Episcopalians face up to decline

NorthJersey.com ^ | 12/9/05 | John Chadwick

[Dane]

NEWS Episcopalians face up to decline

Friday, December 9, 2005

By JOHN CHADWICK STAFF WRITER

The Episcopal Diocese of Newark, for years the epitome of liberal Protestant Christianity in America, acknowledged Thursday in an unusually candid report that it has suffered a steep slide in membership and needs a bishop who can revitalize its struggling parishes.

The diocese, which covers seven northern New Jersey counties including Bergen, Passaic, Hudson and Morris, has lost nearly 24,000 congregants, or 46 percent of its membership, since 1972. That's nearly three times the average decline in the Episcopal Church nationwide, the report said.

"Many congregations are struggling," the report said. "A significant number have been incurring operating deficits, and some are in fear for their very existence."

The 47-page profile, titled "Signs of Grace," aims, in part, to serve as a guidepost for clergy and lay people involved in the search to replace Bishop John P. Croneberger, who will retire at the beginning of 2007.

[PAR35]

Don't know if you are interested in pinging this one.

[chuckles]

I wonder if anyone visits the no shows and ask them why they left. It shouldn't take too long to pick up a pattern. If it was over personalities, then good riddance, but over doctrine, it's time to look at the preacher. Christians generally know what comes from the Holy Spirit and what is the new age stuff.

[A Citizen Reporter]

"Radical liberalism infects a once great Church and people vote with their feet."

I can tell you precisely what an one Episcopalian priest would say to the decline in numbers in the church....that numbers don't matter. I remember him saying that in my church about 4 years ago. He had been a Catholic priest and had removed to the Episcopal church, and subsequently married. Then he used his pulpit to criticize John Paul II.

After the Gene Robinson episode, he used the opportunity to criticize St. Paul. Then I called him to tell him, I was leaving his parish.

Though he seemed upset that I was leaving, I still think that the numbers don't matter to him.

[DesScorp]

"take note catholics"

You should have said "take note LIBERAL Catholics"...because they're the minority now. John Paul II, God bless his soul, saved Catholicism. And Pope Benidict is taking the fight even further. The Catholic Church and the Southern Bapist Convention are the only "mainline" churches that are actually growing, rather than imploding, because they've gotten more conservative, not less.

[fooman]

amen, except where it is not

[Mount Athos]

That's how I think about this wicked infiltration and subversion of churches today also -- the spawn of spong.

Michael Medved interviewed Spong a couple months ago, best interview I ever heard him do. Totally pegged him.

[A Citizen Reporter]

"Michael Medved interviewed Spong a couple months ago, best interview I ever heard him do."

Wish I'd heard it. The last I heard Spong was when Bill O'Reilly interviewed him, and it was a terrible interview. Bill did nothing to point out the kind of man that Spong is. Come to think of it, it's the last time I watched O'R.

[Heatseeker]

As another ex-Episcopalian (I bailed 20 years ago) I think you're on to it. I suspect that as the last Episcopal pastor is padlocking the door to the last church in the country, he'll be loudly proclaiming that it was all the fault of persecution by intolerant conservatives.

Which is how the Episcopal Church's decline was explained to me by the local pastor when I met him last summer.

[Mount Athos]

I wish you heard it to. If you had, Michael Medved would be your hero forever! I hope the thought isn't blasphemous, but I can't help but wonder if there was a divine inspiration behind an interview which so clearly destroyed Spong's demonic ideology for all to see, even for Spong himself.

[Pontiac]

From Meved’s website.

(2-AUDIO CD DISC SET) The Michael Medved Show ~ Wednesday, May 4, 2005*

Hour Two: ~ Guest: Bishop John Shelby Spong, Episcopalian, author, "The Sins of the Scripture". He says Christian Chuirch must change or die. MM says Shong's position is a shockingly radical, critical view of traditional Christianity. Guest says that Paul (of the Gospels) was gay, self-loathing, in rigid denial. Also says that people need to awaken to their homosexuality-monogamy is for both hetero and homosexuals. He doesn't feel that the Bible is the revealed word of God. The Bible is tribal and has no relation to today's world--he rejects the empty tomb story etc. etc. MM wants to know why he remains a bishop in a Chriustian church.

This man from his words appears to be truly evil.

[TXBSAFH]

We are, the dioceses that are doing well in the Catholic church are those that are conservative.

[TXBSAFH]

The Archdiocese Of Galveston Houston, the Catholic Church, is growing. We have a very conservative Archbishop. Conservative = growth in churches.

[TXBSAFH]

The Catholic church would welcome you.

[Joe Boucher]

The Episcopalians are a religion in moral freefall.
You are a fool if you look to them for salvation assistance.

[AlexW]

"The Catholic church would welcome you."

I grew up in the Episcopal Church, and was senior warden
in the oldest Episcopal Church in west Tennessee.
I saw what was happening and bailed out six years ago.

I am now in Slovakia, and sometimes go to one of the many beautiful Catholic churches here in Bratislava.
The Franciscan church, located in the historic district
of Old Town, is where I usually go, but there is a choice of at least FIVE Catholic churches, all within a five minute walk of each other, including St. Martin's Cathedral.
Built in the 14th and 15th century, many Hungarian kings
were crowned there, between the 16th and 19th century.

The church in Slovakia is probably more alive and well, then in any other country of central Europe.

[TXBSAFH]

I left teh Lutheran church last year, I feel at home.

[bkepley]

Here in Lib-ville the Episcopalians are doing very well thank you.

[HangnJudge]

We want to be progressive socially, but we also need to grow if we're going to truly serve northern New Jersey

Gibberish and wrong headed
Christians serve Christ and His Father
They progress in faith, understanding, and service

[sionnsar]

Thanks to Dane for the ping.

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Speak the truth in love. Eph 4:15

[Raycpa]

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