The Anglican Diocese of B.C. is in “crisis” and planning “drastic action,” to make up for dwindling revenues, declining attendance and increased deficit within its parishes totalling about $1 million.
The economy and declining attendance is likely to blame.
The diocese includes 64 churches on Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands, 26 in the Capital Region.
While there are more than 9,000 members on the islands, on average less than half that number attend weekly worship, down from about 5,000 regular attendees last year.
This will be interesting to watch. Several important factors are at play here. First, the Anglican Church of Canada is not flush with the same investments and endowments as are many parts of TEC, so they are inherently more vulnerable to running out of money. Second, the province of British Columbia (the Diocese of British Columbia actually only covers Vancouver Island which includes the capital city of Victoria and a handful of lumber towns – there are 4 other B.C. dioceses, including the Diocese of New Westminster which covers the main urban area of Vancouver and suburbs) is one of the most secular regions in North America. Third, the Diocese of British Columbia’s leadership could best be described as institutionalist moderate liberals. Fourth, a fairly large number (proportionally speaking) of conservative parishes have left the Diocese of British Columbia for what is now the ACNA.
As such, it is unlikely that the Diocese will be able to solve its problems through growth; there is a well established ACNA alternative in place; and the financial problems are likely to just keep getting worse. I think that it will be very interesting to watch how the Diocese of B.C. responds to this context, as I think that it will be the precursor to what will happen in many TEC dioceses in another 3-5 years.
Says the bishop, “… it is part of the realities of the culture in which we live, that there’s at least one generation – maybe two generations of people – who really don’t care one was [sic] or another about religion.”
Surveys say that young people today retain a high interest in spirituality. Perhaps the bishop is right, and they care not a whit about religion. But a relationship with God? That’s another matter.
Which is it that we are trying to sell? A religion? Or a loving, saving relationship with God?
I believe Marcus Borg has been theologizing in the BC area in the last few years, wasn’t he? What other effect (If he was even needed) could possibly be expected when his religion is the one offered by the fretting bishop? Why would someone get up on Sunday morning to go where a religion that has *defined itself* as untrue is preached? Borgianity will prove to have made BC into a *BC* area. Borg is now (If you can imagine the title) “Canon Theologian” in Portland, OR:
http://cep.anglican.ca/news/news.php?news=469
“Adult theological re-education at the congregational level is an urgent need within American churches today,” Borg says. “It is essential to Christian formation. And from my own experience and from a number of studies, I know that it has been a source of re-vitalization in hundreds of congregations around the country.”
—–It worked in Canada, it’ll work in the US!
I expect the same results downstream in that diocese as seen north of the border. The only thing preventing a continuous dead zone on the west coast is the Diocese of Olympia, and they have Ann Redding and her admirers. The Anglican Communion is ONE.
Experentia docet, eh? Join the Borg. The Church, not so much. You can get the equivalent on the tube or Oprah.