Content about United States

The Oregon Supreme Court has handed down a decision in a Presbyterian Church property dispute that effectively nullifies the Episcopal Church’s Dennis Canon in its jurisdiction.

In a 29 Nov 2012 decision in Hope Presbyterian Church of Rogue River v. the Presbyterian Church (USA) and the Presbytery of the Cascades the Oregon Supreme Court held that a denominational trust does not encumber parish property unless the parish takes an explicit action to place a trust or lien on the property on behalf of the denomination.

The United States Supreme Court has declined to hear the case of Moss v. Spartanburg County School District letting stand a Fourth Circuit decision allowing students to gain academic credit by attending off-campus religion classes during the school day.

In 2009 the Freedom From Religion Foundation brought suit against South Carolina’s Spartanburg County School District No.7 over its “released time” program. The Foundation claimed allowing public school students to attend religious instruction classes at private schools during school hours violated the Establishment Clause of the U.S. Constitution.

Friction over shares of a shrinking financial pie has animated the opening days of the 77th General Convention, meeting 5-12 July 2012 in Indianapolis. The House of Deputies has voted to sell the church’s national headquarters at 815 Second Avenue in New York City, while deputies have protested proposed cuts in funding for favored projects.

While the Church’s Joint Standing Committee on Program, Budget and Finance (PB&F) has yet to submit a final budget to convention for approval, competing interest groups have sought to preserve their share of the church pie.

Bishop Todd Hunter of the Anglican Mission in America (AMiA) has been received by the Anglican Church in North America and will serve as an assistant bishop in the office of the primate, the Most Rev. Robert Duncan.

On 4 May 2012 the California-based bishop held a conference call with Archbishop Duncan, Bishop Chuck Murphy of the AMiA, and Bishop Terrell Glenn of PEAR-USA/ACNA to discuss his future plans. ......

The Diocese of Recife reports that Bishop Robinson Cavalcanti and his wife were murdered in their home in Olinda in Northeastern Brazil last night.  The bishop's adopted son is alleged to have knifed his parents following a quarrel. 

On 26 February 2012, at approximately 10:00 pm the bishop returned to his home in Olinda after having visited a parish earlier in the day.  The bishop’s son is alleged to have pulled a knife on his father and stabbed him.

Dr. Zac Niringiye, the Assistant Bishop of Kampala, has informed the Ugandan House of Bishops that he will step down from office this June.  One of the most familiar faces of the Ugandan Church to American Anglicans from his frequent visits and mission trips to the U.S., Dr. Niringiye was consecrated Kampala’s assistant bishop in January 2005 at the age of 51.

He celebrates his 58th birthday in April, however the age of retirement for Ugandan bishops is 65.  The announcement was made at the 8 January 2012 House of Bishops meeting in Mbarra, where Archbishop Henry Orombi, the Primate of Kampala and Bishop of Kampala announced that he was retiring this year, with a successor to be elected in June and the new archbishop installed in December.

The Vatican has appointed the former bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of the Rio Grande to head up the American branch of the Anglican Ordinariate.

On 1 Jan 2012 the Vatican announced that Fr. Jeffrey Steenson had been named the Ordinary for the Personal Ordinariate of the Chair of St. Peter.  The American branch of the ordinariate will be based in Houston, Texas and is the second national jurisdiction for former Anglicans established under the provisions of Pope Benedict's 2009 apostolic constitution "Anglicanorum coetibus”.

Construction begins next week on the renovation of the Diocese of the Rio Grande’s Bosque Center in Albuquerque.  The diocese will invest $1.5 million to renovate the former Spiritual Renewal Center it purchased on January 30, 2011 and will house the diocesan offices, a state-of-the-art conference center and a 45-room retreat house at the new facility.

The head of the Anglican Mission in America has been threatened with ecclesiastical discipline for contumacy.  Unless Bishop Chuck Murphy repents of his disobedience and apologizes for his offensive statements within seven days, the Rwanda House of Bishops will assume that he has “made a de facto choice to withdraw as primatial vicar” of the AMiA.

In letter from the Rwandan House of Bishops to Bishop Murphy dated 30 Nov 2011, the AMiA leader was chastised for disobedience and abuse of office.