People who follow no religion compose about fourteen percent of the American population. Their numbers more than doubled–from 14 million to almost 30 million between 1990 and 2001. Together with those who profess a faith other than Christianity, they compose practically twenty percent of the American population
In one of the apocryphal Christian books, the Acts of St. John, we learn that after the Last Supper our Lord, Jesus Christ, came down from the table and danced a sacred round with his twelve disciples and ‘Having danced these things with us, the Lord went forth. And we, as though beside ourselves, or wakened out of deep sleep, fled our separate ways.’
Andrew Gerns is thinking that he sees evidence that there’s a plan unfolding for this summer’s Lambeth conference. But he’s thinking it’s not going to be business as usual, since doing things the “normal” way is what has gotten us to the loggerheads we’re at today.
Writer Doug LeBlanc has wondered about the future of conservatives who remain in the Episcopal Church. He says the audio of a two-hour meeting that included Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori and leaders of the Diocese of South Carolina offers encouraging signs.
Getting help for cyclone victims in Myanmar has been difficult, but one church in Utah has been in the country since the cyclone hit and has a very good relationship with the people there. Bishop Carolyn Tanner Irish of the Episcopal Diocese of Utah has been to Myanmar twice. The church has a sister diocese there, and this past February she took a group to distribute aid.
Perhaps the most interesting element of this story about next February’s meeting of the Anglican Churches of the Americas is that Archbisop Drexel Gomez, who would have us believe he is working to unite the Anglican Communion has thus far refused to participate.
For 14 years, Ian Frazier of The New Yorker has taught a writing workshop at Holy Apostles Episcopal Church in the Chelsea section of New York City. In this issue of the magazine, he writes about the church, its wonderful soup kitchen and the many people he has met through the workshop.
In a new initiative launched last week, a group of conservative Christian organizations that deny the role of human activity in global warming, call for helping the poor by advocating against environmental regulation. This coalition takes direct aim at the “creation care” movement — a different coalition of evangelicals who advocate for environmental protection.
Highlighting community outreach across the Episcopal Church and the theme “Put Your Faith to Work,” new print and video advertisements are scheduled to debut starting May 22 for a summer run in public media.