As legal battles over property rights and organizational authority play out between the Episcopal Diocese of San Diego and two breakaway churches in North County, leaders of those two congregations insist the real conflict is over core religious beliefs.
The California Supreme Court recently issued two decisions with implications for St. Anne’s in Oceanside and St. John’s in Fallbrook, both of which seceded from the Episcopal Church and joined foreign dioceses within the global Anglican Communion three years ago.
A Jan. 5 court ruling in favor of the national Episcopal church in its legal battle against three Los Angeles and Orange County breakaway congregations attempting to keep their properties is being cited by the San Diego diocese as strengthening its case against St. Anne’s and St. John’s. The two North County churches continue to meet in their existing buildings as Anglican congregations —- with the San Diego diocese suing to regain control of those properties.