St. Luke\u2019s of the Mountains Anglican Church lost the court battle over its property this week when the San Diego-based Fourth District Court of Appeals on Tuesday upheld a lower court\u2019s ruling in favor of the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles, stating its right to the land the church sits on and its buildings.<\/p>\n
The ruling is the climax to a years-long battle between St. Luke\u2019s and the diocese.<\/p>\n
On one side is the 85-year-old St. Luke\u2019s that on Feb. 13, 2006, disassociated itself with Episcopal Church USA and the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles and aligned with the African Provence of Uganda in the Diocese of Luwero, with whom St. Luke\u2019s has had a longtime relationship. The St. Luke\u2019s split from the church in Los Angeles represents one of many disaffiliations across the state that made headlines earlier this year. At issue, among others, is the election of V. Gene Robinson, the first openly gay bishop elected in 2003 to serve as bishop of New Hampshire.<\/p>\n
On the other side is the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles, which as a result of St. Luke\u2019s disaffiliation, sued St. Luke\u2019s two months later in Los Angeles Superior Court, alleging the church no longer had a right to use the property, based on a 1979 Episcopal Church law which makes all Episcopalian property the property of the diocese.<\/p>\n