Episcopalians in South Carolina who remain loyal to The Episcopal Church reaffirmed their ties to the denomination in light of their diocese leadership breaking away over theological differences.

At the Annual Diocesan Convention held Friday and Saturday in Charleston, representatives from The Episcopal Church in South Carolina voted to make their governing documents conform with those of the national denomination.

TEC in SC representatives also elected trustees and ecclesiastical court members. An estimated 250 people representing 10 parishes, 11 missions, eight "continuing parishes and missions," and six worship communities were present. more >>

A Maryland congregation belonging to The Episcopal Church has voted to leave the denomination and join the Roman Catholic Church.

St. Timothy's Church of Catonsville, a small but historic congregation, voted overwhelmingly on Sunday, Feb. 10, to leave the Episcopal Diocese of Maryland and join a Roman Catholic Ordinariate.

Created in 2012, the Ordinariate of the Chair of St. Peter is a Catholic body created for Episcopalians and Anglicans that want to leave the Anglican Communion yet retain their liturgy and tradition. more >>

A historic congregation in Texas may become the first church in the state to perform the same-sex union blessing recently approved by The Episcopal Church's national leadership.

St. David's Episcopal Church of Austin, which is under the Episcopal Diocese of Texas, may begin performing a recently approved rite blessings for same-sex couples by next month. Jeanie Sablatura, director of communications for St. David's Episcopal, told The Christian Post that her church's decision to move forward was part of a "Unity in Mission plan" set up by the Texas Diocese.

"We were one of two churches asked by the Diocese of Texas if we would like to participate to which we said yes based on the size of our parish (one of the largest Episcopal churches in Texas) and because we have an active gay and lesbian population within our parish," said Sablatura. more >>

Prince Charles expressed concerns over a bill that seeks to change the rules surrounding the Royal line of succession in Britain, saying that allowing royal members to marry Roman Catholics might undermine the Church of England.

The British monarch, who is currently in line to inherit the throne from his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, has stated that the bill was "rushed" and that it might have "unintended consequences," CBC reported. Only Protestants have been able to serve as king or queen since the signing of the Act of Settlement, passed in 1701.

The bill allows girls who were born before their brothers to keep their place in line to the throne, but it also removed a 300-year-old ban on royals from marrying Roman Catholics. The official British monarch serves as head of the Church of England, but Roman Catholic doctrine dictates that children from such a union would have to be raised in the Catholic tradition, which would constitute a conflict of interest. more >>

A group of congregations and clergy loyal to The Episcopal Church have elected a provisional bishop to lead them as the leadership of their diocese has left the denomination.

The Episcopal Church in South Carolina, the name given to the continuing Episcopalians during their legal battle with the South Carolina Diocese, elected the Reverend Charles vonRosenberg. VonRosenberg was given the position at a special meeting of the continuing Episcopalians last Saturday at Grace Episcopal Church in Charleston.

Holly Behre, communications chairman for TEC in South Carolina, told The Christian Post about the results of the vote and powers that vonRosenberg will have as bishop provisional. "Bishop vonRosenberg was elected by acclamation by clergy and lay delegate representing 9 parishes, 10 missions and 8 continuing parishes," said Behre. more >>

Rowan Williams, who stepped down as the Anglican leader last month, and Richard Dawkins, a leading secularist in the U.K., will discuss whether "religion has no place in the 21st Century" at a Cambridge Union Society debate on Thursday.

The upcoming debate is expected to be a highlight of the debating society's 200-year history, Ben Kentish, the Union's president, told BBC. "Our speakers are the most renowned commentators on this subject."

The Union – the largest society at the University of Cambridge – has a long and distinguished history of hosting leading state and international political and other figures in its chamber, from presidents to Prime Ministers and Oscar winners to Olympic legends. more >>