Because of their strong belief in this biblically-established Christian teaching, and in the First Amendment to the Constitution's promise of freedom of religion and speech, the national headquarters of the denomination, in New York City, has gone into civil court against them.

In repeated lawsuits, this national church headquarters is actually trying to take away all the local church property of those who, in conscience, have affiliated with other branches of the 76-million member Anglican Communion.

This has led the retired Episcopal bishops of Texas, South Carolina, West Tennessee and Eau Claire (Wisconsin) to write the Executive Council of the Episcopal church asking where the money is coming from to conduct all this litigation.

Bishops Murice Benitez, C.F. Allison, Alex Dickson and William Wantland wrote:

"We ask you, our executive council, to make a public report of how much money the Episcopal church has spent in recent years on court costs and attorney fees in these extensive litigations. In what budget is it accounted for? Has any income from trust funds been used to support these litigations? How much and from which funds?

"How much compensation has the law firm of the Episcopal church's chancellor, David Beers, received for servicing this litigation? An open and transparent disclosure is crucially important to avoid speculation, rumors and consequent distrust of the Episcopal church."

Just such distrust was magnified after Episcopal religion columnist David Virtue reported:

"When phoned at his law firm, Goodwin Proctor in Washington D.C., and asked how much to date his law firm had been paid by the national church in pursuit of the 11 Anglican churches in Virginia, David Booth Beers said: 'I don't talk to the press.' He then hung up."

That absolutely incredible arrogance by lawyer Beers contrasts distinctly to further statements by the four retired bishops concerning so many Episcopalians who, believing in freedom of worship, have decided to worship elsewhere in parishes who have affiliated with other branches of the Anglican communion. Noted these retired bishops:

"Some of you might not care about this tragic daily hemorrhaging of the life blood of the Episcopal church, but we grieve over it. By litigation you may win possession of some buildings and land, but you will never get the people back by the most potent litigation that money can buy.

"The Episcopal church has the capacity to bankrupt and destroy all of the congregations and dioceses that dare to meet the Episcopal church in court. But that will not get the people back."

---Les Kinsolving hosts a daily talk show for WCBM in Baltimore. His radio commentaries are syndicated nationally. He is White House correspondent for WorldNetDaily. His show can be heard on the Internet 9-11 p.m. Eastern each weekday. Before going into broadcasting, Kinsolving was a newspaper reporter and columnist - twice nominated for the Pulitzer Prize for his commentary.