The Anglican Communion News Service has passed on this statement from the Episcopal Anglican Church of Brazil, which will soon be recovering property appropriated by a breakaway faction associated with GAFCON:
After a long judicial battle that lasted for a decade, a Brazilian judge has this month finally decided that the actions taken by Bishop Robinson Cavalcanti in creating of the Diocese of Recife – DR, flagrantly violated Brazilian law as well as Canon law, the Doctrine & Discipline of the Episcopal Anglican Church in Brazil (IEAB), resulting in the suspension/demotion, and eventual dismissal of Bishop Robinson from his episcopal authority & legal legitimacy for such actions.
With the sentence, it was decreed that all the actions taken by Bishop Robinson were nullified, and all would be returned to the Anglican Diocese of Recife (DAR), including property, administration & all goods and rights which were illegally usurped, including amongst them five churches with all of their belongings. From now on, all of these parishes are under the direction and supervision of Diocesan Bishop Sebastião Armando.
It is clear, therefore, that with the decision, the Judiciary as enforcing justice and law, has put an end to this situation which generated unprecedented legal instability in the Anglican Diocese of Recife, resulting in a deleterious effect on the entire Brazilian Anglican province, reflecting poorly on the credibility of the (church) institution and leadership in Brazil and abroad. Fortunately the law does not applaud these sorts of mistakes.
Unfortunately, even with this new step, the unity of the church, so carefully cherished and painstakingly built over these 100+ years during the existence of the Episcopal Anglican Church in Brazil, once again remains shaken, leaving its faithful troubled and confused, certainly causing in many people of faith a cooling of charity, which is our biggest concern right now.
This is an historical moment. We trust in the aid of Divine Grace with which we can reconstruct the unity of the Church. It is our prayer that our Lord Jesus Christ, through the Holy Spirit, touch our hearts and tell them much more than we can express.
May the Lord bless us and guide us, with his infinite mercy.
All Content © 2017 Episcopal Café
The only one I can think of was in South Carolina and it was due to the peculiarities of South Carolina law. The problem was the case was never appealed to the US Supreme Court where it would have surely been reversed. South Carolina law cannot trump the First Amendment. It will be interesting to see what happens when the courts get around to reviewing the newest batch of South Carolina property disputes. I have a feeling that there is so much at stake that they might end up in the USSC.
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So, have the schismatics won any court case at all so far?
So, have the schismatics won a single court case anywhere so far?