Episcopal church sues deposed California bishop over property

[DeepModem Mom]

WP/AP: Episcopal church sues deposed Calif. bishop over property
By AMANDA FEHD
The Associated Press
Friday, April 25, 2008

SAN FRANCISCO -- The Episcopal Diocese of San Joaquin has sued a deposed bishop, demanding he vacate his offices and turn over financial accounts for leading a secession last year prompted by the church's ordination of women and gays. The diocese said in its lawsuit, filed Thursday in Fresno County Superior Court, that John-David Schofield breached his duties to the church.

National church leaders removed Schofield as the head of the Fresno-based diocese after he led parishioners to align themselves with the conservative Province of the Southern Cone, an Argentina-based member of the worldwide Anglican Communion. Last month, Jerry Lamb, a bishop loyal to the U.S. church, was elected to head the San Joaquin diocese. Schofield, however, maintains he is an Anglican bishop of the Diocese of San Joaquin under the worldwide church.

The U.S. Episcopal Church is also part of the 77 million-member Anglican Communion, a global fellowship of churches that trace their roots to the Church of England, but the national denomination has faced increasing scrutiny for its liberal-leaning stance. Most Anglicans are traditionalists who believe Scripture bars gay relationships....

(NOTE: I am unaware of any documentation that supports this statement: "Most Anglicans are traditionalists who believe Scripture bars gay relationships.")

***

The complaint demands that Schofield leave those offices, return control of a church investment trust and foundation and return bank and brokerage accounts, money, and financial, historical and property records.

"Defendant Schofield's attempt to divert the Diocese of San Joaquin itself and its property for the use and benefit of another church in violation of the Episcopal Church's Constitution and Canons breached his fiduciary duties as the Bishop and ecclesiastical authority of the Diocese of San Joaquin," the complaint said.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/04/25/AR2008042502871.html?hpid=sec-religion

[JerseygirlCT]

1. Good. The PB seems like she's not going to be pushed around

by these self-important jerks.

And BTW, Schofield, there IS no "worldwide church" in the way you'd like to claim. No central authority, no central organization. We're an association of national churches. You left this one. Go down to S. America and enjoy your new position, but you have no place anymore within the boundaries or polity of the Episcopal church!

[kwassa]

2. Schofield is a fool

and a bitter fool at that.

Did you know that he is beyond the retirement age, at 70, for bishops in the Southern Cone? Archbishop Greg Venables is conveniently ignoring that, and is now up from the Southern Cone in Canada, attempting to poach churches there.

Renegade archbishops everywhere ignoring the AUTONOMY of each individual Anglican church, all of which are set up by geography. Of course, the complete lack of leadership from Canterbury allows this.

The next interesting date is May 28, when a Virginia judge rules on the constitutionality of an old Virginia law that would allow the conservatives to secede from the main church AND keep the property. This was based on Civil War law, when many US denominations split into pro-slavery vs. anti-slavery factions. What else do you expect from Virginia?

[DeepModem Mom]

3. Thanks for this info, kwassa. This hateful secession makes my blood boil. nt

[kwassa]

4. If you want to follow the issue closely ....

Read Episcopal Life Online for the news. Their reporters are pretty good, and tend to be more accurate than the major paper religion writers.

http://www.episcopalchurch.org/episcopal_life.htm

Read "Father Jake Stops the World" for the opinion. This is the busiest and best Episcopal blog that I know of.

http://frjakestopstheworld.blogspot.com/

[TechBear_Seattle]

6. Thank you for the links

Fr. Jake's blog is very informative. :hi:

[TechBear_Seattle]

5. I'm curious about the expression, "Southern Cone"

Does it refer to the dunce caps they wear on their pointy, bigoted heads?

[kwassa]

7. It well could. Southern Cone is the hat style of the KKK?

[TechBear_Seattle]

8. Not a good analogy, as the "southern cone" churches are African

I'm guessing it refers specifically to Africa, rather than the "global south" which includes Africa, Oceana and South America. Still, it is a very odd name.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

9. No, the Province of the Southern Cone is the countries in the

southern half of South America.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iglesia_Anglicana_del_Cono_Sur_de_las_Americas

The article may clear up some things.

[TechBear_Seattle]

10. Ah, thank you

I had been thinking of Akinola, Primate of Nigera and extreme homophobe. Last I heard, he was leading the charge to poach parishes in the US. I had assumed that "southern cone" was a reference to his part of the world.

[kwassa]

11. Akinola is leading a charge, but it is not clear how many are following

He is attempting to set up a rival conference to Lambeth, the official Anglican get-together that happens every ten years in England, presided over by the Archbishop of Canterbury, which Akinola and some other conservative bishops are boycotting. It takes place this summer.

Akinola's event is called GAFCON, and taking place in Jerusalem.

The conservative churches in the US are aligning with many different provinces around the world, which adds to the general chaos. They have little cohesion among themselves. Too many prima donnas.

[JerseygirlCT]

12. Venables, of Southern Cone, is usually seen as an

ally/minion of Akinolas. That might be part of the confusion.