The Falls Church
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Falls Church refers to both an Anglican and Episcopal church in the city of Falls Church, Virginia near Washington, D. C.. The city takes its name from the church, and the church takes its name from being on the road to the Great Falls of the Potomac River.
Prior to 2007, there was one parish known as The Falls Church. In December 2006, a majority (90%) of the parish congregation voted to disaffiliate from the Episcopal Church in the United States of America and join the Convocation of Anglicans in North America, an Anglican missionary effort headed by Martyn Minns, former Rector of Truro Church, and sponsored by the Church of Nigeria. Those who did not support disaffiliation left the break-away congregation and continued worship as an Episcopal congregation in a separate location. Consequently, there are now two bodies bearing the Falls Church name: The Falls Church (Anglican) describes itself as Evangelical, which emphasizes the authority of the Bible, salvation through faith in Christ, and traditional Christian teachings as documented in the Book of Common Prayer, and The Falls Church (Episcopal), which describes itself as "an Episcopal Church centered on the hopeful promises of Jesus Christ, love for one another, and service to the community."
Contents |
[edit] Building history
In 1734 a wooden church was built to serve Truro Parish, which had been formed two years earlier from a larger parish centered in Quantico. By 1757, the building was commonly known as "The Falls Church", as it was along the main north-south road to Great Falls on the Potomac. As the original wooden church fell into decay, George Washington and George William Fairfax were appointed churchwardens to contract for a new building in 1763. Designed by James Wren, the new building was finished in 1769, at which point it became the seat of the newly-formed Fairfax Parish. This building remains to the present day.
Additional improvements include the education and administration building, the new sanctuary (seats 800) and the Memorial Garden Chapel. Additionally, The Falls Church bought the adjacent Southgate property, in 2000, to handle short term educational needs. Plans to improve the Southgate property are still underway.
[edit] Beliefs
The Falls Church (Anglican) believes that the Bible is the holy word of God and attempts to base all its teachings on biblical roots. Three creeds, included in to Book of Common Prayer, summarize the fundamental beliefs of The Falls Church: Apostles Creed, Nicene Creed and the Athanasian Creed. The goal of The Falls Church (Anglican) is "That Christ be King in our lives and in the lives of others."
The Falls Church (Episcopal) emphasizes the Episcopal Church's blend of biblical teaching, reason, and tradition, and focuses its efforts on worship, fellowship and service, biblical teachings, a close-knit community, a singles and family-friendly parish, spiritual encouragement, a supporting environment, and personalized prayer support.
[edit] Separation from the Episcopal Church
On December 17, 2006, ninety percent of the congregation of the Falls Church voted to break away from the Episcopal Church in the United States of America and join the Convocation of Anglicans in North America (CANA), under the oversight of Martyn Minns, Missionary Bishop of CANA and former Rector of Truro Church in Fairfax, Virginia. CANA is an Anglican missionary effort sponsored by the Church of Nigeria, the world's largest Anglican church, under Archbishop Peter Akinola. As requested by the Diocese of Virginia, a separate vote was taken to determine if the Falls Church congregation would attempt to keep the property as their own, even if legal counsel were necessary. Ninety-seven percent of the congregation voted to attempt to keep the property even if legal counsel would be required. The Episcopal Diocese of Virginia has filed lawsuits seeking to retain the property for the loyal minority who remain the Falls Church, Episcopal.[1] The Falls Church (Anglican) currently continues to worship in the historic Falls Church property.
The Falls Church (Episcopal) is the continuance of the Episcopal parish which contributes regularly to the Episcopal Diocese of Virginia, and which is currently worshiping in the Falls Church Presbyterian Church building in the city of Falls Church.
The decision to break away was due to the majority's perception that the Episcopal Church is moving away from traditional Christian beliefs such as those documented in the Book of Common Prayer. This perception came from a number of incidents including the failure of the 2006 General Convention to confirm Christ as Lord, and a letter from Bishop Lee (Diocese of Virginia) stating that Christ is not the sole means of salvation.[citation needed] Because of these actions, it became the opinion of many at The Falls Church (Anglican) that the Episcopal Church in the United States of America (ECUSA) violated its own constitution which states that the church's faith is described in the Book of Common Prayer, the church is in good standing with the Anglican Communion, and that clergy swear to uphold the Holy Bible as the Word of God. The Falls Church (Anglican) concluded that in order to stay true to its traditional beliefs, it must separate.
Those who chose to stay with ECUSA either agree with the new theological direction of the church, or argue that the church can remain one despite theological differences. Some expressed the view that The Falls Church should continue dialog with the Diocese of Virginia and that a decision to break away would be premature. Supporting their notion is that the Diocese of Virginia had never interfered with The Falls Church's teachings or services, although it had the power to do so. Furthermore, The Falls Church had been withholding dues to the Dioceses, which, although voluntary, are traditionally paid.
The first trial in the property dispute between CANA and the Diocese of Virginia occurred from November 15 to November 20, 2007, and addressed "issues related to the applicability and interpretation" of a Virginia statute by which the CANA parishes claim entitlement to the property.[2] The law in question, enacted in 1867 to address the many divisions among Protestant churches over issues of slavery and race following the American Civil War, states that if a church has a theological division, then the majority can keep the property. The CANA parishes filed in court under the protection of this law to establish their right to gain property control from the Episcopal Church.[3]
On April 3, 2008, the trial judge issued an opinion finding that there is a theological division in the church so the statute is applicable and that The Falls Church and other Virginia parishes that disaffiliated from ECUSA properly filed to claim ownership of their property. However, the court scheduled oral argument in late May, 2008, to hear the Diocese's arguments that the Virginia statute is unconstitutional and therefore cannot apply. The Diocese has also indicated that it would challenge the validity of the 2006 votes taken by The Falls Church congregation and the other disaffiliating parishes.[4]
[edit] References
- ^ Property Dispute
- ^ Property Dispute
- ^ Falls Church News-Press - Yates Takes Stand in Church Property Trial
- ^ Christianity Today - Big Win for Va.'s Breakaway Anglican Parishes in Property Fight
