The embattled head of Manhattan’s Trinity Church is stepping down, giving church leaders two years notice.
The Rev. James Cooper, 68, who heads one of the richest parishes in the Anglican world with Manhattan land holdings of at least $1 billion, sparked a revolt in 2011 over his dictatorial leadership style and his grandiose development plans.
Nearly half of the church’s governing board was forced out or quit.
As the revolt got heated, Cooper considered retiring but, as The Post first reported, only if the church met his demands: burial in the historic Trinity Church graveyard where Alexander Hamilton was laid to rest; an undisclosed “thank-you” payment; a donation in his name to a charity; and $200,000 per year, for seven years, to fund a staff and support services in order to continue his “ministry.”
Helayne Seidman
The Rev. James Cooper
Cooper, who has led the church since 2004 and made $1.3 million in compensation in 2010, then decided not to step down.
He lives in a $5.5 million SoHo townhouse that the church purchased for him.
Earlier this week, Jeremy Bates, the former head of the Trinity Congregational Council, sued Cooper and church vestry to change the election process for Trinity board members. Cooper stacked the board with his cronies, his critics alleged.
Rector of Manhattan's Trinity Church to step down
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Rector of Manhattan's Trinity Church to step down
