Is the Episcopal Church really all that important?

Last updated on: March 13, 2015 at 10:09 pm by Richard Ostling

Is the Episcopal Church really all that important? 2015-03-13T22:09:12-04:00 Richard Ostling

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

MARK (listing no location) ASKS:

Why do so many journalists seem to think that the small (and dwindling) Episcopal Church is the most important of the “mainline” churches?

THE GUY ANSWERS:

Small? In the current “Yearbook of American and Canadian Churches” the Episcopal Church reports annual proceeds of $2 billion and an “inclusive” membership of 1,951,907, or #14 in size among U.S. religious bodies. Dwindling? For sure. It boasted 3,647,297 members in the peak year of 1966 (using a somewhat inflated headcount method). After decline, average Sunday attendance bottomed out in the 1990s through 2002 at around 850,000, but has fallen to 658,000 after the 2003 installation of its first partnered gay bishop, followed by schism and turmoil.

The headquarters research director asserted that through 2002 the Episcopal Church was the “healthiest” of the so-called mainline churches (defined as long-established, Protestant, predominantly white, ecumenical, and rather pluralistic in doctrine). All such groups have experienced ongoing net membership losses since the mid-1960s, including the American Baptist Churches, Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), Church of the Brethren, Presbyterian Church (USA), Reformed Church in America, United Church of Christ, United Methodist Church, and lately the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.

Many think fuzziness or liberalism in belief explain this unprecedented mainline slide, considering that most biblically conservative groups continued to grow (though these may also face a troublesome future). But it’s more complicated. Mainline statistics are affected by lowering birth and marriage rates, increasing death rates and average ages, and losses of youngsters raised in these churches.

Important? In journalists’ defense, Mark has gotta admit the Episcopal Church makes news. Years ago we had heresy charges against a bishop (the hierarchy merely tut-tutted over his “tone”) and later inaction when a bishop turned even more contemptuous about Christian traditions. Also the Black Manifesto shakedown, battles over Prayer Book revision, illicit ordinations of the first female clergy, followed by official approval, followed by women bishops, a bishop’s trial for OKing gay clergy (the verdict said sexual morality isn’t “core doctrine”), failed efforts to overturn that policy, then gay bishops, nasty schisms with international and ecumenical reverberations, the church’s continuing legal combat to seize the properties of departing congregations and dioceses, a go-ahead for same-sex weddings in the celebrated D.C. cathedral, and assorted accomplishments and scandals along the way.

Admittedly the Episcopal Church grabs more media attention than, say, the mainline’s far bigger United Methodist Church or than conservative groups of comparable size (Assemblies of God, Churches of Christ, Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod). Perhaps Episcopalians are more tempestuous in handling their disputes. Or maybe the Episcopal mystique echoes Americans’ odd fascination with the royal family in the church’s mother country, England. No doubt the denomination has enjoyed cultural cachet, whether its Colonial heritage, wealthy and famed forebears, liturgical beauty, or artistic influence. Starting with George Washington, more U.S. presidents have been Episcopalians than members of any other denomination, most recently George H.W. Bush (though young George W. Bush switched to join Laura’s Methodists).

Another index of status is the church affiliations of U.S. Congress members. Episcopalians currently are outnumbered only by Catholics, Baptists, Methodists, and Presbyterians, with 7.3 percent of the ranks (compared with less than 1 percent of the U.S. population). However, as recently as the 1980s Episcopalians typically constituted 12 percent of the Congress, and today’s most prominent Episcopal member, Senator John McCain, has had more involvement with Southern Baptists.

(Full disclosure: The Guy has often worshipped with appreciation at Episcopal congregations, most recently last summer. And some of his best friends are Episcopalians.)

Uncategorized

Previous Post

January 11, 2013

Why are holy scriptures so complicated?

Next Post

January 24, 2013 Hell: Challenging a somewhat delicate doctrine

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Uncategorized

Select a Month November 2026 October 2026 September 2026 August 2026 July 2026 June 2026 May 2026 April 2026 March 2026 February 2026 January 2026 December 2025 November 2025 October 2025 September 2025 August 2025 July 2025 June 2025 May 2025 April 2025 March 2025 February 2025 January 2025 December 2024 November 2024 October 2024 September 2024 August 2024 July 2024 June 2024 May 2024 April 2024 March 2024 February 2024 January 2024 December 2023 November 2023 October 2023 September 2023 August 2023 July 2023 June 2023 May 2023 April 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

In this Gospel, Jesus' first miracle is not recorded, and the narrative begins with a voice crying in the wilderness. Which Gospel starts with John the Baptist's ministry?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Matthew John Luke Mark