The bottom line: Episcopalians wear religious garb, work in convenient urban sanctuaries and speak the lingo of progressive politics. Their leaders look like Catholics and think like journalists.
It also helps to remember that the Episcopal Church’s roots connect to the Church of England, which gives it a unique role in American history, noted Bishop William Frey of the Diocese of the Rio Grande, who was a media professional before seeking ordination. This small, well-established denomination has helped shape the lives of 11 presidents, 35 U.S. Supreme Court justices and legions of journalists.
Like it our not, the Episcopal Church occupies its own corner in the public square — which leads to news coverage.
Is that a good thing? Sometimes Frey isn’t sure.
“I can’t understand why some people want the kind of media attention that we get year after year,” he said, during one media storm in the 1980s. “I mean, that’s like coveting another man’s root canal.”
“We have received so many Roman Catholics and young families,” he said, “particularly families who are saying, ‘We don’t want to raise our daughters in a church that doesn’t value young people.’ ” In fact, bishop [Robinson] insisted that his diocese “grew by 3 percent last year.”
I don’t believe him, but if anyone has data to substantiate his assertion, please post it.
Actually, Episcopalian bishops garb up a lot more fancy than Catholic bishops these days. The miter and crozier are the main distinction between our bishops and priests, at least in my diocese.
” ‘We don’t want to raise our daughters in a church that doesn’t value young people.’ †[speaking against the Roman Catholic church]
And yet, TEC is the only Christian church that is a member of the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice (RCRC), a radically pro-abortion lobbying group. It would be funny if it weren’t so sad.
[blockquote]”I can’t understand why some people want the kind of media attention that we get year after year,” he said, during one media storm in the 1980s. “I mean, that’s like coveting another man’s root canal.”[/blockquote]
A man getting a root canal in private on a diseased tooth isn’t a headline. A man performing a root canal himself in public on a healthy tooth is.