Episcopal Church funding down 12 percent

[truthpusher]

http://newsobserver.com/24hour/nation/story/2137232p-10197254c.html

Published: Feb 11, 2005
Modified: Feb 11, 2005 4:13 PM

Episcopal Church funding down 12 percent


AP Photo/HARRY CABLUCK
Frank T. Griswold, Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church, from New York, prepares to open the Episcopal executive council meeting on Friday, Feb. 11, 2005, in Austin, Texas. A new report says giving by local dioceses to the national Episcopal Church dropped roughly $4 million last year - about a 12 percent decline in the first full year after the denomination confirmed its only openly gay bishop.

By BOBBY ROSS JR., ASSOCIATED PRESS WRITER

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) - A new report says giving by local dioceses to the national Episcopal Church dropped roughly $4 million last year - about a 12 percent decline in the first full year after the denomination confirmed its only openly gay bishop.

(snip)

But Canon David Anderson, president of the American Anglican Council, a conservative group of Episcopalians, said he expects donations to keep going down in protest of "the liberal revisionists' agenda, which includes a gay agenda."

(snip)

Since Robinson was first confirmed by the Episcopal General Convention in August 2003, parishioners and their local leaders upset over the denomination's direction have moved to withhold or limit contributions to the national church in protest.

story:

http://newsobserver.com/24hour/nation/story/2137232p-10197254c.html

[QC]

1. The "American Anglican Council" is funded by Scaife and Ahmanson.

It's part of a campaign to drag mainstream churches into the Religious Right.

I once wrote to them asking for their positions on women and divorced people in the clergy, given their newfound reverence for literal interpretations of scripture.

They did not reply. It wouldn't do to offend the heterosexuals, you know. Too many of them.

[CindyDale]

9. The idea is to Catholicize Protestant churches and take us back

to the Age of Faith, before there was Protestantism and a middle class.

The idea is that we will ignore the Bible and follow the churches who get their word from our God-appointed leaders.

IMO, they will either need to destroy all the modern language translations of the Bible or kill everyone who can read for this to work.

[DemBones DemBones]

11. Catholicize the Protestant churches? More like give their idea of

Protestantism the widespread power that Catholicism had before the Protestant Reformation. Right wing Protestants typically shrink from Catholic theology and often look at us as idol worshippers. :eyes:

[CindyDale]

12. Actually, Episcopalians consider themselves Catholic

The main difference from Roman Catholics being that the Pope is not the head of their church. The mass is almost the same.

So what I posted didn't really make sense. What I meant by "Catholicize" was to give them "leadership," comparable to the leadership the Roman Catholic Church had in the Age of Faith. It was a silly choice of words, probably, even though it did get your attention.

Apparently what this IRD organization is trying to do is take the power away from the churches and bring them back to the pre-Reformation times when believers did not make up their own minds. That was when few could read the Bible, though, and I don't think this group can really succeed with so many people now being able to read the published modern language bibles.

IRD is specifically targeting the liberal and moderate Protestant churches. If you go to the group's Web site, you will see which churches. The Presbyterian, Methodist, and Episcopalians are among their biggest targets, but other smaller groups have been infiltrated, too, to some extent.

The start of this organization was back in the 1980s when missionaries were supposedly reporting back on the actions of the CIA in other countries (if I remember right).

IRD is primarily financed by a major stockholder in Gulf Oil.

Here's a link about all this:

http://www.mediatransparency.org/recipients/irdi.htm

[ElaineinIN]

2. This Episcopalian

is profoundly gratful and proud that my church stood up and did what was right... when it would have been so easy to sweep it under the rug (back in the closet) and avoid thw whole issue.

So, I'll remember the AAC's conservative revisionsts agenda, which includes an agenda of hate and intolerance, every time I put my envelope in the collection plate.

Oh, and by the way, I've seen a great increase in college students (poor now, but not later) and gay couples (traditionally known as having a lot of disposable income) in my church. In fact, one gay couple's anniversary was recognized during weekly prayers this week.

[JerseygirlCT]

13. I'm thinking it may take a little while

for the numbers to rebound. But that they will, as more new people come to church. I know we lost a few people (sorry, but all I can think is good riddance), and we've had a number of parishioners stop pledging as a protest. (They continue to give, but don't pledge). But we've also welcomed close to an equal number of new families --several indicating that the decision on Bishop Robinson made them come.

I'd say most of the people in my parish are supportive. A few are uneasy, but accepting. I'll take that and work from there.

It's funny, but for a hetero mom, and not someone who's often very outspoken, I seem to have become one of the loudest voices for gay rights in our parish. What's cool are the people who surprise me by agreeing!

[realFedUp]

3. Maybe the national church should put a bat up on it's website...

works for us.

[MasonJar]

4. Actually if we get the word out to Episcopalians, that number will

reverse. I am going to be sure to give big the next time we are asked to support the national church. Usually I like to give to our local outreach.

[Botany]

5. As an Episcopalian

Screw 'em. Jesus wasn't popular either.
Right is right.


:bounce:

[SuffragetteSal]

6. retired folks money isn't making much in the bank

which means less for the collection plate...I think it is more about bad economic times catching up with those who tithe. With this administration we will most likely see more of this from other denominations...

[Halliburton]

7. Isn't this the church that condoned slavery

during the 1800's? Looks like they came a long way!

[skjpm]

8. I was baptized by David Anderson

I became a Christian in college and was drawn into the Episcopal church by the beauty of the ritual and my ambivalence about the Pope. Anyhoo, David Anderson was the priest at my South Dakota church. I wanted to be fully immersed so that my Baptist friends would have no doubts about me, so he agreed to baptize me in Rapid Creek in Rapid City, SD. He was very nice. It's sort of odd to see him mentioned under these circumstances.

I also had frequent talks with Archbishop Chaput of Denver when he was in South Dakota. I struggled with becoming Roman Catholic, and to his disappointment, ended up Episcopalian. Just another little brush with fame. Now both these guys turn out to be voices for extreme conservatism. Maybe it was a reaction against me.

[k8conant]

10. As an Episcopalian I also am proud...

that money didn't do the talking here. Sad to say, the Diocese of West Virginia allowed local churches to withhold funding from the national church "due to conscience". I don't call it conscience though: I call it bigotry.

[AP]

14. People are either dying with smaller estates or they're dying with big...

...estates, but the disappearance of the Federal estate tax means that there's no need to reduce your estate tax with a gift to the church.

That's why Bush needs to have those faith based initiatives. They're buying off the churches by promising federal money to them to make up for the decrease in personal gifts that are resulting from tax-reform.

Problem is, there's no money to give them if you're getting in less tax revenue. You're borrowing from Peter to pay Paul, as it were and you're imposing a huge tax on future generations without any way to close the gap.

[applegrove]

15. The GAY Wedge - weapon to make Episcopalians all Fundamentalists

The GAY Wedge - weapon to make Episcopalians all Fundamentalists. It is used to weaken churches that are not paternalistic enough for the GOP/corporate agenda. The Enlightenment is dead. You must follow your church in all matters and not allow 'any new information' in.

The Fundamentalist Church; the boarder collies of the Republican Elite Agenda.