Canon to the Left of Me

From Midlands Biz,

"The Rt. Rev. Andrew Waldo, Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Upper South Carolina, has called the Rev. Tommy H. Tipton, rector of Holy Cross Faith Memorial Church on Pawley’s Island, to serve the diocese as Canon to the Ordinary.

Tipton has served Holy Cross as rector since 1991.

'During his years at Holy Cross, Pawley’s Island, Tommy Tipton has demonstrated his ample gifts and competence in congregational and leadership development and his substantive managerial and teaching skills,'" said Bishop Waldo.

How do I know that the Canon is to the left of me?

This article from 2003 about a special convention of the Diocese of South Carolina provides the answer.

Called by the standing committee and bishops, the special convention was to consider three resolutions repudiating the actions of the General Convention of the Episcopal Church this summer in Minneapolis, Minnesota, in confirming the election of the Rev. Canon V. Gene Robinson, a gay man in a long-term relationship, as bishop of New Hampshire and in adopting a resolution that has been interpreted as permitting local option blessings of gay relationships.

Despite emotional opposition from moderate clergy and lay delegates, all three resolutions passed by wide margins.

Although some delegates called for continued discussions of human sexuality issues, the Rev. Richard Belser, rector of St. Michael's, Charleston, declared, "I think the discussion is ended. It ended in Minneapolis. We need to do something to speak out against [General Convention's actions]."
...
Bishop Salmon, in an address to the convention delegates, said the actions of General Convention had "abolished the space of mutual respect that has allowed people of differing views to co-exist...the middle has been replaced by a battleground."

He and other speakers cited anecdotal evidence of widespread dismay in Episcopal congregations throughout the South, with church signs draped in black in several dioceses, a black flag flown from the cathedral in Birmingham, Alabama, a funeral for the Episcopal church held at one Georgia parish the Sunday after General Convention, and prisoners in Florida refusing to see Episcopal church pastoral visitors.

A permanent deacon who ministers to bikers and street people said, "We as deacons have to take the gospel outside the church, into the streets. I don't believe we can take the results of General Convention into the streets."

The Rev. Tommy Tipton of Holy Cross/Faith Memorial, Pawley's Island, read a statement from 17 clergy who were opposed to the standing committee's resolutions. He said that the resolutions sent the message that homosexuals were not welcome.

Salmon took issue with Tipton. Noting that he had gay members of his own family, he said, "Our debate is not whether gays and lesbians are welcome in the church...If they are not, no one is. Rather, the debate is around the question of a new creation," a theological innovation permitting extramarital sexuality.

I am surprised that Tipton stuck it out so long.

It should come as no surprise that Bishop Waldo should ask someone with the views of the Rev. Tipton to move to Upper SC to take the job as Canon to the Ordinary.

With this appointment, it should no longer be a secret as to which direction Waldo is steering the Diocese of Upper SC.

UPDATE and ADDENDUM (h/t to Sarah)

-- Here's T19's thread on the subject:
http://www.kendallharmon.net/t19/index.php/t19/article/34649

-- And here's commentary at StandFirm:
http://standfirminfaith.com/?/sf/page/27200

-- Here's Bishop Lawrence's response to The Episcopal Forum's request for an investigation of his and the Standing Committee's actions from late 2010:
Opening Excerpt: "Yesterday a group within the Diocese known as the Episcopal Forum of South Carolina wrote to the House of Bishops and the Executive Council of The Episcopal Church urging them to investigate my actions as Bishop and the actions of our Standing Committee. They have cited seven concerns as the foundation for their request. While these are trying times for Episcopalians and there is much need for listening carefully to one another, I do not want to let these accusations stand or go without response."
http://tinyurl.com/BishopLawrenceResponse