US Anglican/Episcopal Church Says More Interested in Decline than Growth
Pastor Dale Morgan
US Anglican/Episcopal Church Says More Interested in Decline than Growth*
Not interested "in replenishing their ranks by having children"
By Peter J. Smith
NEW YORK, November 21, 2006 (LifeSiteNews.com) – Bishop Katharine
Jefferts Schori, the first woman to head the US Episcopal Church
(ECUSA), has adopted a unique vision for the Episcopal church: a church
not “interested in replenishing their ranks by having children.”
In an interview with New York Times Magazine, Bishop Jefferts Schori
conjectured that the Episcopal Church’s now only 2.2 million faithful
“used to be larger percentagewise”. However now, she says,
“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.”
The response provoked this query from NYT reporter Deborah Solomon:
“Episcopalians aren’t interested in replenishing their ranks by having
children?”
“No. It’s probably the opposite,” responded Jefferts Schori. “We
encourage people to pay attention to the stewardship of the earth and
not use more than their portion.”
However, Jefferts Schori’s assertion that Catholics, Mormons and those
with large families have more children simply because they are not
“better educated” has provoked criticism from Catholics, who point out
that while the Bishop, a former oceanographer who has worked with
“octopuses and squids”, advocates a diminishing population for her
church, it would not be something she would view as healthy for marine
populations of squids and octopi.
Domenico Bettinelli, jr, discovered that Jeffert Schori’s “better
educated” remark may have actually been a “botched joke” much like Sen.
John F. Kerry’s remarks that those who didn’t have college educations
went into the military or got “stuck in Iraq.” Outraged troops in Iraq
replied with a sign saying, “HALP US JON CARRY - WE R STUCK HEAR N IRAK.”
“Bishopess (sic) Katherine Jefferts Schori seems to suffer from the same
foot-in-mouth problem as Sen. John Kerry, but if her self-satisfied
moral and intellectual superiority gives her comfort as she contemplates
the barrenness and decline of the Episcopal Church, she's welcome to
it,” said Domenico Bettinelli, jr, former editor of Catholic World
Report, who posted on his website an image of a large Catholic family at
a wedding with the words “Halp us Bish-up Kate wee R Catlick”.
“As Catholics we're too busy having, raising, and especially loving our
children to worry about such things, added Bettinelli. “And when my kids
are paying for the good bishopess's Social Security in 30 years, I won't
hold it against her.”
A huge rift looms over Jefferts Schori’s head, as her election has
signaled to US conservative Episcopalians that the ECUSA will continue
to push a pro-homosexual agenda. The Christian Post reports the Rt. Rev.
John-David Schofield has urged his diocese to vote to split from ECUSA
saying, "The Episcopal Church has become an apostate to the point of
heresy.” Also, Bishop Iker of Fort Worth and six other American bishops
have asked Rowan Williams, head of the Anglican Communion, to appoint a
separate leader for their dioceses, instead of Jefferts Schori.
Whether or not Catholic or Mormon families “use more than their
portion”, Jefferts Schori’s vision of a declining Episcopal population
only means that there will be more to go around.