From today's edition of the Washington Times
By Julia Duin
THE WASHINGTON TIMES
Published May 21, 2007
The mother of all lawsuits pitting Episcopalian against Anglican kicks off today in the red-brick confines of Fairfax County Circuit Court.
The case has amassed numerous court filings involving 11 churches, two dozen lawyers, 107 individuals, the 90,000-member Diocese of Virginia, the 2.3 million-member Episcopal Church and the 18.5 million-member Anglican Province of Nigeria.
The Episcopal Church and its Virginia Diocese are suing 11 churches, their clergy and lay leaders for leaving the diocese last winter in order to join the Nigerian province. Since the 2003 consecration of the openly homosexual New Hampshire Bishop V. Gene Robinson, conservatives have been fleeing the denomination.
Some of the nation's top law firms are involved in the fight, including the 750-attorney firm Goodwin Procter. One of its partners, David Beers, is chancellor for the Episcopal Church. Hourly rates for partners at the firm go as high as $475, according to filings in a 2006 case in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.
The defendants are having to pony up huge amounts as well. The Falls Church, oldest of the 11 churches, has announced it will have a special collection June 10 to defray $342,576 in unpaid legal expenses.
Virginia Theological Seminary historian Robert Prichard said that in terms of the number of individuals and fair-market value of the historic properties, this may be the Episcopal Church's largest lawsuit ever.
He declined to predict the winner of the dispute. "I've got better sense than that," he said.
Circuit Judge Randy Bellows, no stranger to high-profile cases, will preside. He's the former assistant U.S. attorney who was the lead prosecutor on the "American Taliban" case of John Walker Lindh, and the investigator called upon to examine how the FBI bungled its espionage probe of Taiwanese-American scientist Wen Ho Lee.
The plaintiffs' main complaint is not that several thousand people have exited the diocese, but that they took millions of dollars of church property with them.
The suit also charges that members who wanted to stay Episcopalian -- mostly tiny minorities, but in two cases, one-quarter of the parish -- were not granted separate services on church property.
"There were people who wanted to worship as Episcopalians," diocesan spokesman Patrick Getlein says. "They were denied that. That was really quite something for the bishop and the diocese to hear, that there were Episcopalians turned out of their churches."
Leaders of the departing churches say no one has been made to leave and that the diocese has made it impossible for 21 departing clergy -- all under an ecclesiastical "inhibition" order -- to function as Episcopal priests.
Mary McReynolds, chancellor of the Anglican District of Virginia, the new ecclesiastical body for the 11 churches, said the diocese and the churches hammered out a "protocol" allowing conservatives to leave. The diocese then appointed a property commission to look at the assets of each church and levy an amount each church must pay in order to leave. Then on Jan. 31, the diocese filed lawsuits against each of the 11 churches.
"The members of the property commission were embarrassed by this situation," she said. "It was such an about-face. It took 13 months to negotiate that protocol."
Leaders of the departing churches, she added, suspect the diocese was pressured by church headquarters in New York to fight for the property.
"The curious thing is, not only did [Virginia] Bishop [Peter J.] Lee do a 180-degree turn," she said, "but the Episcopal Church had a policy of all property matters deferring to the diocesan bishop."
Read the rest here.
Artwork by BB's nephew, Johnny Ailes, age 10.
9 comments:
Lawsuits like this are typically the last refuge for the "left" and considering the overall zeitgeist of TEC, I expected nothing less.
Still the same, I've been in much prayer for the outcome. Specifically, I pray that the "Gates of hell will not prevail" against this great move of God otherwise known as CANA.
RE:this great move of God otherwise known as CANA
Careful on declaring extra-Biblical anythings a move of God. First off the LORD does not tend to share glory, second it will only be declared as such after something like St. Paul's resume in 2 Cor.
We'll keep praying just the same, Kevin. Hope you will too. The Lord is good.
Still friends,
bb
BB,
My comments were because of the self-declaration on CANA -- careful, remember how great moves of God are truly shown (thus Paul's resume -- Biblical pattern seems to suggest loss of property, disparate, despair, yet sustain and then takes over). These events happened, but pride the Lord will bring under judgment impartially, thus pride of both could prove very uncomfortable on both.
Why is #58 more of a great move than #57 or #26?
It is a warning as God doing a new thing is declared by both sides. It's always a risky thing speaking for the Lord, I get impression the Lord may be leading me in a direction only to have it all go wrong. Outside His word, I'm not sure we can make such pronouncements.
----
My prayers offered is that the Lord hear and responds as CANA has with those the LORD has commanded them to protect and give justice & mercy.
BabyBlue,
Praying for you and others listed in the case.
"With Thine ineffable loving-kindness, O Christ, protect Thy people and cast down the pride of our enemies.
...
Deliver not us into the hands of enemies on account of our sins, O master, but change Thy righteous anger into mercy, and grant consolation unto Thy servents.
...
Thou art wonderous, O God, Who savest by Thine almighty right hand them that put their hope in Thee, for Thine arm is able to do all things. Therefore, no also we beseech Thee: Deliver us from our enemies.
...
Looking down wtih Thine all-seeing eyes, O God, upon Thine inheritance which is offeneded by adversaries, show loving kindness, O Master, unto Thy people, and cast down the boldness of the enemy."
From a molieben to the Lord God sung in time of war against adversaries fighting against us.
[*Sigh*] I know they started it, however it's sad to see CANA supporter sink to their level.
The opening comment implies TEC as devils with the gates of Hell on God's special anointed. BB firmly supports this, then victory over enemies:
Monday nights at 6PM we pray for victory over our enemies. ("A moblien to the Lord God sung in time of war against adversaries fighting against us") I confess that at times I have thought of TEC while offering those prayers!
Kyrie eleison!
Then above Jim Oakes plays victim and tries to play religious persecution on a property dispute, thus the victim I've been told does not exist.
Maybe CANA & TEC deserve each other!
CANA vilifying and CANA spin is no more attractive than TEC vilifying or TEC spin. One would hope for better.
Lord, break down all parties to rebuild into a reflection your perfect image. Please thwart all weapons of the world and let all spinfail, only truth remain. Take the idols away from everyone and bring a renewed conviction of your commands and ways. May you crush everyone's pride & May they be reconciled under the Cross.
GOD, who as at this time didst teach the hearts of thy faithful people, by the sending to them the light of thy Holy Spirit: Grant us by the same Spirit to have a right judgement in all things, and evermore to rejoice in his holy comfort; through the merits of Christ Jesus our Saviour, who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the same Spirit, one God, world without end. Amen.
Scottish Book of Common Prayer, 1929
I suppose I need to clarify the thoughts in my original post...
St. Paul reminds us that our war isn't against flesh and blood, but against spiritual powers. 815 isn't the enemy, but I firmly believe that they are being used by the enemy in an effort to come against saints of God who've said "No mas.." to the hetrodox agendas of TEC.
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