The split of the Fort Worth Episcopalians became official in 2008 when Bishop Jack Iker and a majority of the 56 congregations in the 28-county diocese voted to leave the national church, saying its leadership had moved away from biblical and church tradition in many ways….<\/p>\n
Episcopalians loyal to the national church went to court, arguing that under the Episcopal Church\u2019s \u201cDennis Canon,\u201d\u009d diocese property should belong to those still loyal to the national church.<\/p>\n
In 2011, state District Judge John Chupp agreed, ruling that because the Episcopal Church is a hierarchical body, property should be retained by the group still loyal to the national church.<\/p>\n
Iker\u2019s group appealed, and the Texas Supreme Court ordered Chupp to rehear the case and to base his judgment on neutral principles of Texas law governing nonreligious groups.<\/p>\n
The group loyal to the national church appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court.<\/p>\n