I can see the ECUSA’s side in this. A church facility, much like a school, does not really belong to the people who inhabit it at any given time to wit, now. It belongs to all those who came before, those who are there now, and generations yet to come.
Yet, given the ECs abominable current state of disarray, screw’em. These church bodies are merely holding the properties to save them from ultimate liquidation by the infidel.
One of the pithiest FR Religion Forum statements ever.
It is difficult to see how this supports the ECUSA side. TEC (formerly ECUSA) abandoned the traditional faith of those who came before and have in effect invented a new religion. It is also intends to deprive all of the future generations of those who will keep the faith from use of the property. TEC was taken over by a progressive femnist cadre that has worked for year to drive out all of the faithful leaving only those like themselves in the Church. The FORMER Episcopal Churches are the ones who truly reflect those who came before, and who will come after in Christ's church.
A school was built by the government using taxpayers' money and is owned by the government. A church is built by a private corporation (the parish's vestry), is paid for by the parish, and is owned by the parish. There is no commonality. It's also useful to remember that a great many parishes built their churches and obtained deeds to them prior to TEC asserting ownership over them by passing the "Dennis Canon" in the 1970's.