Campus preaching, Christian foster care: 4 cases that the US Supreme Court may impact in 2021

By Michael Gryboski, Mainline Church Editor Friday, January 08, 2021

The Episcopal Church v. Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth

The Right Reverend Rayford B. High, Jr., bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth. High oversees those within the breakaway diocese who remained loyal to The Episcopal Church following the body's vote to leave the mainline denomination. | (Photo: Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth)

The Supreme Court will consider taking up a years-long litigation between The Episcopal Church and diocesan leadership who decided to leave the denomination over theological differences.

Two cases, Episcopal Church v. Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth and All Saints’ Episcopal Church (Fort Worth) v. Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth, are linked in the appeal.

In 2008, a majority of the Fort Worth Diocese voted to leave The Episcopal Church over the increasing liberal theological direction of the mainline Protestant denomination.

A notable example was the ordination of the Episcopal Church’s first openly gay bishop, the Rev. Gene Robinson, which led to other churches and dioceses departing the denomination.

Litigation soon followed the vote, with the Texas Supreme Court releasing an opinion last May that partially reversed a lower court decision against the breakaway diocese.