Georgia Episcopal Diocese Wins Title To Property of Historic Savannah Church

Today's Savannah (GA) Morning News reports that the Episcopal Diocese of Georgia has won its lawsuit against the break-away Christ Church in Savannah. (Background on lawsuit.) A Georgia trial court yesterday declared that the 276-year old church building belongs to the Diocese and not to the congregation that passed a resolution in 2007 declaring that the Episcopal Church and the Georgia diocese had abandoned the historic principles of the denomination's faith. Among other things, the court cited the Episcopal Church's Dennis Canon that says parish property is held in trust for the Episcopal Church and the local diocese. The congregation's brief (full text) had argued that its 1789 Charter gave it title to the property and that the Dennis Canon did not create a legally enforceable trust.