Diocese lawsuit denied

Judge dismisses the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles claim against the St. James Church in Newport Beach.St. James Church in Newport Beach won another legal victory Thursday, when a judge again affirmed its right to keep its Lido Isle property and assets by dismissing a claim filed by the national Episcopal Church.

St. James, which was previously affiliated with the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles, broke away from the national church and local diocese in August 2004. St. James’ stated reasons for leaving were disagreements with the national church’s positions on Jesus Christ’s divinity and biblical authority.

Orange County Superior Court Judge David Velasquez ruled that the national church did not show enough evidence to claim a right to St. James’ property or to stop the church from seceding from the diocese. A lawsuit filed by the diocese against St. James was dismissed in August.

“Its exciting news. We are just rejoicing, elated at the ruling the judge has given today,” said Senior Pastor Praveen Bunyan. “Both cases are thrown out, thank God.”

A spokeswoman for the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles declined to comment on Thursday’s ruling. She referred questions to the diocese attorney, John Shiner, who could not be reached late Thursday for comment.

Velasquez gave the national church 20 days to file an amended claim, which St. James attorney Eric Sohlgren said is not a cause for concern.

“Frankly, I don’t see how they can because their whole case is based on this church rule,” Sohlgren said, referring to the national church’s appeal to canon law. “If they decide to file an amendment, we will challenge it because we continue to maintain, as we have from day one, that St. James owns the property.”

Velasquez wrote that the national church’s claim relied exclusively on church law and showed no reason for the dispute to go to court.

“Because I traveled in your bus, you cannot claim my luggage when I get off,” Bunyan said, offering an analogy.

Two other churches, All Saints’ in Long Beach and St. David’s in North Hollywood, also broke away from the local diocese, and all three have since placed themselves under the diocese of Luweero in Uganda.