees within the 120-day period.

The diocese is trying for round two in the hope that what failed in round one will be a shoo-in for round two for the San Joaquin priest.

It may not be that simple.

The first time Lawrence was rejected, it was because the diocese failed to obtain notarized consents within the 120-day time frame. The diocese blinked and agreed to try again. The bishops voted for Lawrence, Standing Committee members did not.

This time the issue will be complicated by the fact that the Diocese of San Joaquin, from where Lawrence hails, will vote in early December to leave The Episcopal Church (TEC). By all accounts that will happen, despite threats from Mrs. Schori against Bishop John-David Schofield that he can leave if he wants, but he may not take or keep the properties and parishes of the diocese.

It is unlikely therefore that Standing Committees of liberal dioceses will give their consent to Lawrence, in which case the Diocese of South Carolina is right back to square one. The 120-day discernment period beginning in August goes well beyond the time frame for the Diocese of San Joaquin to declare its hand.

The Diocese of South Carolina has at least two options.

The first is to drop Lawrence and look for another candidate. That is not likely, sources tell VOL, but it is possible.

Secondly, a number of orthodox bishops, retired and active, could go ahead and consecrate him anyway. This is an interesting but potentially dangerous move.

A retired orthodox Episcopal bishop and canon lawyer told VOL that those bishops taking part in such an irregular consecration would be subject to trial for violating the Constitution and Canons of TEC. They could face presentment and be thrown out of TEC. Being retired may not matter. Witness the case of Bishop William Cox who faced presentment charges from two liberal bishops for crossing diocesan lines. At 83, he simply left TEC and joined the Province of the Southern Cone. Belonging to TEC was simply irrelevant to him so he moved on.

"Mark [Lawrence] would not be recognized as a Bishop regularly consecrated, and would not be recognized as Bishop of South Carolina," the source told VOL. "This would not put the Diocese of South Carolina out of The Episcopal Church, but it does raise the question of who is the Ecclesiastical Authority.

"My own opinion would be that the Standing Committee becomes the Ecclesiastical Authority, with the power to hire a Bishop for sacramental acts, such as Confirmations and Ordinations. Can they hire Lawrence? Yes, but would a lawsuit follow anyway? Yes, TEC will sue simply to terrorize anyone who dares stand against it."

END