From Virginia-
A longstanding dispute over property rights in Northern Virginia between the Episcopal Church and the Convocation of Anglicans in North America will be heard by the Virginia Supreme Court April 13th.
Two appeals will be presented to the court, one by the Episcopal Church and one by the Episcopal Diocese of Virginia. The denomination will challenge the state's "Division Statute," which they argue is unconstitutional. The church lost property valued at approximately $30 million during a 2008 ruling by the Fairfax Circuit Court, which granted CANA ownership of the property.
“It’s regrettable that we find ourselves here, but it’s also absolutely necessary to safeguard our church and to safeguard the legacy of our members,” said Henry Burt, secretary and chief of staff for the Diocese of Virginia.
In late 2006 and early 2007, 11 parishes in Northern Virginia seceded from the Episcopal Church and joined the Convocation of Anglicans in North America. The Fairfax Circuit Court ruled that these parishes were allowed to keep church property that previously belonged to the Episcopal Church.
The Anglican District of Virginia followed the protocol of the 1867 "Division Statute," but the Episcopal Church claims the ruling under the statute was unconstitutional. The argument of whether or not the state should be able to determine what is and is not a split within the church is a big determinant in their argument.
“These people left. They didn’t split our church. They just left,” said Burt.
Read more at the Washington Examiner:
http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/local/blogs/virginia-confidential/Episcopal-Church-to-challenge-property-rights-ruling-by-Virginia-circuit-court-90226622.html#ixzz0kXVbghLF
1 comment:
This might be a good time to remember the official statement from the Church of England which does indeed recognize that we have a "division" in the Episcopal Church. The Church of England said by an overwhelming majority, including the Archbishop of Canterbury, that "That this Synod, aware of the distress caused by recent divisions within the Anglican churches of the United States of America and Canada," and went on to "recognise and affirm the desire of those who have formed the Anglican Church in North America to remain within the Anglican family."
If the Church of England - the Mother Church of our denomination - recognizes that there has been a division in The Episcopal Church, one would hope that the Diocese of Virginia would finally admit this as well.
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