Virginia parishes vote to leave

WASHINGTON -- Conservative Episcopalians' steady exodus from the Episcopal church accelerated Dec. 17 as eight Virginia congregations--including two large, historic parishes--voted to leave the national body. Three more are considering similar action.

The Virginia diocese has lost 12 congregations and about 18 percent of its average Sunday worship attendance in recent battles over homosexuality and the authority of scripture, according to figures provided by the diocese.

The size of the breakaway parishes, their historical importance and their success at "planting" new congregations all make tremors of the split shiver through the Episcopal church, said the Rev. Kendall Harmon.

"This is terribly significant," said Harmon, an influential conservative theologian from South Carolina. "When you lose large churches, you don't just lose an individual parish, you lose a great big part of the family."

A looming legal scrap will determine if the diocese loses more than $27 million in property as well.

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