Bishop Chip Edgar introduced the new Diocesan seal during the Diocesan Convention on March 8, 2024, at the Cross Schools in Bluffton. In the visual presentation each of the symbols appeared on the screen one at a time until the full seal appeared. The following is an edited transcription of his presentation.
Watch a video of the presentation.
Among the many things that went to TEC due to the SCSC’s decision, was our visual identity. We knew it was coming, but needed to wait until things finalized before moving on to something new.
The Jerusalem Cross—a favorite symbol of mine—stepped into the gap there for us for many years. But, if you haven’t figured it out yet–it’s time to reveal for our new seal and logo.
I wanted our look to be both classic, as a reflection of our long history, but also fresh and new, given our motto, “Behold I make all things new.”
So tonight, we want to share our new diocesan seal with you all.
So how did we come to create what you’re about to see?
The team began by looking at the results of our diocesan survey, reflected on our past, the current state of our Diocese, and what we sense God’s call is to us for the future.
We had the privilege of working with a masterful design team at Hook USA. Hook worked with the Cathedral, and I wanted there to be visual connection between the Diocese and our Cathedral. The principal of Hook USA, Phil Waggoner, is a member of the diocese, it was good to work with them.
The theme that rose to the top for all of us is:
“Behold I make all things new.” (taken from the Revelation of John)
Let me read from Revelation 21:
Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” He who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” He said to me: “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life. Those who are victorious will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be my children.”
You’ll see a number of these symbols represented in the seal.
Today is a new day for us as a Diocese.
Freed from the past difficult season we are freed for the new work Christ has laid out for us. A season of growth, expansion. Both within us as individuals and as a diocese.
Slide 1 (of amethyst seal, with nothing inside it appears on the screen): It’s a seal. That classic vesica shape—an oval with pointy ends. And the background color is amethyst. The traditional story of the association of amethyst with bishops and therefor dioceses goes like this…
Alexander the Great used to throw great feasts for his generals and commanders. At those dinners, wine flowed freely. But Alexander was concerned that, in a room with powerful and often power-hungry leaders, he stayed sober. So he drank water. He didn’t want everyone to know he was drinking water, so the story is that he drank from an amethyst chalice so that it would look like wine…and he would stay sober. Over time, amethyst came to be associated with sobriety.
In describing the character of a bishop, Paul tells Titus that, among other things, an bishop must be sober, “not a drunkard”. And so amethyst became the symbolic color of bishops.
Slide 2 (The words, “Anglican Diocese of South Carolina appear) This one needs little by way of explanation… We are the Anglican Diocese of South Carolina.
Slide 3 (Bible): Here’s where the seal begins to grow rich with meaning. At the base of our seal, anchoring it and demonstrating that it serves as the foundation of our life together, is the Bible inscribed with our new motto “Behold I make all things new”. Echoing the dioceses’ historic seal, instead of Latin, the text is in Greek… Ἰδοὺ καινὰ ποιῶ πάντα.
Slide 4 (Dove): At the apex of our seal is a Dove representing the Holy Spirit descending upon Christ at his baptism, “This is my beloved son, in whom I am well-pleased.” It also represents the dove returning to the ark signifying the end of the great flood.
Our diocese is committed to operating in and under and through the power of the Holy Spirit, who makes us alive in Christ Jesus.
Slide 5 (Cross): At the very center of our seal, shown as the most prominent is the cross. You’ll notice, given its equal arms, this cross hints at the Jerusalem Cross that we’ve been using as our identifying mark.
But this cross has been reworked. You’ll note it has leaves at the end of each point. This acknowledges that the cross of Jesus has become the Tree of Life in the midst of the New Jerusalem. The twelve budding leaves promise the healing of the nations.
The cross divides the field into four quadrants.
Slide 6 (Slain Lamb): In the top left quadrant, we see Jesus, as St John saw him whenever he looked in his Revelation: behold, I saw a Lamb standing as though it had been slain. The slain Lamb, Jesus, is our life.
Slide 7 (River): Below the Slain Lamb, in the bottom left quadrant, we find a river. It symbolizes both the River of Life that flows through the New City, but it also serves to locate us geographically. The Little Pee Dee, Great Pee Dee, Waccamaw, Black, Santee, Lynches, Catawba, Broad, Congaree, Edisto, Ashley, Cooper, North Fork South Fork, Ashepoo and Salkehatchie all run through our diocese, giving our geography great character.
But more than those, the River of Life runs though our diocese as well.
Slide 8 (Sword and Crozier): Moving to the top right—the right hand side reflecting our ecclesial life together—the next symbols on our seal are a sword and crozier.
In Hebrews 4:12 tells us that the Word of God is the living and active Sword of the Spirit. The Word of God is our sole authority, and the Bishop’s primary calling is to defend the Faith which is built upon God’s Word.
The Crozier is the symbol of the shepherd. Here it stands for the Good Shepherd, Christ who leads us in paths of righteousness, but also it symbols my crozier, as your Bishop. One thing that makes us uniquely Anglican is the presence of a Bishop among us.
Slide 9 (Baptismal Font): In the final quadrant, bottom right, we find the Baptismal Font, which symbolizes the cleansing from sin and beginning of new life of baptism. As Jesus makes all things new, Paul tells us in Romans 8 that his redemption begins with the redemption of our bodies and our adoption as sons and daughters. The font testifies to this.
So, brothers and sisters, there you have it. The rich, new seal of the Anglican Diocese of South Carolina.
