Bar fight

Religion | Episcopalians prepare to take their battles to the courtroom | Edward E. Plowman

Bishop William Swing of northern California came out swinging at last month's meeting of the Episcopal House of Bishops in Florida.

He led a group of 28 bishops to set up a 10-member committee of lawyers, bishops, and other leaders to get ready to go to the mat legally. Their task: to prevent congregations or dioceses that leave the Episcopal Church (ECUSA) from taking the church property and assets with them.

He warned of a proliferation of lawsuits about church property that will embroil many more dioceses and bishops. Leaders of the 2.3-million-member denomination privately acknowledge they are bracing for the departure of a large number of conservative congregations and even dioceses opposed to ECUSA's theological liberalism and official embrace of gay causes.

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October 15, 2005, Vol. 20, No. 40

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