Bishop Duncan on Tanzania meeting
on Saturday, 24 February 2007 at 9.26 am by Simon Sarmiento
categorised as Anglican Communion, ECUSA
The Bishop of Pittsburgh, Robert Duncan, has published a “Pastoral Letter”. Whether you read it on the NACDAP website where it is titled “in Response to Primates’ Meeting” or on the Pittsburgh diocesan website where it is “Regarding the Primates’ Meeting” it is the same letter.
But only on the Pittsburgh site (so far) is there a live link to the statistics referenced in the text (a very small PDF file, stored in fact on the NACDAP site).
About these statistics, he writes:
- Statistics bearing out the assertion that the Network and Windsor Dioceses, together with AMiA, CANA, and Network Convocation and Conference parishes across the country, represented a number equal to one-quarter of The Episcopal Church’s membership, minimally some 500,000 souls, a number larger than 18 Provinces of the Anglican Communion.
In the statistics table the following further claims are made:
- 48,000 baptised members (no figure given for average Sunday attendance) in 128 parishes, and a total of 453 clergy, from Network Parishes in Non-Network Dioceses are Immediately Imperiled
- 194,312 baptised members (81,335 average Sunday attendance) in 637 parishes, and a total of 1,586 clergy in Network Dioceses are Short-term Imperiled
- 201,501 baptised members (75,932 average Sunday attendance) in 598 parishes (no figure given for total clergy) in Non-Network Windsor Dioceses are Longer-term Imperiled
Against this the table claims the “Non-Windsor Dioceses” have a total of 1,761,563 baptised members (630,004 average Sunday attendance) in 5,792 parishes (again no total clergy figure).
These claims clearly confused the Bishop of Winchester.
I’ve just returned from Tanzania where I was able to observe at closer-than-usual quarters the behaviour of David Anderson, Chris Sugden and Martyn Minns. They were plotting in their upstairs room all the way through the Primates meeting. Plotting what, I can’t tell you, except I could guess that these statements were being prepared in the course of a week when few of their dire predictions and desires for the Communion were coming true. If you issue a tranche of self-important statements that are linked on TA and published on various web sites run by extreme conservatives who seem to… Read more »
Colin —
Of course they are waging war on TEC & they will continue to do so — nothing that TEC does will satisfy them — they will keep increasing their demands (as Archbishops Akinola & Nzimbi have apparently already done to the COE).
We are not dealing with people of good will.
TEC will be the scapegoat as long as it remains in the WWAC.
Colin, you ask what we can do. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another; do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly;* do not claim to be wiser than you are. Do not repay anyone evil for evil, but take thought for what is noble in the sight of all. If it is possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave room for the wrath of God;* for it… Read more »
Well as the old saw goes: There are lies, and damn lies, and then there is statistics. A statistical definitional – gee there is that self-serving realignment definition thing, once again? – and then a counting – error that might be over-inflating the good bishops’ data? Uniformly defining, and uniformly counting (based on that error in definition?)- without real world inquiry because your starting categories or definitions have trumped the real world? – all members inside Windsor and/or Network Dioceses as threatened or imperiled network believers. In fact we know at least anecdotally that progressive or disagreeing believers do exist… Read more »
Prior Aelred, I know they are waging war on TEC & nothing that TEC does will satisfy them. I know we are not dealing with people of good will. I know TEC is being made a scapegoat. Thomas, I agree the hubris of those in the conservative camp is unbelievable. I agree we need to be even more proactive in getting the message out. I agree this battle will be won not at General Convention or at Lambeth, but in the hearts and minds of faithful Christians. But having begun to learn from LGBT Anglicans in Ghana, Uganda, Nigeria and… Read more »