Anglican Priest Says Legal Battle Against Liberal Conn. Bishop Will Continue
by Jim Brown
August 31, 2006
(AgapePress) - - An orthodox Anglican priest says six Connecticut parishes that oppose the ordination of homosexuals are not giving up their legal fight against a liberal Episcopal bishop they have accused of abusing the power of his office.
Last week, a federal judge ruled that a civil rights lawsuit filed by the conservative priests known to many as "the Connecticut Six" against Bishop Andrew Smith lacked federal jurisdiction. Smith is being sued for seizing the property of four parishes, suspending an orthodox priest, and threatening to defrock five others.
One of the priests, Chris Leighton of St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Darien, Connecticut, says Smith has been "taking over churches" and must be confronted. "Andrew Smith has not acted in a way that has respected the rights of his parishioners and the people of his churches and [he] has acted fraudulently," Leighton contends, "and that's pretty clear in the lawsuit."
The orthodox minister says he and the other five priests bringing the suit believe that this case involves "a titanic struggle between those who uphold the authority of scripture and those who do not." And even though one federal court ruling has gone against them, he insists the legal fight is far from over and any declaration of victory on Smith's part would be premature.
"This is an opportunity," Leighton says, "to allow for a judgment on whether or not a supposed minister of the gospel, a bishop of the church, can act in such a way that misrepresents his title and office and also violates the rights of American citizens and members of churches."
The clergy referred to as the Connecticut Six are Leighton, Rev. Allyn Benedict, Rev. Ron Gauss, Rev. Mark Hansen, Rev. Don Helmandollar, and Rev. Gil Wilkes. Now that a federal judge has ruled that their civil suit lacks federal jurisdiction, the priests say they are now considering whether to pursue "state court and federal appellate remedies."
Jim Brown, a regular contributor to AgapePress, is a reporter for American Family Radio News, which can be heard online.
