The Episcopal Church USA in Virginia is falling apart, with some congregations voting to leave the American Church and join an Anglican Church in Nigeria.
As noted from by Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori:
Congregations cannot unilaterally disestablish themselves or remove themselves from a diocese. In addition, by canon law, property of all sorts held by parishes is held and must be used for the mission of the Episcopal Church through diocesan bishops and governing bodies. As a Church, we cannot abrogate our interest in such property, as it is a fiduciary and moral duty to preserve such property for generations to come and the ministries to be served both now and in the future.
Why should progressive bloggers even care?
Kossacks should care about this because right-wing Anglicans are trying to steal literally hundreds of millions of dollars of historic properties from the oldest, leading progressive Christian denomination. This is an effort to defund the Christian Left and make money for the Christian Right. It is also property being taken from the people of New York state -- which incorporated the Episcopal Church -- and dissipating to elsewhere. The conservatives in this branch of Christianity are angry about the election of a gay man as a Bishop (V. Gene Robinson of NH) and a female as its Presiding (chief) Bishop.
Any thoughts? Please be kind, as I'm losing my bloginity.