The Georgia Supreme Court ruled 6-1 today in favor of the national Episcopal Church in a property dispute case with the oldest church in Georgia that broke away from the national church after it affirmed its first openly gay bishop.
Savannah Christ Church, founded in 1733 and known as the "Mother Church of Georgia," joined the Episcopal Church in 1823. In 2007, four years after the Episcopal Church USA affirmed Gene Robinson as its first openly gay bishop, 87 percent of the Savannah congregation voted to break off from the national Episcopal Church and instead join an Anglican diocese in Uganda.
The Episcopal Church USA risked schism with the 77-million member Anglican Communion to consecrate V. Gene Robinson in 2003 as bishop of New Hampshire — making him the first openly gay bishop in the worldwide church. The denomination has faced controversy ever since, including condemnation from other Anglicans and losing more than 800 congregations to the Anglican Church of North America, a rival group formed by churches opposed to the Episcopal Church’s increasing gay inclusion. Robinson retired early in 2010, noting the toll of constant criticism and even death threats he endured. But the Episcopal Church isn’t stepping back: In May 2010, Rev. Canon Mary Glasspool was consecrated as the second openly gay Anglican bishop.
In Savannah, the division between the local congregation and Episcopal Church USA made headlines and eventually into the court system as the two battled for the property the local church and its property. To read more, click here.
Related article: Georgia Supreme Court Awards Christ Church to Diocese on Implied Trust Theory
I hope Christ' Church does not change its name when it establishes another place of worship. After all the church is the people and not the building. I hope Christ's Church continues in this way rather than starting over. Those who retain the building will then become a new organization for the body of the church has left.
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