A departing Anglican congregation held its final services at a Virginia church property that they lost to The Episcopal Church in a years-long court battle.

The Falls Church Anglican, a congregation that broke away from the Episcopal Diocese of Virginia years ago over the increasingly liberal theology of the denomination, held two services on Sunday, leaving the property to a much smaller Episcopal congregation.

Jeff Walton, member of the Institute on Religion & Democracy and an attendee of the two services, told The Christian Post that the Anglican congregation's services were "forward-looking" in their focus. more >>

A California judge has ruled in favor of The Episcopal Church in a years long legal battle over the property of a couple breakaway congregations.

Orange County Superior Court Judge Kim Dunning granted the motion made by the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles against St. David's Anglican Church of North Hollywood and All Saints Anglican Church of Long Beach over the church property.

"After nearly eight years, we appreciate the Court's conclusion confirming the church properties of All Saints and St. David's belong to the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles," said the Rt. Rev. J. Jon Bruno, bishop of the diocese in a statement. more >>

An Anglican lay minister has been temporarily banned from preaching at a church in the U.K. after a service in which he advocated for the traditional definition of marriage upset some of those in attendance.

Peter Gowlland, a retired science teacher, apparently encouraged worshippers to sign a petition against the government's plan to introduce same-sex weddings. The preacher asked of church-goers to be "bold like the apostles" in their vote in support of the traditional definition of marriage. The Telegraph reported that what followed was a "brief and polite" disagreement with two other lay readers in front of the congregation and a retired bishop.

Church of England readers are lay licensed ministers with theological training who preach, teach, lead worship and assist in pastoral, evangelistic and liturgical work. more >>

With the search for a new leader for the Church of England unfolding, a claim that racism is taking hold within the Anglican Communion has spurred a debate about snobbery, elitism, and race within the nearly 80-million member body, whose majority of worshippers hail from the African continent.

In March, Rowan Williams, the current spiritual leader of the Anglican Church and head of the Church of England, announced that he would be stepping down as the Archbishop of Canterbury and returning to the ranks of academia. Williams had previously served as a professor of divinity at Oxford University. His fture role is the position of Master at the Magdalene College at Cambridge University.

Upon the announcement of Williams' departure, Ugandan-born John Sentamu, the Archbishop of York, quickly emerged as an early favorite to replace him. Sentamu is the only black bishop within the Church of England – the mother church of the Anglican Communion, affiliated with Anglican and Episcopalian churches worldwide. more >>

Another married gay man may succeed the retiring Bishop V. Gene Robinson, the first openly gay bishop in The Episcopal Church, the Diocese of New Hampshire announced.

The Rev. William W. Rich, a married homosexual, is senior associate rector at Trinity Church in Boston, and is one of the three candidates for the position of bishop. The other two candidates are the Rev. Penelope Maud Bridges, rector of St. Francis Episcopal Church in Great Falls, Va., and the Rev. A. Robert Hirschfeld, rector of Grace Episcopal Church in Amherst.

Rich holds a doctoral degree in psychology and religion and has also been a lecturer at Union Theological Seminary in New York, the Boston Globe reported. more >>

A group of Anglican Church leaders, including some from the General Synod, the Church of England's governing body, has stated in a public letter opposition to the traditional definition of marriage as between one man and one woman, and a desire for it to include same-sex couples.

Homosexual marriage has been a controversial issue in Britain and especially in the Anglican Church. British Prime Minister David Cameron and several other political groups and leaders in the country want the government to allow same-sex couples, who already can partake in civil unions that allow them many of the same benefits as heterosexual couples, to make vows and marry.

The Church of England stands firm in its support of traditional marriage and says: more >>