A court hearing between the Anglican District of Virginia and the Episcopal Diocese of Virginia for rights to 11 church properties has ended for now.
The week-long trial, presided over by Fairfax County Circuit Court Judge Randy L. Bellows, began Nov. 13 and concluded Nov. 20, with Bellows taking the case under advisement.
Last January, two of Fairfax County’s oldest Episcopal churches, the Falls Church and Truro Church, made national headlines by leading a secession of 11 parishes, including the Church of the Epiphany in Oak Hill, from the Episcopal Church.
Sorry, it’s not about “an openly gay bishop”; it’s about whether scripture has any authority.
Drilling down further, “openly gay” is not an issue – it is the practice of homosexuality that is the issue (and the sin).
I must not be in touch with my emotions and neither, apparently, are many of my peers. The newspapers repeatedly refer to us as “outraged” over Robinson and “further angered” over Schori’s election. Shocked, dismayed, saddened yes, but angry? Only when repeatedly mis-characterized…
I’ve put up an excerpt from the testimony of John Yates, rector of The Falls Church, focusing on the establishment of the Virginia Protocol for Departing Congregations. It makes for very interesting reading here.
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All should read the document over at BB’s. A juicy morsel:
[blockquote]10 MR. SOMERVILLE: I have to object to
11 that, your Honor. This document is replete with
12 religious doctrine. You can’t stay out of the thicket
13 and admit this in evidence….
7 MR. SOMERVILLE: The objection, your
8 Honor, is not that it’s irrelevant, it’s that it is so
9 replete with religious dogma doctrine theology that
10 it’s improper to take it into account in the
11 resolution of civil property disputes.
12 THE COURT: Well, objection is
13 overruled. Document will be admitted.
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