Schullers resign from board of Crystal Cathedral

Embroiled in a legal dispute with the church he founded, Robert H. Schuller and his wife have resigned from the international board of the Crystal Cathedral in Garden Grove, the Schullers’ attorney confirmed Saturday night.

Schuller; his wife, Arvella; his daughter, Carol Schuller Milner; and her husband, Timothy Milner, have filed a number of claims in Bankruptcy Court alleging that the church owes them money for copyright infringement, intellectual property violations and unpaid contracts.

The Orange County Register, which broke the story, has reported that the resignations are a result of a breakdown in negotiations over the claims.

The claims have delayed $12.5 million in payments to some creditors. The delay in payments, combined with a steep decline in donations, mean the church could be left with virtually no money for its ministries, including the "Hour of Power" broadcasts, said Nanette Sanders, attorney for the creditors.

The Crystal Cathedral campus was sold to the Roman Catholic Diocese of Orange in February for $57.5 million. Payment to creditors was expected this spring, but because some claims are for unknown amounts and the Milners and Schullers have not agreed to establish a payment reserve, vendors cannot be paid until the court determines those amounts, Sanders said.

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Photo: The Crystal Cathedral campus was sold to the Roman Catholic Diocese of Orange last month. Credit: Arkasha Stevenson / Los Angeles Times