The Episcopal Church and the Diocese offered a settlement to the breakaway churches in South Carolina. Today the proposed a settlement with a breakaway group that would have ended litigation over $500 million worth of property was rejected. The name and seal of the Diocese would return to the Episcopal Church.
From the Charleston Regional Business News
The national Episcopal Church and its S.C. parishes proposed a settlement with a breakaway group earlier this month that would have ended litigation over $500 million worth of property. That offer was rejected today… On June 2, the national [Episcopal] church proposed letting the 35 breakaway parishes keep their church properties in exchange for the national church keeping the Episcopal Diocese of South Carolina name, property and assets, according to a news release from the Episcopal Church in South Carolina.
The diocesan assets are currently in the control of the breakaway group, which is led by the Right Rev. Mark Lawrence of the Diocese of South Carolina. He testified that he was removed as bishop by the national church in 2012. The Right Rev. Charles G. vonRosenberg is bishop of the Episcopal Church in South Carolina, which stayed with the national church.
“From the beginning of this dispute, we have hoped for reconciliation with people in the churches affected by this sad division,” vonRosenberg said in a statement. “We see this offer as the strongest possible way we can demonstrate that.”
The case will probably go on to Federal court where most rulings have favored the Episcopal Church.
Episcopal News Service has the story here.
An offer by South Carolina Episcopalians to settle a church-property lawsuit in eastern South Carolina was rejected by a breakaway group on June 15, the same day the offer was made public.
The Episcopal Church in South Carolina offered to let 35 parishes keep their church properties, whether or not they choose to remain part of The Episcopal Church.
In exchange, the proposal required the breakaway group to return the diocesan property, assets and identity of “The Episcopal Diocese of South Carolina” to the diocese that is still affiliated with The Episcopal Church.
Added at 7:45 PM
- From the continuing diocese: Hoping for reconciliation, Episcopalians offer to settle lawsuit
- From the breakaway group: Churches Reject TEC’s Spurious Offer to Settle
posted by Ann Fontaine