I wonder if they are doing this because they really believe that their cause is right and just or simply to be annoying? In any case, I guess they have lots of money to pay lawyers' fees. Too bad because lots of good things could be done with the monies that are being wasted.

I know folks in both congregations, and they are good and decent people. But it's difficult to see why the breakaway parish thinks TEC assets should be theirs. Were that the case, it would logically follow that when an individual leaves a parish he or she should be able to reclaim a fractional interest in their donations or parish assets.

Some of the language out there from the Anglican blogs is really ugly, too. Stuff about "heretics" and things of that sort. I hope folks will avoid this sort of labeling and disrespect.

Eric Bonetti

I really don't know why Falls Church Anglican is pursuing their claim. I'm not a lawyer, but I looked at the rulings in other similar cases. The controlling precedent from the Supreme Court dictates that when churches split, courts have to pursue "neutral-law" analyses. This means that courts can rule on questions of contracts or civil law, but not on which party has a better or cleaner understanding of Scripture. Since the Episcopal Church has had canons in place since 1979, which dictate that in situations where churches want to break away, all assets revert to the Episcopal diocese in question, Falls Church Anglican seems to me to be out of luck.

There is something in the evangelical mindset about being "convicted through suffering". In other words, the more the suffering for what you believe is right, the more it proves that you are right.

I suspect at least some of this dynamic is at play here, which is why you hear so much chatter about "heresy" and "apostasy" from the so-called "Anglican" blogs. To fight the good fight for what you believe is right may be like Don Quixote tilting at windmills but it's seen by some as heroic.

They fight for what they believe is right. We fight the same fight. Unfortunately, the only ones to benefit are the lawyers.

Le sigh! It was ever thus.

It rather puts the lie to the accusation that the litigation is all nasty TEC's fault.

"There is something in the evangelical mindset about being "convicted through suffering". In other words, the more the suffering for what you believe is right, the more it proves that you are right.."

Ah, Elizabeth, I suspect the term that fits oh so well, but which you were perhaps reluctant to use is "drama queen".

Dave - Nah. Real 'drama queens' just create drama the way the Peanut's character "Pig Pen" walks around in a cloud of dirt and dust. They don't create drama because they believe God is calling them to defend a righteous cause.

As for the tens millions of dollars that gets spent on these cases, in the long run for TEC it is money invested appropriately. If TEC did not contest the congregations leaving with parish assets, every parish allowed to do so would be more encouragement for others to follow. TEC could then stand to loose hundreds of millions more dollars in real property than it will have ever spent in the litigation.

Brother David

@BroDavid: Another way to look at the issue is that the money has been spent to resist bullying. Win, lose, or draw, it's important for bullies to know that they can't steal lunch money, they can't beat up kids who are different than them, and they can't take things that belong to others simply because they disagree with them.

At the end of the day, I care less about the assets, and more about protecting those who otherwise would not have a voice.

Eric Bonetti

Pride. So much of +Peter Akinolas grandstanding about being a ¨orthodox¨ leader with a extra holy group of believers/followers was actually believed by those who abuse others at Church...is it so hard to say sorry, I made a mistake? What a safe place it must have seemed to seperate righteous from not-so-much Christians at Church. What a day it was to be reassured that discrimination and hating others at Church was actually condoned and practiced in Nigeria. Nigeria and some of the other spiritually and vertically disfigured by corruption countries in the Global South. The Massacre at Yelwa ought really have been a very strong indicator of what core character disorders were capable of instigating in Olde Virigina and beyond...it´s time for the ¨anglicans¨ in Virigina to take full responsibility for their spitefilled actions directed toward others. There is no place left to run or hide.

I think they are appealing due to the Timberridge Presbyterian case that will probably be heard by the Supreme Court, as to whether a denomination can create a trust interest by passing a canon.

That way, the decision does not become final and the Dennis Canon can be overturned by the Supreme Court.

Joe

Joe - please sign your name next time you comment. Thanks ~ed.