Burns Church, Inc., and Stephen Etheridge v. Alabama District Council of the Assembies of God, Inc., and Burns Assembly of God Church

I respectfully dissent from the Court’s decision to affirm the summary judgment in favor of the Alabama District Council of the Assemblies of God, Inc. (“the District Council”), and Burns Assembly of God Church in their action against Stephen Etheridge and Burns Church, Inc. Though this ecclesiastical dispute incidentally affects property rights, the courts of the State of Alabama lack jurisdiction to intervene in this dispute, which is based upon disparate interpretations of church governing documents and doctrine and conflicting claims of church membership. I believe that the Court should…