They get to keep their churches!

Eleven conservative congregations that broke with the U.S. Episcopal Church and want to keep property worth millions of dollars have won a second court decision, the dissident churches said on Friday.

The decision was based on a Virginia law that was passed during the Civil War era that allowed congregations to break with their denominations and keep their buildings:

In April, the same judge said the 11 congregations are covered by the law, which was written during the Civil War era. The statute says any “church or religious society” that “divides” remains under the control of the majority, as does any property entrusted to it.
[…]
Both Methodists and Presbyterians successfully invoked the statute immediately after its adoption in 1867.

The Episcopalians left the denomination over the installation of an openly gay bishop.
Too bad they had to take this to court because the Bible clearly prohibits lawsuits between Christians:

ESV 1 Corinthians 6:1 When one of you has a grievance against another, does he dare go to law before the unrighteous instead of the saints? 2 Or do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world is to be judged by you, are you incompetent to try trivial cases? 3 Do you not know that we are to judge angels? How much more, then, matters pertaining to this life! 4 So if you have such cases, why do you lay them before those who have no standing in the church? 5 I say this to your shame. Can it be that there is no one among you wise enough to settle a dispute between the brothers, 6 but brother goes to law against brother, and that before unbelievers?

Unfortunately, when millions of dollars are at stake, we are quick to violate this mandate, though I can’t blame the congregations, they are the ones that built the buildings. It doesn’t seem right that the denomination should get the property. Especially when it’s apostate.