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Published Saturday, August 14, 2010 in Religion

Christ Church at center of lawsuit, controversy

By W. WINSTON SKINNER

winston@newnan.com

The "Mother Church" of Episcopalianism in Georgia has sharp divisions that reflect national trends in that denomination -- and have led to a protracted lawsuit.

There has been unrest in some Episcopal churches and even dioceses across the country because of issues with the national Episcopal Church body including the decision a few years ago allowing openly gay men and women to be ordained. The deep divisions made the Top 10 list of stories for the Religion Newsrwriters Association annual list in 2008.

New congregations have been formed across the country -- including New Life in Christ Anglican Church in Newnan and All Saints Anglican Church in Peachtree City -- that have aligned themselves with more conservative groups. All Saints is aligned with the Anglican Church in North America, the Convocation of Anglicans in North America and the American Anglican Council.

Generally, church properties have remained with the congregants who are part of Episcopal Church dioceses affiliated with the national body in New York.

Christ Church in Savannah, however, is an exception -- at least for now.

There are technically two Christ Church congregations in Savannah. They have dueling Internet websites -- and an ongoing legal contest.

The conservative members are meeting in the historic building -- which is associated with figures from Georgia history including John Wesley, George Whitefield, Juliette Gordon Low and Johnny Mercer. The website of the other group states: " Christ Church Episcopal is currently meeting at St. Michael and All Angels located on the corner of Washington and Waters Avenues in Savannah."

The congregation dates to 1733, and the current meetinghouse -- a majestic Greek temple -- was built in 1840.

The group meeting there has asked the Georgia Supreme Court to review a recent ruling of the Court of Appeals upholding Judge Michael Karpf's October 2009 decision that Christ Church holds its property in trust for the Diocese of Georgia and The Episcopal Church.

The conservative congregation claims a 1979 national church "canon" or bylaw, on which the decision is at least partly based, cannot override the congregation's legal title to the property.

If the ruling should stand after all appeals are exhausted, then the congregation will be forced to move to other facilities. Church leaders have also said the ruling could become a precedent that could affect other Georgia churches in similar situations.

Christ Church disaffiliated from the Episcopal Church on Sept. 30, 2007 by a unanimous vote of its vestry (governing board). Two weeks later that vote was affirmed by an 87 percent vote of the congregation, according to a news release distributed by the congregation.

"We continue to believe that we must stand firm for the gospel and oppose the anti-biblical claims of the Episcopal Church," said David Reeves, senior warden.

Marc Robertson, who was rector when the vote took place and continues to lead the group meeting at the 1840 building, said, "This disagreement is not about real estate. It is about the basic tenets of the historic faith, proclaiming Jesus as the way, the truth and the life. And it is about freedom: freedom of religion, freedom to practice our religion as and where we have for over 275 years, freedom to choose to follow the Jesus Christ of Holy Scripture and not a culturally-manufactured Jesus."

The group currently using the historic property have noted Christ Church was founded before the Episcopal Church in the United States.

"In 1758 an act of the Royal Council granted Christ Church ownership of its church building and cemetery. After the Revolution, the Georgia legislature granted a charter of incorporation to Christ Church. Thus, since 1789 Christ Church has been a legal entity, a corporation defined, bound and protected by Georgia law," Robertson said.

"Christ Church has never conveyed title to its property to any other party, has never agreed to hold its property in trust for any other party and has never received any financial help from the Episcopal Church, the Diocese of Georgia, or other church agency," the rector stated.

In an editorial column, Robertson wrote:

"The building that houses Christ Church is a beautiful structure and an historic icon, but it is far more than that to our congregation. It is the site where, before the founding of The Episcopal Church or the Diocese of Georgia, our forefathers proclaimed the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Today it continues as a community where the broken and lost find their hope in God, where Christians are loved, nurtured and developed into faithful disciples, and where the Kingdom of God, His forgiveness and redemption are extended to Savannah, the southeast and the world.

"We have placed our feet in the path the Lord set before us, and we have the privilege of walking together as brothers and sisters in Christ Church, trusting the Lord to work out His plan for us."

Michael S. White, who is rector for the congregation meeting at St. Michael and All Angels, addressed the July 8 ruling from the pulpit on a recent Sunday. The text is included on that congregation's website.

"For only the second time in our two years together, I feel that we are at a point in our rebirth story that genuinely merits some Christian spiritual context for our legal, secular issues. It is an important moment to remind ourselves of the overall approach that we have chosen as our way of living out our shared life in Christ," White said.

He noted people have referred to the Christ Church Episcopal congregation as "apostate" or "heretical." "These are such harsh terms. My conflict averse ears have a hard time with such language. Sometimes I must confess that I am jealous -- I am jealous of people who are so certain that they are right that they can use language of certitude," White said.

He noted that someone had commented to him: "I did not know that Episcopalians talked liked that, calling people 'apostate' and 'heretic.'" He told the congregation that he responded, "We don't. At least it is my understanding that we try not to."

Former Newnan resident Holly Jones has visited Christ Church several times. She became interested in the majestic building because of its connection with the writings of historical fiction novelist Eugenia Price. Eliza McQueen Mackay was a real Savannah woman who is a character in several of Price's novels -- among them "Savannah," "Before the Darkness Falls" and "Stranger in Savannah."

Mrs. Mackay attended Christ Church before she married and in her widowhood. "I like to stand on the steps of the church out front and look out on to the square. It's a good vantage point," said Jones, a school media specialist who now lives in Columbus.

Jones said she is pained to hear about the split in the congregation and that her sympathies are with those who have a longtime tie to "the gorgeous sanctuary" which she described as "a piece of Savannah's history."