Anglicans went to court today as the inevitable break up of conservatives and liberals in the church continues. For the next few weeks  schismatics will worship in the two buildings under dispute, Anglicans who have chosen to stay in the communion will have to find an alternative location.

Niagara’s Anglican diocese has lost its bid to hold services this weekend and next at area churches that have split from the national church in a growing dispute over same sex marriage blessings.

‘I am disappointed that they could not share,” Niagara Biship Michael Bird said today after a Hamilton judge ruled that the breakaway churches have exclusive use of the disputed buildings for the next two weeks.

The interim ruling will only be in force until the two sides return to court on March 20 for a hearing on a longer-term arrangement for Sunday services while the courts decide who actually owns the churches.

The diocese argues that parishes hold churches in trust for the diocese, while the breakaway churches, part of the Anglican Network in Canada, argue that they should get the buildings. The Network argues that the national church has abandoned the Anglican faith by becoming too liberal.

The breakaway congregations have placed themselves under the authority of Archbishop  Gregory Venables of the Southern Cone. (South America) The split congregations of St. Hilda’s in Oakville and St. George’s in Lowville Ontario shared the church buildings last week by holding separate services.

Here is a glimpse of some of the rancour going on between the two groups.

J.I. Packer, who is one of Canada’s better known theologians and who  sided with the conservatives, has received notice from New Westminister Bishop Michael Ingram he may be suspended  from ministry. Anglican Mainstream has the details.