In sign of possible split, congregations cut Episcopal funds

[davidinalameda]

http://www.charleston.net/stories/090803/sta_08property.shtml

Since the Episcopal Church endorsed an openly gay bishop and blessings of same-sex unions last month, some congregations have started protesting with their checkbooks.

It's another signal of a possible divorce that could involve some nasty property disputes.

The Rev. Canon Mike Malone of the Episcopal Diocese of South Carolina said that since last month's General Convention in Minneapolis, ten local churches have asked the diocese not to give any of their money to the Episcopal Church. Several other churches already had stopped supporting the denomination, so now 15 of the 76 churches and missions in the diocese are having the diocese redirect their money, Malone said.

[ixion]

1. a fine example of Christian Hypocrisy

Jesus was way cool, but the institution of Christianity is corrupt, IMHO.

[DemVet]

2. How So?

n/t

[Stuckinthebush]

3. It will blow over

You will see an immediate but short-lived backlash.

This is a very progressive denomination and its members know this. The few that are so conflicted over this thing will leave, and then things will return to normal.

Time heals all wounds, especially the superficial ones like the one felt by the anti-gay crowd in the Episcopal family.

[gratuitous]

4. It will be interesting to see how this plays out

In my denomination, the Church of the Brethren, we are told that the denomination would suffer greatly from the withdrawal of donations from the congregations should the denomination do the right thing, and allow for the full participation of g/l/b/t/i persons in congregational life. Programs that had nothing to do with ordination or licensing, such as Church World Service or On Earth Peace would bear the brunt of the financial temper tantrum, we have been told.

It will bear watching to see what happens, and if the dire predictions come true, and if so, for how long.

The property disputes, though, might be another matter. One of the congregations in our District was making noises about withdrawing from the District and becoming an independent congregation. I went with a delegation from the District to visit with the congregation, and we informed them that though the congregation had all authority and power to do as they wished, they should be aware that the actual church building and its land belonged to the District, and not to them. Suddenly, the conversation took a far different tack than where it began, and we remain in dialog with the congregation. Perhaps a curing of the breach can be effected somewhere down the line.