ECUSA ranks thinning...

... because Episcopalians care about the environment and are far too educated to have children, unlike Catholics and Mormons.

So says Episcopal Church Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori.

Really:

How many members of the Episcopal Church are there in this country?

About 2.2 million. It used to be larger percentagewise, but Episcopalians tend to be better-educated and tend to reproduce at lower rates than some other denominations. Roman Catholics and Mormons both have theological reasons for producing lots of children.

Episcopalians aren’t interested in replenishing their ranks by having children?

No. It’s probably the opposite. We encourage people to pay attention to the stewardship of the earth and not use more than their portion.

Regular readers will know that I call myself an exiled Episcopalian.  This'll be more reason why I'm likely to remain so.

H/T to Terry Mattingly at GetReligion.

Comments

[Leslie]

That ad fits uncomfortably with these words of hers:

We’re not about being either left or right. We’re about being comprehensive.

All of it is so very too bad.

[Tim Chesterton]

Joe Walker has a good short reflection on this:

http://joewalker.blogs.com/felixhominum/2006/11/bishop_schori_c.html

[Zossima]

I spent a couple of years in an inner-city Episcopal church in Houston with a wonderful rector who really redeemed the liturgy for me from some previous dry, rote experiences.

It seems to me that
1) some simple math would show that the ECUSA's declining membership is really not about birth rates but about attrition
2) the theological liberalism present in northeast ECUSA leadership is not representative of ECUSA leaders nationally (Rick, am I correct?) or the membership (which explains the first point)

My pastor in Houston struggled with the ECUSA's direction and is no longer an Episcopal priest. Tough choice for him, but I respect him immensely.

[Rick]

The Episcopal Church USA does have many sound, decent, loving pastors and pew-sitters or at least did when I was active in the church...

I'm afraid that like your pastor in Houston, many have decided not so much to leave the ECUSA but that the ECUSA left them...

[Sarah Strohmeyer]

I can't believe that's a real ad, that the Episcopal Church would offer Depo Provera to Mormons or Catholics....this must be a fake.

And that comes from a Vermont Episcopalian who's, you know, supportive of a liberal view.

[El Cid]

Excellent article. I am glad that I found your blog. I'd like to ee yo do an update on this topic.