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$500 Million in Properties at Stake in SC Lawsuit Trial*CofE Prepares for Women Bishops Vote*More

During the time of the Arian Heresy as they battled over buildings and the one true faith, St. Athanasius commented:

"May God console you! ... What saddens you ... is the fact that others have occupied the churches by violence, while during this time you are on the outside. It is a fact that they have the premises – but you have the Apostolic Faith. They can occupy our churches, but they are outside the true Faith. You remain outside the places of worship, but the Faith dwells within you. Let us consider: what is more important, the place or the Faith? The true Faith, obviously. Who has lost and who has won in the struggle – the one who keeps the premises or the one who keeps the Faith? True, the premises are good when the Apostolic Faith is preached there; they are holy if everything takes place there in a holy way ... You are the ones who are happy; you who remain within the Church by your Faith, who hold firmly to the foundations of the Faith which has come down to you from Apostolic Tradition. And if an execrable jealousy has tried to shake it on a number of occasions, it has not succeeded. They are the ones who have broken away from it in the present crisis. No one, ever, will prevail against your Faith, beloved Brothers. And we believe that God will give us our churches back some day. Thus, the more violently they try to occupy the places of worship, the more they separate themselves from the Church. They claim that they represent the Church; but in reality, they are the ones who are expelling themselves from it and going astray. Even if Catholics faithful to Tradition are reduced to a handful, they are the ones who are the true Church of Jesus Christ." --- Letters of St. Athanasius to his flock...Festal Letters. CIRCA 296 -- 373

Orthodoxy and traditional teachings on sex are not turning young people away from the Church. In Washington, D.C., the Millennial Christian population is especially vibrant. The Roman Catholic young adult ministries are full of devout and conservative Millennials, and most of the events are standing room only. In the evangelical and Anglican Churches, the congregations are overwhelmingly young. --- Brian Miller for the Institute on Religion and Democracy

In Hobby Lobby, the Court ruled that a federal law, the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA), applied to the case, and that it covered “any exercise of religion, whether or not compelled by, or central to, a system of religious belief.” The only question that government could consider was not the truth or reasonableness or centrality of the religious belief, but only whether the belief were sincere, which was not doubted in the case of these companies. Interestingly, RFRA had passed in 1993 by overwhelming majorities of both houses of Congress. This is because religious freedom, like free speech, is a vital part of our legal heritage and until recently, viewed as axiomatic. --- Dwight G. Duncan at Mercatornet.com

Dear Brothers and Sisters
www.virtueonline.org
July 11, 2014

After 18 months of delays, a long-awaited lawsuit to protect Diocese of South Carolina assets from seizure by The Episcopal Church (TEC) and its local subsidiary went to trial in a South Carolina courtroom this week. At stake are some $500 million worth of properties, making it the biggest property lawsuit ever in the history of The Episcopal Church and, quite possibly, American church history.

Judge Diane S. Goodstein, who is presiding over the bench trial, asked attorneys for the Diocese, TEC and The Episcopal Church in South Carolina (TECSC) to sidestep opening arguments and dive into the fundamental issues of the case.

It is not without significance that the judge is Jewish, so she has no Christian denominational horse in this race. By all accounts she is fair and, very typically, no nonsense.

In testimony after testimony, witnesses testified that their church was a registered South Carolina non-profit corporation - several chartered in the mid-1800s. None of the Parishes legal corporate documents contained any reference to the national church.

Church representatives also explained how their governing documents, or By-Laws, had been amended several times since the churches’ inception. Each witness testified that they had adopted a resolution to remove all references to The Episcopal Church and to clarify that they no longer have any relationship or affiliation, direct or indirect, with the national church.

At one point, Canon Jim Lewis testified that the vote to withdraw from TEC passed with 90 percent or more support of the convention clergy and delegates. He also testified about the misuse of Diocesan symbols and seals by TEC and TECSC, and their intention to present themselves as the Diocese.

Lewis also shared with the court copies of historic documents that show that the Episcopal Diocese of South Carolina existed in 1785 – and that the Diocese was one of several post-colonial dioceses to establish The Episcopal Church in the new United States. TEC has repeatedly claimed that the Diocese cannot exist outside the Episcopal Church – even though it did historically.

Judge Goodstein seems to be disposed more favorably towards Bishop Mark Lawrence and the Diocese of South Carolina witnesses say, but nobody can be sure. This is not a trial by jury.

If Lawrence should win, attorney David Booth Beers and his team will undoubtedly appeal, but that too is fraught with problems since the Supreme Court of South Carolina has already ruled for a local parish -- All Saints Pawleys Island -- against TEC some years ago. That leaves only one avenue left - The Supreme Court of the United States. We shall see.

VOL’s correspondent Ladson F. Mills III is following the case daily; we are posting stories by canon lawyer Allan S. Haley and news releases from the diocese of SC. There are daily reports which can be read here: www.virtueonline.org

*****

Tis the season to speculate. At the next General Convention -- set for June 25, 2015, in Salt Lake City -- one highlight (as most of the sexual stuff has been dealt with) will be the election of a new Presiding Bishop.

What is a little different about this one is that the current PB is still young enough to be a viable candidate, which will come as a huge shock to the system of those few remaining orthodox dioceses who desperately hope for better things. Of course one does not “run for PB”. That is too unseemly and not in accord with what the Holy Ghost might be saying to the Church, if anything, at this late stage of the church’s progressive development on faith and morals.

Nonetheless, the mandatory age for retirement is 72 and Mrs. Jefferts Schori still has a lifetime or two to go before reaching that illustrious age and therefore is still eligible. If she did run, she would accumulate a total of 18 years in office! If that were to happen, it might not be possible to pick up the all pieces after she departs, presumably because there won’t be any money left after all the lawsuits have been resolved. To date the amount spent is roughly $40 million and climbing. She has not knocked herself out of the race at this time, any more than has Hillary Clinton who is also playing cat and mouse about the possibility of her being the first female president of the United States. Perhaps they are conferring with each other.

There is a nominating committee that vets, screens, and recommends a slate of candidates. Now that we have a gay and lesbian bishop, can a transgendered bishop be far behind? Not yet, but don't rule out the possibility nine years from now.

Okay, so who might be on the short list besides the reigning PB?

We’ve had a series of heterosexual white males although one might be a bit dodgy in that area, but we won’t mention any names.

Of the (spiritually dead) white males, Bishop Ian Douglas of Connecticut is a contender and would love the job. He has had several messy property divorces, some he inherited, that have left a bad taste in a number of mouths and his diocese is in numerical decline. The “Ct. Six”, as they were known, left the diocese over faith and morals leaving a huge financial hole in the diocese. The latest debacle over the historic Bishop Seabury congregation saw the congregation ousted from their property by Douglas with, of course, the loss of income from that congregation. Douglas has sat on all the requisite TEC committees over the years and was a seminary professor of Mission at EDS at one point so he got some international play.

Bishop Andy Doyle of Texas has his eye on the job. He is moderately orthodox, but recently allowed the option of blessings for same sex marriages in his diocese. He is apparently orthodox on everything else, but for how long? Dean Wolfe (Kansas), would love the job as well, but lacks gravitas and doesn’t have much of a following.

The candidate who really stands out is the Rt. Rev. Eugene Sutton (Maryland). He is Black and that is very politically correct these days, what with all the anti-racism training going on in the church. He is thoroughly heterosexual.

Sewanee will love him, give him the requisite honorary doctorate, and much more. He is handsome, debonair, can be known to say the right thing at the right time, is for the whole gay agenda of the Church, but is careful not to push it too hard. His election would signal to the world, the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Global South that a black man can inherit the mantle of KJS while not being gay.

If there are any smart moves left in TEC, Sutton is the man, though one should not rule out the Bishop of Atlanta, Rob Wright, who is also black, but not the smartest theological shingle on the cathedral roof. Sutton has it all over him.

Of course, we all wait with baited breath the advent of the Episcopal Church’s first openly homosexual Presiding Bishop, a signal to the world that we have taken inclusivity to a higher level…and then of course the ultimate act of inclusion and diversity, the Church’s first transgendered Presiding Bishop, presuming of course that there is still a church over which to preside.

One TEC blogger on the inside track observed that he doesn't really understand why we spend three years and over $226,000 on a nomination process when we also have a process for nomination by petition. The answer is that we have always done it that way and spending a quarter of a million dollars is no big deal bearing in mind how much has been spent on lawsuits.

*****

Forward in Faith UK got into some really hot water this week when it was confirmed that Dr. Lindsay Newcombe, Vice Chairman of Forward in Faith. was seen sporting a gay pride sticker celebrating London's Gay Pride Festival! FIF-UK is THE catholic group in the Church of England formed in opposition to the ordination of women. So the question must be asked, “What in heaven’s name was she doing sporting this sticker and being present as a leader of FIF?”

VOL posted the story complete with a picture of the woman with the sticker on her arm. The Newcombes’ family outing is not an isolated example of the selective traditionalism of Forward in Faith’s leadership since the reception of many of the old guard, in 2011, into the newly-formed Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham – an entity within the Roman Catholic Church which allows former Anglicans to retain elements of the Anglican tradition.

Last November, Bishop Jonathan Baker, Chairman of Forward in Faith, was a signatory of the controversial Pilling Report, which advocates a revision of the Church of England’s stance on same-sex relationships. This issue has already fragmented worldwide Anglicanism. It is likely that the outworking of Pilling will inflict even more serious damage on the Church of England than the long-running war over the ordination of women.

A source in England has told VOL that “Forward in Faith in England is finished.” All its capable leaders left two years ago for the Ordinariate, which they had spent the previous two years plotting to bring about. Those who remain - a tiny number - have simply run up the white flag over FiF HQ. The only source of leadership on faith and morals now comes from Reform and Church Society. How very sad.

*****

The Church of England General Synod is set to vote again to approve women bishops hoping it will end one of the longest-running rows in church history.

Moves towards the ordination of women in the Church of England began formally in the mid-1970s so the current debate has been rumbling on for about 40 years – roughly two per cent of the entire span of time since the birth of Christ.

For opponents it goes to heart of why the Church exists. They believe it goes against what the Bible teaches and therefore questions the authority of the Bible. Supporters say that the Bible doesn't teach anything of the sort and believe the Church is being held hostage by a vocal minority. VOL will bring you the results of this historic vote. It should be pointed out that there is no evidence that women priests or bishops have made churches grow. Bishops in The Episcopal Church have proven over and over that they follow their liberal and revisionist brethren.

The new vote on legislation enabling women to become bishops takes place on Monday 14 July. One wag noted that when it happens, and that it is inevitable, Lambeth would soon be applying to become a province of TEC.

*****

The leaders of the North American Anglican and Lutheran Churches recently met in Toronto to discuss mission. With each denomination in dramatic decline – the Anglican Church of Canada had a pitiful average Sunday attendance of around 141,000 in 2007 – it only makes sense that they pool their survival strategies, known as “mission” in ecclesiastical parlance, to attempt to eke out an existence -- at least until the current generation of clergy start collecting their pensions.

This “renewed focus on mission” has created a sense of “renewed energy”, apparently; to paraphrase Dr. Johnson, nothing concentrates the mind as effectively as the prospect of one’s imminent demise.

As part of the plan to demonstrate that the denominations are still relevant and to allay the suspicion that the meeting was entirely self-serving, the leaders have promised to issue a joint statement on climate change. Many of us have been waiting agog with anticipation for a joint Anglican-Lutheran statement on climate change: if that doesn’t fill the pews, nothing will.

Archbishop Fred Hiltz is confident that the conflict surrounding same-sex marriage is not as all consuming as it used to be. This shouldn’t be too surprising since most of those who disagree with the church’s determination to bless same-sex unions have either left, died or are too exhausted to argue any more. [Source SAMIZDAT]

*****

It’s a “family reunion” like no other: 250 adults, young and old, gathered at the Golden Nugget Hotel and Casino, New Jersey, for the 46th annual meeting and conference of the Union of Black Episcopalians, a confederation of more than 35 chapters and groups in the U.S. and the Caribbean, with members in Canada, Africa and Latin America.

The conference brought together African American Episcopalians and those from the African and Caribbean diaspora for five days of worship, workshops, addresses and fellowship.

“Some of our constituents belong to historically black churches, others come from multicultural churches, and others come from the Midwest and the West where there are fewer black Episcopalians, so this is one place where they come together,” noted Annette L. Buchanan, UBE national president, and a member of St. Augustine’s Church in Asbury Park, New Jersey.

*****

Church jargon is being jettisoned for better communication, or so some think. The Rev. Scott Claassen of Thads describes himself as “a Monday through Saturday follower of Jesus who worships on Sunday.”

He believes it conveys a clearer understanding of what his faith means to him than “Episcopalian” or even “Christian”.

“The main point is, it inverts our sense of discipleship from saying being a disciple means I go to church on Sunday,” Claassen, 35, told ENS recently. “Instead it says being a disciple means I practice this Jesus way throughout all of my life and I happen to get together with a bunch of other people on Sunday who do that, too.”

Call it semantics, but Claassen isn’t alone. Increasingly, individuals, congregations and even dioceses across the Episcopal Church are shifting language subtly – and not so subtly – to clarify identity and meaning and to make cultural and contextual connections.

Churches and congregations are becoming known as “communities of faith” and “centers of mission” while the word diocese has been dropped in favor of “The Episcopal Church in” places like Minnesota and Connecticut.

None of which is meant as “a strategy to get people to come to church, it’s just who we are at the core,” according to the Rev. Jimmy Bartz. He founded Thads eight years ago as an “experimental community, or in church-speak, a mission station” of the Diocese of Los Angeles, he said.

“We’re about spreading love and making a difference wherever we are because that’s what Jesus was about and we’re committed to doing it together,” Bartz explained. “It’s like that old country song, ‘be real baby, be real.’”

*****

Christian school assembly should be scrapped in the UK says The Bishop of Oxford, the Rt. Rev John Pritchard. The 70-year-old legal requirement for schools to include an act of collective worship in assembly should be dropped because of the decline of Christianity in Britain, the Church of England’s head of education has declared. He says schools would still have to make time for “spiritual reflection” containing elements of Christianity and the other major religions.

Compulsory participation in collective “worship” was more suited to the 1940s, could actively put people off religion and is meaningless to people who do not believe, he said.

Under the 1944 Education Act, schools are legally obliged to stage acts of collective worship “wholly or mainly of a broadly Christian character”. There are separate arrangements for Muslim, Jewish, Hindu and Sikh faith schools.

*****

THE outgoing head of the Anglican Church in Australia says a lack of central authority in the church has affected its efforts to deal with child sexual abuse.

Addressing the church's national parliament in Adelaide on Monday, Brisbane Archbishop Phillip Aspinall said the royal commission into institutional responses to child sexual abuse had expressed surprise and concern at the dispersed power structure within the church.

Aspinall, primate of the Anglican Church in Australia, said the church had taken a number of steps to improve child safety and respond to allegations of abuse over the past decade but acknowledged more work was needed. However he added the "very weak" nature of the national offices within the Anglican Church represented a serious challenge. The royal commission and the "parlous" financial condition of many dioceses had highlighted the problems with this diverse structure.

Aspinall concluded there was a "mismatch between community perceptions and expectations and the reality of the church's life".

Of the church's 23 dioceses, six describe themselves as financially unsustainable and a further three say they are facing serious financial problems. Aspinall will step down as primate at the conclusion of the general synod on Friday, with Melbourne Archbishop Philip Frier elected to succeed him.

The royal commission will deliver its interim report to government on Monday.

*****

The Rt. Rev. Pierre Whalon, bishop-in-charge of the Convocation of Episcopal Churches in Europe, has released the following statement: “Reports from the Middle East have never been so discouraging or disheartening as they have been in the last few weeks. I ask the faithful in Europe and all people of good will to join in fervent regular prayer for the worsening situation in Israel/Palestine. First, we need to pray for the Diocese of Jerusalem and the Middle East, and their Bishop, Suheil Dawani. Not only are they facing the possibility of war between Israel and Gaza, they also are living through the civil war in Syria and the attempts by the so-called “Islamic State in the Levant” to set up a caliphate. Second, we need to pray that a way out of the present crisis between Israel and Palestine can be found, and that the world help the two parties take the path of peace. Third, we must pray for the victims of this latest round of attacks, beginning with the three kidnapped and murdered Israeli teens and the Palestinian boy gruesomely murdered in revenge, and now, for the people dying because of the salvos being traded along the Gaza Strip. The breakdown of services is affecting not only our hospitals there, but also all the inhabitants. As always, it is the people that the news doesn’t cover who suffer the most.

“Fourth, we need to pray for a resolution of the Iraqi crisis.

“The situation in Iraq is extremely precarious, and the de facto splitting of the country is a constant invitation to a regional war.”

*****

I hate fundraising and I'm not afraid to say it. However, funding is an absolute must in our business. We must do it to keep going. The summer months are "down" months and everyone in the non-profit field knows it. VOL is no different. It is also a time when VOL's readers take time to write to me with questions, queries, concerns, and occasionally anger at what others and I have written. That's okay. It's all part of the picture. No one said we would always agree. But we must never lose sight of the prize of the high calling of God in Christ. July is slow and we are off to slow start, but hopefully we have gotten your attention and perhaps you will kick in a few bucks to keep us going.

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THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT

David

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