The trial phase of the case involving 11 Virginia congregations where the majority voted to leave The Episcopal Church last year ended Nov. 20, a day ahead of schedule, after lawyers for both sides agreed not to call an expert witness on Wednesday.
A decision is unlikely before late January, however. Yesterday Fairfax Circuit Judge Randy I. Bellows requested submission of all closing arguments in writing no later Jan. 17. The schedule calls for lawyers for the 11 congregations to submit their closing brief by Dec. 21. The diocese and national church then have until Jan. 11 to respond, with lawyers for 11 congregations required to submit their reply no later than Jan. 17.
The dispute, which includes two Colonial Era churches and property worth tens of millions of dollars, began last year after the Diocese of Virginia contested a legal filing made by the 11 congregations with the Commonwealth of Virginia stating that a division had occurred. Under an 1867 Virginia law, the local congregation is entitled to decide “by majority vote” which side they wish to join. Majorities at the Episcopal congregations had voted to leave the diocese and affiliate with the Convocation of Anglicans in North America (CANA), a missionary branch of the Anglican Church of Nigeria.
The canonn lawyer can cite no canon and only assert a doctoral thesis from the 1950’s (circa) allegation about the nature of the CECUSA/TEC in the face of hundreds of years of history. Interesting and interestinger.
CECUSA… cercusa… circusa… circus…
“And, Now, Ladies and Gentlemen, in the Center Ring, Performing without Benefit of a Net, [url=http://www.washingtontimes.com/article/20071121/NATION/111210047][u]We Proudly Present to You[/u][/url] the Amazing Robert B. Mullin, the Esteemed Historian and Professor at General Theological Seminary, Who will Bring to You Astounding Facts about Division!”
Professor Mullin: “The Episcopal Church Can Never Divide!”
“But Mr, Mullin, What About Your 1983 History Book which Claims Division in the Episcopal Church?”
Professor Mullin: “Presto! Change-O! I’d Like to Revise That Word!”
Rabbit:
There’s another tidbit to add to this: Prof. Mullins admitted that he had been working for 2 years with TEC on research on the subject of “division”, etc., and based on his recent research he would now have to (“conveniently”…my word) change his mind. It did not look good on his part. Meanwhile, we all then realized that TEC had been gearing up for this particular lawsuit a year before the separation actually happened.