SC Supreme Court rules some breakaway churches must return properties to Episcopal Diocese

Posted on April 22, 2022 
Filed under ACNA, TEC

“The S.C. Supreme Court ruled some of the parishes that broke away from the Episcopal Church more than a decade ago must hand over their properties to the national church and its affiliated South Carolina diocese.

The court’s April 20 ruling orders 14 of 29 parishes that split from the Episcopal Diocese of South Carolina to begin the legal process for handing over ownership of the properties to the Episcopal Church. …”

– From The Post and Courier, Charleston, South Carolina.

See also this Pastoral Letter from Bishop Chip Edgar of the Anglican Diocese of South Carolina:

“The ruling raises many issues that will have to play out in the coming weeks before any actions are taken, so our first response must be to quiet our hearts before the Lord as we pray for grace to meet the days ahead. Some of our churches are relieved that the court ruled their property does indeed belong to them. Some are grieving deeply, as the courts ruling went the opposite direction.”

This has been a very long running dispute – and not all the websites linked in our archival posts are still active, but the post summaries will give some perspective.

Bishop Chip Edgar began as Bishop of the Diocese last month, succeeding Bishop Mark Lawrence who has been Bishop of the Diocese since 2008.

Update:

Lawyer AS Haley, The Anglican Curmudgeon, has posted what may be his last of many posts on the subject –

South Carolina Supreme Court Divides the Baby

His conclusion:

“There will be one final chapter to this desultory story once the federal courts dispose of the name and trademark claims, probably in ECUSA’s favor.

I shall not return here to comment; I am done with everything that involves the Episcopal Church. Let it reap what it has so assiduously sown.”