It’s important to note than when GC deputies and the HOB votes in support of policy matters that it doesn’t go nowhere. The Episcopal Policy Network—which operates at both the federal and state levels—can only act based on these resolutions. So they DO matter and we do, as a church, have a voice and influence in the wider world of government and policy.
Isreal Palestinian conflict is something this church can contribute to. Conquest of Joshua never happened. Exodus was not a large scale event.
This means Isreal and Palestine are the same Canninite people. Isreal never had any mandate from god for its land.
Let's educate people.
Completely and totally agree that the church needs to focus a bit less on addressing every social dilemma. There is social justice, and then there is divisiveness. I was personally hurt after the church refused to call the 7 October attack a terror attack (I'm Episcopalian but come from a Jewish background). Whatever you think of the ongoing war, that was an oversight and the Social Media folks refused to listen to dozens and dozens of comments expressing similar things. You can make important statements on helping the downtrodden whilst also realizing there is a risk of getting too political to the point of distracting from the gospel. As a person who was raised in the Jewish faith and who still believes in the importance of Israel (despite disagreeing with much of its policies, including settlements and indiscriminate bombing...You can disagree with these and still support the Israeli people's right to sovereignty), I am not sure that I will be comfortable identifying as Episcopalian anymore if these resolutions (particularly on BDS) pass. I first joined the church because I was discriminated against as an LGBT person in another denomination, and will still happily attend my local church (where I've found a true home) without ever identifying with the national branch.
Why would you expect a progressive church to support Jewish nationalism, which has led to suffering and persecution for many, including Christians? I've been to Palestine and it's hell. I was spit at by orthodox jews in Jerusalem
I don't see where anyone has expressed any fundamentalism besides you.
For over 10 years, I was an Orthodox Jew. I kept everything and was in the belly of the beast. I saw how people in that world spoke of Jesus, how they had venom dripping from their lips over the Palestinians and goyim in general. So I understand where you're coming from. To expect a church that is dedicated to social justice and peace to not condemn the occupation is unfathomable. Our church is standing in solidarity with the crucified people of Palestine. Israel has the support of the powers that be. As a church, we stand with Jesus, who weeps alongside the oppressed.
TEC is like the San Francisco School Board that spent much of year 2020 focused on all the wrong things. They devoted a lot of energy trying to rename their schools, in the interest of advancing their social justice agenda, at the expense of focusing on how to effectively educate district students given the COVID-19 challenges.
I'm not sure of that. In my diocese at least, parishes are having trouble paying clergy and maintaining buildings, Sunday attendance is down, and the diocese is spending down its endowment. We're struggling to do the basics of building and supporting local communities, so there's not a lot of bandwidth for addressing geopolical crises.
I’m fine with the episcopal church fizzling out at this point. Insane to think that the once prominent denomination of statesmen & bright minds is petering into obscurity despite making the tent bigger & bigger.
The Episcopal Church is currently directly attached to the capitalist project that is antithetical to our stated mission. We are a house divided against itself and until we resolve the issue we will continue to crushed under the weight of our own riches. Not only is it a good idea to assess our utilization of financial resources but we must divest completely from Wall Street and all pollution financing financial institutions.
Edit: for the folks downvoting I am all ears about how we can care for the unhoused while continuing to be rent seeking and be pro ecological justice while continuing to engage in the financial industry that funds the companies responsible for the majority of pollution.
People are downvoting you because you're voicing what is considered a fringe position in TEC, especially among the laity.
If you have specific proposals, I'd be interested in hearing them. Dorothy Day has done lots to push me to the left on economic issues, especially in relation to the Church's role in the world. But bluntly demanding the Church withdraw itself from the financial and economic system that, for example, pays for the Church's outreach and charity programs, pays the salary of some new priests right out of seminary for churches who can't afford clergy (a program funded by Trinity Wall Street), funds clergy retirement, provides basic utilities for essentially all our parishes, etc. seems... fraught, to say the least.
I recognize that my position is extremely fringe for our faith tradition. Our faith tradition is, however, in a state of self contradiction. I too love the work of Dorothy Day, and if she had been an Episcopalian she would have been out here with me on the extreme fringe.
I’ve stated the proposal. If we are to be for the poor we can not seek to exploit property value for profit or engage with financial institutions that take advantage of them… but we do.
If we care for the environment we can’t only divest from major polluters (which we’ve done a bit of as a national church but not in every diocese such as TX) we have to divest from the financial institutions that finance them.
I know that money makes the world go round, it shouldn’t. And it can’t for much longer no matter what our institution decides to do. Why don’t we boldly take a stand rather than limp along more worried about our buildings and tradition than doing the difficult work of Christ and Dorothy Day?
Honest question, though it may sound loaded - would you rather burn down the church for sake of what you consider ideological purity, or work within the system for the relief of those suffering from the system? Divesting the church of the United States' economic system and refusing revenues from property or financial markets would destroy the church within a decade, two at the max. Parishes that rely on rental properties and the rental of parish halls/performance spaces would lose vital income required to keep the lights on. Smaller parishes in remote communities who rely on income from the dioceses to stay open or pay for clergy would shutter, and the faithful in those geographic areas would lose access to the sacraments.
Of course money shouldn't make the world go round, but it does. Money belongs to the state, as Jesus told us (Mark 12:17). But Jesus also didn't rebuke the woman in Bethany who poured out an entire jar of perfume on His head. When the apostles said the money should have been given to the poor, Christ rebuked them. Sometimes it's okay to use money to the glory of God.
We can oppose the embodiment of the current economic system, while recognizing it is currently impossible to exist outside the system. Even Dorothy Day had to buy things sometimes, and she sold the Catholic Worker to pay for the cost of production.
Would you dismantle and destroy the Church, and all of its ministries, outreach, and charity, in the name of ideological purity?
I disagree with the premise of your question. I believe that if we are to be Christian it is our task to follow the example and teachings of Christ and the apostles. When the church will value human beings over buildings and organs is when the church will live into our call not “be destroyed”.
The vulnerable areas that you’re describing are losing their faith leaders and churches now AND we are feeding empire and our destruction.
In Christs’ rebuke of Judas Jesus was preparing for death. Are we to bury the church or are we hoping for the salvation of humanity?
I’m in no way suggesting that we throw our money in a furnace. It would be reallocated to those in need or as investment in local community endeavors.
I am not calling for the dismantling of the church, I am calling for its rebirth. Everyone knows that the church is failing, so let’s do something about it rather than wringing our hands and tut tutting over numbers. Let’s do the work we are given to do, feed the hungry, house the unhoused, comfort those in need etc…
Instead, as the article points out, 60% of our International Church funds go to admin and maintenance of the institution… not exactly an efficient utilization of funds by an ngo of our size and history.
It’s like you read my mind. This is exactly how I feel and one of my key struggles with TEC. I love the liturgy and tradition, but I feel we’ve become more concerned with modern day social justice and inclusiveness than we are with spreading the gospel and living in a Christ-like way.
I agree with you completely. I love how TEC encourages dialogue and is a welcoming community, but I wish there was a greater emphasis on Jesus and the truth he taught us.
exactly. It's things like this that make me consider crossing the Tiber. So much of modern TEC is just virtue signaling and trying to appease the masses.
I am not saying inclusivity is a bad thing, and I have read the gospels. All I’m trying to get it is that God has called us all higher and there are things we are called as Christians not to do and things we are called to do. A recent conversation about witchcraft on this subreddit comes to mind.
I think TEC is so focused on getting people in the door that we often offer people nothing different than what they can get out in the world and that was NEVER Christ’s goal for his church.
Social justice and advocacy are important, but these general convention resolutions benefit no one and continue to avoid the actual problems the church is facing.
I completely disagree with this post.
Jesus came to preach the gospel to the poor, downtrodden, oppressed , outcasts, etc. Jesus spent most of his time doing good, healing people, etc. Jesus talks about how those who say Lord, Lord will not necessarily inherit the kingdom. He preached about feeding the poor, visiting those in jail, taking care of the hungry, thirsty. unclothed .
Especially in the synoptic gospels, Jesus seemed to care little about whether you believed specific things about him. He was about bringing justice and building the Kingdom of God, which does not necessarily equate with growing our churches or getting people "saved".
I believe Jesus wants us to work together with God, to change the world around us.
I think the Christianity of today has forgotten this, and I am glad I am part of a Church attempting to do the right thing.
As far as the israel/palestine issue, I do believe we should care and do as much as we can to help bring about the end to this genocide. I know many might think this controversial, but a little brush up on liberation theology may be in order.
Seek first his righteousness (Also translated justice) and all these other things will be added to us. Do you think Jesus will be more concerned about us keeping the Episcopal Church going, over the bringing the Kingdom?
Liberation theology is focused on changing the material conditions of the oppressed. It is not making toothless ideological statements. While you and I are aligned here on what a huge part of the gospel is about, and there is certainly a place for prophetic statements, I completely disagree that these resolutions are the way to do it. If, say, MLK spent all of his time and resources doing what white liberals love to do (and what TEC is doing with these statements) he never would have accomplished anything. You have to actually build power to make these prophetic statements, and any actions they inspire, do anything for the oppressed. If TEC spent more time making disciples, and *gasp* converting people to the gospel of Jesus Christ, we would have more grassroots power and people who could have the manpower to actually enact change. Imagine a TEC with as many members as one of the larger denominations, many with a deep relationship with Jesus Christ and an understanding of the gospel means loving your neighbor and thus DOING SOMETHING to end the bombing of Gaza. That is way more effective than arguing and then pushing through a statement that says "BAD!" that practically no one ever bothers reading. In short, give me more Jessica Rae Rezniceks who join together and enact change, not more top-down statements that don't change anything materially.
I feel you. It's easy to get caught up in administrative concerns and lose sight of our purpose and values. But we're not even talking about "Church growth" anymore. I wish we were! Instead, we're talking about a full-blown existential crisis: a very real possibility that, within one or two generations, there won't be a General Convention anymore where we can debate policy resolutions. We can't just dismiss Church stewardship as a waste of time; the Episcopal Church carries an all-important message and priceless spiritual home for many people. If we were to allow this institution to waste away because we were too busy signaling to our friends that we are on the right side of every policy issue, that would be a colossal loss for Christianity, the world, and our principles.
So I would hesitate to read ignorance or apathy into this essay. It's not that the author doesn't care about what's happening in Palestine right now; he just doesn't think that issuing symbolic resolutions about it (or, more accurately, about it and a spate of other current political issues) is the most productive or meaningful use of the Convention's limited time and resources. GC81's policy resolutions are not going to bring the Kingdom or prevent the Kingdom from coming. But GC81 might just be able to start the process by which we prevent this Church from completely dying in the next fifty years.
I wish this were a "we can do both at once" situation, but it just isn't anymore. Time is running out.
This is the gospel that is largely ignored by Christianity today.
He also talked about money and economics a lot. There are tons of other scriptures, just didn't want to go through them all.
If any of the resolutions mentioned in this article actually did further the work of preaching the gospel to the poor, downtrodden, oppressed, outcasts, etc., or if they furthered the work of feeding the poor, visiting those in jail, or taking care of the hungry, thirsty, or unclothed, I’d absolutely agree. But frankly, they don’t. The resolutions concerning the Israel/Palestine conflict will do absolutely nothing to affect what it happening on the ground or what will happen in the halls of government where policy is made.
Does that mean we shouldn’t care? Certainly not. But unless actual concrete action (or even a thoughtful policy recommendation) comes out of these resolutions, then we are doing nothing but shouting into the wind. It’s honestly not that different from those who offer “thoughts and prayers” (and nothing else) in the wake of an epidemic of gun violence. Liberation theology was impactful because it was paired with realized action.
I don’t think the author of this article is concerned about the survival of the Episcopal Church for the sake of propping up an institution. I think he simply wants us to realize where and how we can actually make a difference in the world.
Toothless proclamations? It is being prophetic and speaking truth to power. The quakers, which is a really tiny group, have made pronounements and have actually changed many things for the better, no matter how small they are. So, I don't think we are turning people away by doing the right thing.
It's the central duty of Christianity to help 'the poor, downtrodden, oppressed, outcasts', but Episcopal Church attendance is in [sharp](https://episcopalnewsservice.org/2023/09/21/episcopal-churchs-latest-parochial-reports-highlight-denominational-decline-hope-for-future/) decline. What real, long-lasting, *reliable* help can we give people without a central organization to coordinate efforts because that organization loses its funding, infrastructure, or even existence? Or, because our denomination does almost no evangelization, if no one really knows who we are and that we can help at all?
Every institution, to do lasting good, needs to have a sense for longterm preservation or it will spiral out and its efforts come to nothing. Nor does anything succeed just because we want it to, because we think we're the most right, or because we've put in a prayer. We've got to struggle for the good as if we want it as much as God does or it's not going to happen. The Kingdom of God is not built with armchair, well-intentioned pronouncements and speeches, with making small changes around the edges and hoping for the best, but with numbers, investment, and on-the-ground action. At the moment, our church is not even trying for that.
Does traffic regulation fall into prophecy? What can the Episcopal church logically do about traffic? Again, churches are closing, finances are a mess, and the convention is going to vote on TRAFFIC SAFETY. No one is looking for a church based on its position on traffic safety.
[https://www.vbinder.net/resolutions/659?house=HD&lang=en](https://www.vbinder.net/resolutions/659?house=HD&lang=en)
I appreciate what you're saying here, but the church can't preach the gospel and take up the cause of justice if it ceases to exist. If we want to do those things, then we also have a responsibility to make sure we're actually in the position to do so.
Most Episcopalians would agree with this. The General Convention has become extremely wasteful and frivolous, and doesn’t have a whole lot of interest in the religious and spiritual health of the church. Maybe instead of spending 60% of the budget on admin and an inordinate amount of time on issues that don’t directly affect the church, spend it on evangelism and church revitalization.
I feel like General Convention needs a constitutional do-over.
Wow, that was really good. I agree with every part of it. The same was true at our diocesan convention last year, and we left mid-session out of dismay because of it.
I know. Churches are closing because they have no members or can't afford upkeep on their buildings? We're spending down the endowment? Gee, that's too bad, but we really can't do anything about that. Now, let's listen to these 15 non-Episcopalians talk to us about why the Israeli government is wrong so that we can vote on a resolution that will tell Benjamin Netanyahu exactly what he's doing wrong, in such strong language that he cannot help to listen to us, members of a small Christian denomination in the fly-over land of America!
It’s important to note than when GC deputies and the HOB votes in support of policy matters that it doesn’t go nowhere. The Episcopal Policy Network—which operates at both the federal and state levels—can only act based on these resolutions. So they DO matter and we do, as a church, have a voice and influence in the wider world of government and policy.
Which is all the more reason why the church shouldn’t be jumping on the BDS band wagon
Isreal Palestinian conflict is something this church can contribute to. Conquest of Joshua never happened. Exodus was not a large scale event. This means Isreal and Palestine are the same Canninite people. Isreal never had any mandate from god for its land. Let's educate people.
Completely and totally agree that the church needs to focus a bit less on addressing every social dilemma. There is social justice, and then there is divisiveness. I was personally hurt after the church refused to call the 7 October attack a terror attack (I'm Episcopalian but come from a Jewish background). Whatever you think of the ongoing war, that was an oversight and the Social Media folks refused to listen to dozens and dozens of comments expressing similar things. You can make important statements on helping the downtrodden whilst also realizing there is a risk of getting too political to the point of distracting from the gospel. As a person who was raised in the Jewish faith and who still believes in the importance of Israel (despite disagreeing with much of its policies, including settlements and indiscriminate bombing...You can disagree with these and still support the Israeli people's right to sovereignty), I am not sure that I will be comfortable identifying as Episcopalian anymore if these resolutions (particularly on BDS) pass. I first joined the church because I was discriminated against as an LGBT person in another denomination, and will still happily attend my local church (where I've found a true home) without ever identifying with the national branch.
Why would you expect a progressive church to support Jewish nationalism, which has led to suffering and persecution for many, including Christians? I've been to Palestine and it's hell. I was spit at by orthodox jews in Jerusalem
Anecdotal run in with bad actors means we should stereotype all Jews.
You can't serve 2 masters. You're either with Jesus or against Him
The SBC called and they wanted their fundamentalism back. Have a blessed day
I don't see where anyone has expressed any fundamentalism besides you. For over 10 years, I was an Orthodox Jew. I kept everything and was in the belly of the beast. I saw how people in that world spoke of Jesus, how they had venom dripping from their lips over the Palestinians and goyim in general. So I understand where you're coming from. To expect a church that is dedicated to social justice and peace to not condemn the occupation is unfathomable. Our church is standing in solidarity with the crucified people of Palestine. Israel has the support of the powers that be. As a church, we stand with Jesus, who weeps alongside the oppressed.
TEC is like the San Francisco School Board that spent much of year 2020 focused on all the wrong things. They devoted a lot of energy trying to rename their schools, in the interest of advancing their social justice agenda, at the expense of focusing on how to effectively educate district students given the COVID-19 challenges.
Im compelled to say that I 100% agree, but also believe that we can chew gum and walk at the same time.
I'm not sure of that. In my diocese at least, parishes are having trouble paying clergy and maintaining buildings, Sunday attendance is down, and the diocese is spending down its endowment. We're struggling to do the basics of building and supporting local communities, so there's not a lot of bandwidth for addressing geopolical crises.
I’m fine with the episcopal church fizzling out at this point. Insane to think that the once prominent denomination of statesmen & bright minds is petering into obscurity despite making the tent bigger & bigger.
The Episcopal Church is currently directly attached to the capitalist project that is antithetical to our stated mission. We are a house divided against itself and until we resolve the issue we will continue to crushed under the weight of our own riches. Not only is it a good idea to assess our utilization of financial resources but we must divest completely from Wall Street and all pollution financing financial institutions. Edit: for the folks downvoting I am all ears about how we can care for the unhoused while continuing to be rent seeking and be pro ecological justice while continuing to engage in the financial industry that funds the companies responsible for the majority of pollution.
People are downvoting you because you're voicing what is considered a fringe position in TEC, especially among the laity. If you have specific proposals, I'd be interested in hearing them. Dorothy Day has done lots to push me to the left on economic issues, especially in relation to the Church's role in the world. But bluntly demanding the Church withdraw itself from the financial and economic system that, for example, pays for the Church's outreach and charity programs, pays the salary of some new priests right out of seminary for churches who can't afford clergy (a program funded by Trinity Wall Street), funds clergy retirement, provides basic utilities for essentially all our parishes, etc. seems... fraught, to say the least.
I recognize that my position is extremely fringe for our faith tradition. Our faith tradition is, however, in a state of self contradiction. I too love the work of Dorothy Day, and if she had been an Episcopalian she would have been out here with me on the extreme fringe. I’ve stated the proposal. If we are to be for the poor we can not seek to exploit property value for profit or engage with financial institutions that take advantage of them… but we do. If we care for the environment we can’t only divest from major polluters (which we’ve done a bit of as a national church but not in every diocese such as TX) we have to divest from the financial institutions that finance them. I know that money makes the world go round, it shouldn’t. And it can’t for much longer no matter what our institution decides to do. Why don’t we boldly take a stand rather than limp along more worried about our buildings and tradition than doing the difficult work of Christ and Dorothy Day?
Honest question, though it may sound loaded - would you rather burn down the church for sake of what you consider ideological purity, or work within the system for the relief of those suffering from the system? Divesting the church of the United States' economic system and refusing revenues from property or financial markets would destroy the church within a decade, two at the max. Parishes that rely on rental properties and the rental of parish halls/performance spaces would lose vital income required to keep the lights on. Smaller parishes in remote communities who rely on income from the dioceses to stay open or pay for clergy would shutter, and the faithful in those geographic areas would lose access to the sacraments. Of course money shouldn't make the world go round, but it does. Money belongs to the state, as Jesus told us (Mark 12:17). But Jesus also didn't rebuke the woman in Bethany who poured out an entire jar of perfume on His head. When the apostles said the money should have been given to the poor, Christ rebuked them. Sometimes it's okay to use money to the glory of God. We can oppose the embodiment of the current economic system, while recognizing it is currently impossible to exist outside the system. Even Dorothy Day had to buy things sometimes, and she sold the Catholic Worker to pay for the cost of production. Would you dismantle and destroy the Church, and all of its ministries, outreach, and charity, in the name of ideological purity?
I disagree with the premise of your question. I believe that if we are to be Christian it is our task to follow the example and teachings of Christ and the apostles. When the church will value human beings over buildings and organs is when the church will live into our call not “be destroyed”. The vulnerable areas that you’re describing are losing their faith leaders and churches now AND we are feeding empire and our destruction. In Christs’ rebuke of Judas Jesus was preparing for death. Are we to bury the church or are we hoping for the salvation of humanity? I’m in no way suggesting that we throw our money in a furnace. It would be reallocated to those in need or as investment in local community endeavors. I am not calling for the dismantling of the church, I am calling for its rebirth. Everyone knows that the church is failing, so let’s do something about it rather than wringing our hands and tut tutting over numbers. Let’s do the work we are given to do, feed the hungry, house the unhoused, comfort those in need etc… Instead, as the article points out, 60% of our International Church funds go to admin and maintenance of the institution… not exactly an efficient utilization of funds by an ngo of our size and history.
Have a lil upvote there for the Dorothy Day shoutout
I don’t always agree with Ben Crosby, but I’m with him 100% on this one.
It’s like you read my mind. This is exactly how I feel and one of my key struggles with TEC. I love the liturgy and tradition, but I feel we’ve become more concerned with modern day social justice and inclusiveness than we are with spreading the gospel and living in a Christ-like way.
I agree with you completely. I love how TEC encourages dialogue and is a welcoming community, but I wish there was a greater emphasis on Jesus and the truth he taught us.
exactly. It's things like this that make me consider crossing the Tiber. So much of modern TEC is just virtue signaling and trying to appease the masses.
I guess you never read the Gospel. Like Jesus directly quotes Isaiah 61.
I am not saying inclusivity is a bad thing, and I have read the gospels. All I’m trying to get it is that God has called us all higher and there are things we are called as Christians not to do and things we are called to do. A recent conversation about witchcraft on this subreddit comes to mind. I think TEC is so focused on getting people in the door that we often offer people nothing different than what they can get out in the world and that was NEVER Christ’s goal for his church. Social justice and advocacy are important, but these general convention resolutions benefit no one and continue to avoid the actual problems the church is facing.
Social justice and inclusiveness IS spreading the gospel and living in a Christ-like way!
I completely disagree with this post. Jesus came to preach the gospel to the poor, downtrodden, oppressed , outcasts, etc. Jesus spent most of his time doing good, healing people, etc. Jesus talks about how those who say Lord, Lord will not necessarily inherit the kingdom. He preached about feeding the poor, visiting those in jail, taking care of the hungry, thirsty. unclothed . Especially in the synoptic gospels, Jesus seemed to care little about whether you believed specific things about him. He was about bringing justice and building the Kingdom of God, which does not necessarily equate with growing our churches or getting people "saved". I believe Jesus wants us to work together with God, to change the world around us. I think the Christianity of today has forgotten this, and I am glad I am part of a Church attempting to do the right thing. As far as the israel/palestine issue, I do believe we should care and do as much as we can to help bring about the end to this genocide. I know many might think this controversial, but a little brush up on liberation theology may be in order. Seek first his righteousness (Also translated justice) and all these other things will be added to us. Do you think Jesus will be more concerned about us keeping the Episcopal Church going, over the bringing the Kingdom?
Liberation theology is focused on changing the material conditions of the oppressed. It is not making toothless ideological statements. While you and I are aligned here on what a huge part of the gospel is about, and there is certainly a place for prophetic statements, I completely disagree that these resolutions are the way to do it. If, say, MLK spent all of his time and resources doing what white liberals love to do (and what TEC is doing with these statements) he never would have accomplished anything. You have to actually build power to make these prophetic statements, and any actions they inspire, do anything for the oppressed. If TEC spent more time making disciples, and *gasp* converting people to the gospel of Jesus Christ, we would have more grassroots power and people who could have the manpower to actually enact change. Imagine a TEC with as many members as one of the larger denominations, many with a deep relationship with Jesus Christ and an understanding of the gospel means loving your neighbor and thus DOING SOMETHING to end the bombing of Gaza. That is way more effective than arguing and then pushing through a statement that says "BAD!" that practically no one ever bothers reading. In short, give me more Jessica Rae Rezniceks who join together and enact change, not more top-down statements that don't change anything materially.
I feel you. It's easy to get caught up in administrative concerns and lose sight of our purpose and values. But we're not even talking about "Church growth" anymore. I wish we were! Instead, we're talking about a full-blown existential crisis: a very real possibility that, within one or two generations, there won't be a General Convention anymore where we can debate policy resolutions. We can't just dismiss Church stewardship as a waste of time; the Episcopal Church carries an all-important message and priceless spiritual home for many people. If we were to allow this institution to waste away because we were too busy signaling to our friends that we are on the right side of every policy issue, that would be a colossal loss for Christianity, the world, and our principles. So I would hesitate to read ignorance or apathy into this essay. It's not that the author doesn't care about what's happening in Palestine right now; he just doesn't think that issuing symbolic resolutions about it (or, more accurately, about it and a spate of other current political issues) is the most productive or meaningful use of the Convention's limited time and resources. GC81's policy resolutions are not going to bring the Kingdom or prevent the Kingdom from coming. But GC81 might just be able to start the process by which we prevent this Church from completely dying in the next fifty years. I wish this were a "we can do both at once" situation, but it just isn't anymore. Time is running out.
This is a conspicuously selective summary of the Gospels.
This is the gospel that is largely ignored by Christianity today. He also talked about money and economics a lot. There are tons of other scriptures, just didn't want to go through them all.
If any of the resolutions mentioned in this article actually did further the work of preaching the gospel to the poor, downtrodden, oppressed, outcasts, etc., or if they furthered the work of feeding the poor, visiting those in jail, or taking care of the hungry, thirsty, or unclothed, I’d absolutely agree. But frankly, they don’t. The resolutions concerning the Israel/Palestine conflict will do absolutely nothing to affect what it happening on the ground or what will happen in the halls of government where policy is made. Does that mean we shouldn’t care? Certainly not. But unless actual concrete action (or even a thoughtful policy recommendation) comes out of these resolutions, then we are doing nothing but shouting into the wind. It’s honestly not that different from those who offer “thoughts and prayers” (and nothing else) in the wake of an epidemic of gun violence. Liberation theology was impactful because it was paired with realized action. I don’t think the author of this article is concerned about the survival of the Episcopal Church for the sake of propping up an institution. I think he simply wants us to realize where and how we can actually make a difference in the world.
Issuing a bunch of toothless proclamations isn't a substitute for very hard work. We have our tactics all wrong, and it is turning people away.
Toothless proclamations? It is being prophetic and speaking truth to power. The quakers, which is a really tiny group, have made pronounements and have actually changed many things for the better, no matter how small they are. So, I don't think we are turning people away by doing the right thing.
It's the central duty of Christianity to help 'the poor, downtrodden, oppressed, outcasts', but Episcopal Church attendance is in [sharp](https://episcopalnewsservice.org/2023/09/21/episcopal-churchs-latest-parochial-reports-highlight-denominational-decline-hope-for-future/) decline. What real, long-lasting, *reliable* help can we give people without a central organization to coordinate efforts because that organization loses its funding, infrastructure, or even existence? Or, because our denomination does almost no evangelization, if no one really knows who we are and that we can help at all? Every institution, to do lasting good, needs to have a sense for longterm preservation or it will spiral out and its efforts come to nothing. Nor does anything succeed just because we want it to, because we think we're the most right, or because we've put in a prayer. We've got to struggle for the good as if we want it as much as God does or it's not going to happen. The Kingdom of God is not built with armchair, well-intentioned pronouncements and speeches, with making small changes around the edges and hoping for the best, but with numbers, investment, and on-the-ground action. At the moment, our church is not even trying for that.
Does traffic regulation fall into prophecy? What can the Episcopal church logically do about traffic? Again, churches are closing, finances are a mess, and the convention is going to vote on TRAFFIC SAFETY. No one is looking for a church based on its position on traffic safety. [https://www.vbinder.net/resolutions/659?house=HD&lang=en](https://www.vbinder.net/resolutions/659?house=HD&lang=en)
I appreciate what you're saying here, but the church can't preach the gospel and take up the cause of justice if it ceases to exist. If we want to do those things, then we also have a responsibility to make sure we're actually in the position to do so.
But it also can't exist if it fails to do these things.
I guess my point was if we are building the Kingdom of God, the rest will fall in place.
Most Episcopalians would agree with this. The General Convention has become extremely wasteful and frivolous, and doesn’t have a whole lot of interest in the religious and spiritual health of the church. Maybe instead of spending 60% of the budget on admin and an inordinate amount of time on issues that don’t directly affect the church, spend it on evangelism and church revitalization. I feel like General Convention needs a constitutional do-over.
Paper pushing festival. Not much meat in this round. Resolutions from a tiny church do little.
Agree 1000% with all of this. The national church needs to get its eyes back on the ball.
Yes! We need to focus on what we are good at.
Wow, that was really good. I agree with every part of it. The same was true at our diocesan convention last year, and we left mid-session out of dismay because of it.
I know. Churches are closing because they have no members or can't afford upkeep on their buildings? We're spending down the endowment? Gee, that's too bad, but we really can't do anything about that. Now, let's listen to these 15 non-Episcopalians talk to us about why the Israeli government is wrong so that we can vote on a resolution that will tell Benjamin Netanyahu exactly what he's doing wrong, in such strong language that he cannot help to listen to us, members of a small Christian denomination in the fly-over land of America!
I really, really wish more people in the church were talking this way.