In Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Episcopal leaders went to court on Thursday in hopes of recovering $20 million in assets they believe were wrongfully taken when the conservative branches split from the liberal diocese in October.
The Diocese of Pittsburgh, which oversees the 20 local parishes that stayed with the U.S. Episcopal Church, said the breakaway group has absolutely no legal right to the assets considering it is no longer part of the denomination.
After its requests for them were "ignored" by the breakaway parishes the church petitioned the Court of Common Pleas for the assets said Spokesman Rich Creehan.
The breakaway conservatives, or the "Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh" as they like to call themselves, said they have a right to some of the assets considering that they helped develop them before the split.
"We would love to sit down and work out a mediated division where everyone involved has access to a portion of the assets because we think that's fair," said the Rev. Peter Frank, who was a spokesman for the conservative diocese.
Episcopal Bishop Robert, a theological conservative who had been angry for a while now with the liberal direction of the national church, led the break. He said after Episcopalians in 2003 consecrated the first openly gay bishop, V. Gene Robinson of New Hampshire, he had to split from denominational leaders. Fifty conservative Episcopal parishes left with Duncan.
The legal claim does not cover land or buildings but the assets that are at stake include: diocesan endowments and bank accounts, along with insurance, mailing lists and databases, said Creehan.
Christian Web News - Jesus has a way of getting right to the point, doesn't He? There was certainly no mincing of words, He came right out and said, "why are you fearful?" and then went on to say, "O you of little faith." You don't have to read between the lines to see what He was saying, they had little faith.
Christian Web News - Galatians 3:13-14. Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, "Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree''), that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
