The head of The Episcopal Church is making an official visit to Episcopalians who belong to a diocese that has opted to break away from the denomination.

The Most Rev. Katharine Jefferts Schori, presiding bishop of the TEC, arrived Friday in South Carolina to visit Episcopalians in the Diocese of South Carolina who want to remain with the denomination. As part of her itinerary, Jefferts Schori will attend the "Continuing Episcopalians" special meeting on the election of a new provisional bishop for their churches, as the legal battle over who can rightfully call themselves the Episcopal Diocese of South Carolina continues in court.

The Steering Committee for the Continuing Episcopalians nominated retired East Tennessee bishop Rt. Rev. Charles Glenn vonRosenberg to the post. The vote to confirm him will take place at Grace Episcopal Church in Charleston on Saturday. more >>

A South Carolina Judge has issued a temporary restraining order stopping The Episcopal Church from using the identity of a Diocese whose leadership broke away from the denomination.

Circuit Court Judge Diane S. Goodstein issued the order Wednesday on behalf of the Episcopal Diocese of South Carolina, whose leadership voted to leave The Episcopal Church last year over theological differences as well as the treatment of their bishop, the Rev. Mark Lawrence.

"No individual, organization, association or entity, whether incorporated or not, may use, assume, or adopt in any way, directly or indirectly, the registered names and the seal or mark of The Protestant Episcopal Church in the Diocese of South Carolina," reads the order in part. more >>

One of the largest churches in the world will soon be performing same-sex wedding ceremonies, according to a recently released official announcement.

The Washington National Cathedral, which belongs to The Episcopal Church's Diocese of Washington, D.C., made the announcement on Wednesday. The Very Rev. Gary Hall, dean of the National Cathedral, said in a statement that the cathedral would be using the recently approved Episcopal rite for the blessing of same-sex couples.

"For more than 30 years, the Episcopal Church has prayed and studied to discern the evidence of God's blessing in the lives of same-sex couples," said Hall. "We enthusiastically affirm each person as a beloved child of God and doing so means including the full participation of gays and lesbians in the life of this spiritual home for the nation." more >>

A diocese leadership that broke away from The Episcopal Church last year has filed suit against its former denomination over the estimated $500 million in church property under its supervision.

The South Carolina Diocese, headed by Bishop Mark Lawrence, filed their suit Friday with the intention of gaining not only the property but also exclusive rights over the title and seal of the diocese.

"[T]he plaintiff, The Protestant Episcopal Church in the Diocese of South Carolina ('Diocese of South Carolina') is the only properly organized civil corporation and organization entitled to the use and control of the corporate entity, its names, emblems, styles and seal, its corporate assets, its real and personal property," reads the suit in part. more >>

The religious and faith backgrounds of the 113th Congress are more diverse now than at any time in the nation's history, with the addition of America's first Buddhist senator and the first Hindu in the House of Representatives.

Since the birth of the nation in 1776, Congress has typically reflected the religious beliefs of the districts from which they were elected. But gone are days where the overwhelming majority of Congress was Protestant.

The Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life, with the assistance of Congressional Quarterly's Roll Call, compiled data comparing the faith breakdown of Congress to the American population and released their report on Wednesday. Here is what they found. more >>

The Church of England has decided to drop its ban on gay clergy in civil partnerships seeking to become bishops, as long as they make a promise to remain celibate. Conservative Anglicans, however, insist celibacy would be difficult to enforce, noting that the decision undermines church doctrine on marriage.

"The House has confirmed that clergy in civil partnerships, and living in accordance with the teaching of the Church on human sexuality, can be considered as candidates for the episcopate. There had been a moratorium on such candidates for the past year and a half while the working party completed its task," the Right Rev. Graham James, Bishop of Norwich, said in a statement on Jan. 4 on behalf of the House of Bishops of the Church of England.

The Rev. James added that the House has deemed it would be "unjust" to exclude from consideration for the episcopate anyone who lives their lives in full accordance with the Church's teachings on sexual ethics and personal discipline. more >>