The Episcopal
diocese of San Joaquin in California has sued a deposed
bishop, demanding he vacate his offices and turn over
financial accounts for leading a secession last year
prompted by the church's ordination of women and gays.
The diocese said
in its lawsuit, filed Thursday in Fresno County superior
court, that John-David Schofield breached his duties to the
church.
National church
leaders removed Schofield as the head of the Fresno-based
diocese after he led parishioners to align themselves with
the conservative Province of the Southern Cone, an
Argentina-based member of the worldwide Anglican
Communion.
Last month, Jerry
Lamb, a bishop loyal to the U.S. church, was elected to
head the San Joaquin diocese. Schofield, however, maintains
he is an Anglican bishop of the diocese of San Joaquin
under the worldwide church.
The U.S.
Episcopal Church is also part of the 77
million-member Anglican Communion, a global
fellowship of churches that trace their roots to the
Church of England, but the national denomination has faced
increasing scrutiny for its liberal-leaning stance.
Most Anglicans are traditionalists who believe
Scripture prohibits gay relationships.
Lamb said in a
statement Friday that there was no other viable way to
recover church property but to seek court intervention.
''Regardless of
the necessity of proceeding with the litigation, the
diocesan leadership and I remain committed to reconciliation
with clergy and parishes that are still trying to
understand their relationship with the Episcopal
Church,'' Lamb said in the statement.
The Reverend Van
McCalister, a spokesman for the secessionist diocese
Schofield leads, said Friday that the deposed bishop's
parishioners are the rightful owners of the properties
Bishop Lamb is seeking. As such, he said, there is no
reason for Schofield to comply with Lamb's demands.
''The people of
the diocese, their elected representatives, voted to move
from the Episcopal Church to the Anglican Province. It
wasn't a unilateral decision by the bishop,'' he said.
''They are the ones who paid for the properties,
through their forebears, so of course we are going to
defend them.''
McCalister said
he assumed the lawsuit applies to the 40 parish churches
and missions within the diocese, as well as other assets. He
said an eviction order had not been served on the
Fresno offices Schofield continues to occupy as head
of the Anglican diocese.
The complaint
demands that Schofield leave those offices, return control
of a church investment trust and foundation, and return bank
and brokerage accounts, money, and financial,
historical and property records.
''Defendant
Schofield's attempt to divert the diocese of San Joaquin
itself and its property for the use and benefit of another
church in violation of the Episcopal Church's
constitution and canons breached his fiduciary duties
as the bishop and ecclesiastical authority of the
diocese of San Joaquin,'' the complaint said. (Amanda Fehd,
AP)
