Episcopal Church Sues For Property of Break-Away California Diocese

The flood of lawsuits by the Episcopal Church against break-away congregations continues. Last week, the Episcopal Diocese of San Joaquin, California and The Episcopal Church filed suit (press release) to reclaim control of the property of congregations within the Diocese after most of them voted to follow John-David Schofield, the former bishop of the Diocese, in affiliating with the more conservative House of Bishops of the Southern Cone. On Friday, Episcopal News Service reported that the lawsuit was filed after Bishop Jerry Lamb was affirmed as provisional bishop of San Joaquin to replace Schofield by a March 29 special convention of the diocese. The complaint in the case (full text), filed in a California state court, seeks an order confirming that Lamb is the incumbent bishop of the Diocese and an order requiring Schofield to turn all Diocese property over to Lamb.