wfn.org | Supreme Court of India decides key case

[COBNews@aol.com]

Date: Sept. 15, 2005
Contact: Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford
V: 847/742-5100 F:  847/742-6103
E-MAIL: _CoBNews@AOL.Com_ (mailto:CoBNews@AOL.Com) 
 

CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN NEWSLINE
Sept. 15, 2005
 
SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DECIDES KEY CASE
 
Sept. 15, 2005 (Elgin, IL) -- The Supreme Court of India has dismissed the  
claims of the Church of North India (CNI) that it is the legal successor of
the 
 First District Church of the Brethren in India. "This decision affirms the  
continuing legal existence of the church as well as the trusts, and
vindicates 
 the position of the Brethren in India," according to Darryl Sankey, 
communicator  for the Church of the Brethren in India. There has been no
comment from  
CNI.  
 
This legal ruling in early May provides clarity that may help to resolve  
claims to church properties, reported Merv Keeney, executive director of
Global	
Mission Partnerships for the Church of the Brethren. The properties have been

an  ongoing source of tension between the two churches.
 
The First District Church of the Brethren in India, which emerged from	
Brethren mission efforts begun in 1895, joined in the movement toward
formation  of 
CNI in 1970. Some Brethren members and congregations began leaving CNI in  
1978.
 
The Church of the Brethren in the United States has maintained an official  
relationship with CNI since its formation in 1970, but re-forming the  
relationship with the India Brethren is relatively new. Following the split 
between 
these segments of the church in India, a review of the India  relationships 
brought a Church of the Brethren Annual Conference study and  response in
1988. 
More recent review of this relationship led to an action by  the 2003 Annual 
Conference to affirm rebuilding relationship with the India  Brethren
alongside 
the relationship with CNI.
 
"While we might assume that a Supreme Court decision has immediate impact,  
the situation in India is not as automatic," Keeney said. "It appears that
even 
 a ruling by this national court will take time to impact the communities 
where  CNI and the Brethren exist together."
 
The Church of the Brethren is a Christian denomination committed to  
continuing the work of Jesus peacefully and simply, and to living out its
faith  in 
community. The denomination is based in the Anabaptist and Pietist faith  
traditions and is one of the three Historic Peace Churches. It celebrates its
 300th 
anniversary in 2008. It counts about 130,000 members across the United	
States and Puerto Rico, and has missions and sister churches in Brazil, the  
Dominican Republic, Haiti, and Nigeria.
 
# # #
 
For more information contact:
 
Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford
Director of News Services
Church of the  Brethren General Board
1451 Dundee Ave.
Elgin, IL 60120
847-742-5100  ext. 260
_cbrumbaugh-cayford_gb@brethren.org_ 
(mailto:cbrumbaugh-cayford_gb@brethren.org) 
 
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 director of news services for the Church of the Brethren General Board. 
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