The Episcopal Diocese of Virginia (DOV) recently completed its Annual Council amid raging controversy over the biblical teachings of the Church and vicious litigation. A lot of people are getting hurt in this strife. So I read with interest the press releases and statements in the newspapers and blogs regarding what took place at the DOV Council.
Given what was said and what has been written about a group of churches known as the Anglican District of Virginia, I must spend a moment correcting the record. I must defend the members of the Anglican District of Virginia (ADV), as any shepherd would.
The DOV has embroiled the ADV churches in litigation for over a year. Pressured by national leaders of The Episcopal Church based in New York City, the DOV filed law suits against the ADV churches, their clergy, their lay vestries, and other volunteers. The DOV initiated the litigation to seize ADV church property. The ADV has complied with State law that required the ADV churches to file, in their local Court Houses, their referendum to disaffiliate with the DOV and The Episcopal Church. The ADV churches remain in good standing in the worldwide Anglican Communion through the sponsorship of the largest province of the Communion in Nigeria.
Overwhelming majorities of the ADV congregations exercised their American rights of freedom of religion, freedom of affiliation, and freedom of choice when they voted 14 months ago to separate from The Episcopal Church. Their referendum was based on the unfortunate reality that The Episcopal Church is on a prodigal course away from its Christian and Anglican roots.
ADV churches are places of radical inclusion. Many of the individuals who chose not to vote with the majority are still active members of ADV churches. Every week, in fact, members who voted not to separate, worship and volunteer in ADV buildings. ADV churches continue to work together with Episcopal parishes, whether it's by holding funeral and wedding services, or by cooperating in ministry projects like the Lamb Center, a daytime homeless shelter in Fairfax County.
The majority of the worldwide Anglican Communion has embraced ADV for the stand it has taken. ADV is built around the vision of radical inclusion, of Jesus Christ’s profound transformation of all people, and of inspired service to the least, the last, the lost, and the left-out. In this way, ADV is fulfilling the biblical mission to spread the good news about Jesus the Messiah and to help people locally and around the world. Anyone and everyone who wants to join in this mission is more than welcome to do so. It is ADV's commitment to the Bible and Jesus’ teachings that defines the people of the ADV churches.
The DOV’s own Bishop Peter Lee has rightly said that a "shadow" of litigation has been cast upon both our houses. This shadow has been unnecessary. The ADV churches all along have sought an amicable settlement without litigation.
We in ADV still stand dumbfounded that Bishop Peter Lee and his DOV broke off our amicable negotiations to settle the property dispute. My hope is that clearer heads will prevail and faithful negotiations will begin again to end ridiculously expensive litigation. Can the love of Christ accomplish this? Yes! Healing of bruises will finally come when we all sit down together and negotiate a dignified settlement of properties that the ADV parishes have bought, worshiped in, and maintained for decades and centuries. As a shepherd of flocks, I ask that we seriously consider this course as the ending to this unfortunate drama.
Bishop David Bena is a contact bishop in the Anglican District of Virginia and suffragan bishop in the Convocation of Anglicans in North America.
