Episcopal Press and News

Church of the Advent Lawsuit Dismissed

Episcopal News Service. February 6, 1998 [98-2086I]

(Living Church) A long struggle over the governance of the Church of the Advent in Boston came to a conclusion recently with a unanimous decision by the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court to dismiss the case brought by members of Advent's corporation. The dispute came about in 1993 when a majority of the members of the corporation passed a vote of no confidence in the rector, the Rev. Andrew C. Mead. Following that vote, Mead asked then-Bishop David Johnson of Massachusetts to intercede. After a failed attempt at mediation, Johnson accepted Mead's resignation, ordered the entire vestry to resign and empowered the communicants of the parish to elect a new vestry. The 20-member corporation representing the parish had appointed the previous vestry. Thirteen members of the corporation voted to institute a lawsuit contesting the bishop's jurisdiction over the parish. The state supreme court upheld the defendants' claim that the Episcopal Church is hierarchical, that the dispute is one of internal discipline and government, and that the First Amendment prohibits the court from deciding the dispute.