After the Revolutionary War, the Church of England was disestablished in South Carolina and in 1785, the Church reorganized itself as the Protestant Episcopal Church in South Carolina. Four years later, the Episcopal Diocese of South Carolina was one of the nine founding dioceses of The Episcopal Church in the United States of America.

In the more than two centuries since its founding, the Episcopal Diocese of South Carolina has remained a place for faithful people to worship, alive in the love of God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit, striving to seek and serve Christ in all persons and love our neighbors as ourselves.

Our diocese is led by our fifteenth bishop, the Right Reverend Ruth Woodliff-Stanley, who was elected and consecrated in 2021. We remain proudly part of The Episcopal Church, the only United States-based member of the worldwide Anglican Communion. We embrace the legacy of inclusion of The Episcopal Church, believing that God loves each of us, his children, with no exceptions. We believe in and follow the teachings of Jesus Christ, whose life, death, and resurrection saved the world. We embrace the Baptismal Covenant, promising to respect the dignity of every human being, and the Bible and the Book of Common Prayer are core to our worship.

Through a strategic visioning process in 2023, the people of our diocese defined our mission as the following: Through the liberating Gospel of Jesus, we are seeking justice spreading Christ’s love, and walking humbly with our God.

Through the liberating Gospel of Jesus,
We are formed around the Good News of Jesus Christ through shared worship and Christian formation.
 
We are seeking justice,
This is an important way that we live out our Baptismal vow.
 
Spreading Christ’s love,
We go out into our neighborhoods and wider communities to build relationships and serve.
 
And walking humbly with our God.
We do this work together, learning from and supporting each other.

Our Vision

The Episcopal Diocese of South Carolina: Beloved Community for All