Tuesday, May 21, 2013

The ?Myth? of the Decline of the Episcopal Church

When you find a truth you do not like, you either ignore it, redefine it so that it means something different than it says, or justify it in the name of prophetic witness...  This is the losing strategy of those within the Episcopal Church (and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America).  But the truth does not support the Polly Anna view the decline.

In the Episcopal Church:
Change in church school enrollment: -33%
Change in number of marriages performed: -41%
Change in number of burials/funerals: -21%
Change in the number of child baptisms: -36%
Change in the number of adult baptisms: -40%
Change in the number of confirmations: -32%

Apparently this is all lost to one Dean Markham of the Virginia Theological Seminary.  As we all know, denial of truth is hard work and it cannot happen in one part.  Two parts are minimum for explaining away the obvious!!



 
Warning... such pallid attempts to challenge the facts is hard on the soul... That is why the sad decline of the once noble Episcopal Church is so hard; no one wins or gloats when one more church body drifts toward apostasy...
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5 comments:

  1. Carl VehseMay 21, 2013 at 8:38 AM

    Apostasy has consequences.

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  2. Janis WilliamsMay 21, 2013 at 8:41 AM

    Sad, sad, sad. One of the worst consequences is the flock is led over the cliff, also. There are sheep among the goats.

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  3. Dr.DMay 21, 2013 at 11:38 AM

    Ah, not to worry! Dean Markham's place is secure -- in stand-up comedy.

    In all seriousness, the ECUSA is in terminal decline and decay, being aggressively led in that direction by the wicked Bp. Kate Schori, Presiding Bishop of the ECUSA. With her mania for suing those who disagree with her to deprive them of the church property that they and their fore bearers have built and paid for over many years, she is rapidly turning ECUSA into a large real estate holding company. She is clearly doing the work of the devil, driving Christians away at a fearsome rate. She has made a point of refusing to sell stolen property back to its rightful owners, and in at least one case has sold to a muzlim group to establish a mosque in a former church. Her shame knows no bounds!

    Fr. D+
    Anglican Priest

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  4. AnonymousMay 22, 2013 at 11:43 AM

    He seems to be banking on garnering a growing share of a shrinking demographic. That will not render absolute growth.

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  5. AnonymousMay 27, 2013 at 3:30 PM

    Nice job, Reverend Markham! The speeches of German generals in 1943 were also wildly optimistic.

    I would celebrate the decline of the EC if its adherents were to leave in droves for the LCMS, however........

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