Litigation Looms Over Property of Breakaway Anglican Churches In Virginia

After nine Virginia Episcopal congregations voted last month to break away from the Episcopal Church of the United States and affiliate instead with the Anglican Church of Nigeria (see prior posting), they signed an agreement with the Episcopal Diocese of Virginia in which both sides pledged not to bring litigation over church property. The 30-day standstill agreement would automatically renew unless either side opted out. Today's Washington Post reports that the Diocese of Virginia, saying that the churches are not interested in working on a compromise, has now elected not to renew the agreement. It is planning-- after the initial agreement's expiration next Wednesday-- to take steps to claim the property of all nine churches while it is considering each church's situation on a case by case basis. Some of the nine churches are refusing to permit congregants who opposed the break off to hold their own separate services on church premises.