5/04/2009

The Real Diocese of San Joaquin, please stand up.

The Living Church is reporting that a Superior Court in California has ruled against Bishop Schofield and his followers and in favor of the Diocese of San Joaquin, a diocese of The Episcopal Church. See the article California Court Rules Against Bishop Schofield As with all such matters we await the results of the oral arguments and what follows.

More details can be found on the Diocese of San Joaquin blog, "Grapevine," where this is posted:
Fresno County Superior Court issued its tentative ruling; Bishop Jerry Lamb is the Incumbent of the Corporation Sole. There is a whole lot there, mostly dense legal talk. I am not a lawyer so will have to rely on the read of others, but if TLC and the Diocese both think it is going in this direction, it no doubt is.

Elsewhere there is a fine report on some of the doings in the Diocese. Real Anglicans reports on several conferences in an essay, Reflections on The St. Francis Community Forum.


9 comments:

  1. Father Mark,
    We cheer for simply getting back to where we were/supposed to be two years(+/-)?! The struggle is not over, it is just beginning. It is now time to bring the struggle to their grounds. It is time for an Episcopalian Bill of Rights in order that this may never happen again!

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  2. Episcopal Cafe suggests that there might even be a summary judgment here.

    If the Schofieldites lose, it will take most of the wind out of the secessionists' sails. Striking out on one's own is not as much fun when it involves setting up shop in a strip mall.

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  3. This is, of course, wonderful news.

    And Fred is right... the Episcopal Bill of Rights is a GREAT idea.

    I am going to wait until after convention to see how the B033 replacement bills fare before returning to church. I am VERY hopeful.

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  4. nlnh.
    You may well be right. A loss like this would shed wind from anyone's sails.
    It will test the mettle of the San Joaquin ACNA group. They may have their Easter Sunday in the future. I hope so.
    Obadiah Slope

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  5. Obidiah Slope:
    Please understand no one is set on denying anyone their "Easter Sunday" we just want our chocolate rabbit back.

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  6. Fred's chocolate rabbit metaphor is totally on point. When they are trying to take TEC property, the same people who initiate these attempted thefts are very holy in their proclamation that 'the church' is not property. When they loose, it is another matter entire IME.

    FWIW
    jimB

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  7. You've got your chocolate rabbit, back, Fred. The ACNA group have the "gift" of a greater challenge, and face a severe test. They may fail. Other churches will be hospitable, but yes they may be holding services in a strip mall.
    I hope you can spare them a prayer, Fred.

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  8. Sorry, Anonymous, but the "poor, pitiable, meek conservatives who just want to be free" schtick doesn't fly in this case at all. I pray for them every night when I pray the daily office. But portraying them as some kind of put-upon victims is dishonest, distasteful, and delusional.

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  9. Priscilla,
    Personally I believe that the Scofield group should have simply left the property behind. So I don't regard them simply as put upon victims.
    But it will be interesting to see how much magnaminity the victors extend to the losers. My guess is not much. But I would like to be surprised.
    I hope I am.

    Onadiahslope

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