The state’s Court of Appeals issued a ruling Thursday in favor of the Episcopal Diocese of Georgia and the national church in its two-and-a-half year property dispute with a breakaway congregation.
A three-judge panel upheld Chatham County Superior Court Judge Michael Karpf's 2009 decision naming the Episcopal Church the rightful owners of Christ Church in Savannah.
You may leave the Episcopal Church, but you may not take the property with you.
H/T to Jim Naughton at The Lead.
Yayzers!
ReplyDeleteThose folks are an excellent example of what happens when these inbred "orthodox" parishes - usually run and overseen by two or three people and their family - leave.
We constantly hear scoffing of "How're you going to fill the empty buildings TEC has managed to keep?!" Yet, there's more growth and vitality in Christ Church since that relatively small power core stormed off. Churches who've suffered from these insular groups tend to live only after those "orthodox" types are given the heave-ho, and, where they aren't you get Westboro Baptist Churches - entire congregations all one family and a few friends and some wild-eyed preacher that they think is a prophet.
And again and agan... Don't they ever tire?
ReplyDeleteIt is so amusing to me that these types don't understand such a basic tenant. In the latter part of my "previous life", I belonged to a church that was very congregational in its polity, and we knew of the "evils" of "top-down" church government, including ownership of property. It's really quite simple (And, of course, not evil at all.).
ReplyDeleteMark, I knew the news would please you, luv.
ReplyDeleteGöran, not so long as the funds continue to flow into the coffers of the breakaways to enable them to contest ownership in the courts.
KJ, if owning property is evil, then ownership by the local congregation is just as evil.
And you didn't try to walk away with the church, did you? It would have been a heavy load.
Mark, I am so glad you said what you said. I grow so weary of hearing all about the "progressive" Episcopal churchs losing members. The members they are losing are the rigid, unwelcoming break-aways who are yammering about the loss of membership. In fact, they are the only members who are lost. After they leave, those who are left gain members to a welcoming, open and loving congregation.
ReplyDelete