What’s Wrong With This Picture?

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.

The report blames the exodus from the pews mostly on what it says is a failure of Episcopalians to welcome newcomers, enthusiastically discuss their faith with outsiders and maintain vibrant and creative parishes.

“We are not welcoming the Christ in many of our neighbors, who think we are exclusive, irrelevant, passe or boring,” it said. “For some, we are too radical.”

The report doesn’t signal a retreat from the diocese’s liberal positions. On the contrary, it celebrates a tradition of social justice that it says dates back to the early 20th century and includes bishops who spoke out on issues ranging from child labor to racism to the Vietnam War. Under Croneberger and his predecessor, Bishop John Shelby Spong, the diocese ordained numerous gay priests and performed blessings for same-sex couples. About 20 openly gay and lesbian priests work in the diocese, which has 27,600 members and 113 parishes.

Full article.

HT New Forum