Bishop Rayford isn't High. Or is He?

It's freezing outside, even though it isn't snowing, which is weird, seeing as how our carbon footprints have made everything so much warmer. To beat the chill, I cooked up some bacon and pancakes. Then I put maple syrup on both. But I won't repel you with a picture of my climate disruption snack, here's one of Bishop Rayford High, instead.

This is part of what the curiously named "High" had to say about his church's recent defeat in Tarrant County:

“Be of good heart. The Episcopal Church, including its continuing Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth, welcomes everyone, no matter where they are on their spiritual journey. The mission of The Episcopal Church is to reconcile the world to God through Jesus Christ and that work continues.“

Welcomes everyone? Oh yeah, of course, in court. 

So be of good heart, they lost.

LSP

Bishop Rayford Got Himself High.

A fierce storm has blown in from the north. Rain, mixed with hail, rattles off the house like so much wind-driven shrapnel. My dog doesn't care, he seems to find it comforting.

In the meanwhile, the Episcopal Church refuses to accept that it lost in Texas and seems set to pursue its losing strategy in the courts. 

Here's the oddly named bishop High:

“We are disappointed with this decision but quite hopeful for the future. This sacred property was built up over 170 years in this part of Texas by generations of Episcopalians for the use of The Episcopal Church so it will be available for use by generations of Episcopalians to come as they do the work of the Church."

This sacred property? Which is part of some holy trust, kept by the Episcopal Church for whom? Moloch? Bishop High, you've made one too many trips to the meth lab. 

In the meanwhile, TEC, like the old pop song, keeps coming on, even though they don't have a case. Bankrupt your opponents? Well that's one strategy. If you're High.

Carry on,

LSP

TEC Loses

Like the Shoes

The Texas Supreme Court ruled yesterday against the declining off-world gender advocacy group known as the Episcopal Church, or TEC for short. The Court's decision overturned a previous ruling, by Judge Chupp, ordering the traditionalist Diocese of Fort Worth, which left TEC in 2008, to turn over all it's property to the dwindling denomination. 

Yesterday's decision comes after nearly 5 years of litigation brought on by the Episcopal Church in its desperate bid to seize the departing dioceses' assets, and may spell an end to the small Church's use of the Hotel California Offense (HCO) and the We're Boss We Own You attack (WEBWOY). 

Not Allowed

According to the HCO, a diocese can check-in to the shrinking denomination but it can't check-out, because a church law known as the Dennis Canon states that all church property is automatically held in trust for TEC after a diocese joins the diminutive denomination. WEBWOY states that the numerically challenged Episcopal Church is hierarchical and therefore all church assets belong to it, that it's the Boss and owns everything.

However, the Texas Supreme Court decided that WEBWOY does not trump neutral principles of  law and that the HCO, based on the Dennis Canon, is  not admissible in Texas. The case now goes back to Judge Chupp for reconsideration and the Diocese of Fort Worth gets to keep its property pending a new ruling by Chupp. It also means that I don't get evicted from my house by the Church of Tolerance and Love.

Goof-Off

So, much rejoicing in Fort Worth, wailing and gnashing of teeth in the moneyed corridors of TEC. You can read all about it on A.S. Haley's excellent Anglican Curmudgeon.

Cheers,

LSP