Good catch by Doug LeBlanc and TMatt. You know, it is tempting based on this piece to declare that another one of Chris Johnson’s jokes about TEC has come true. He long joked about TEC’s “worship” of the United Nations. How very interesting that Paul Marshall lists the UN as the greatest “linkage of human persons, cultures and geography.” Sad, really.
In reading +Marshall’s full article, I found a very telling irony. He admits the nearly insignificant size of the Episcopal Church and Anglicanism in the US but points to the importance of Anglicanism in Africa:
[i]While the American branch of the Communion is the relatively tiny Episcopal Church, Anglicanism is the major expression of Christianity in much of Africa.[/i]
Yet while trying to derive legitimacy and importance for the Anglican Communion from Africa’s numbers, he fails to mention that the vast majority of African Anglicans are not attending Lambeth at all. Gee. Minor oversight there, d’ya think? Can’t have it both ways, bishop. Either you respect the African Anglicans or you don’t. Don’t try to claim the prestige of their numbers while at the same time belittling their concerns.
Well, I’m glad to know that my dear friend, Doug LeBlanc (he with the editorial eagle eye), has been elevated to being “the Rt. Rev.” I guess that, like St. Ambrose, he went straight from being a layman to being a bishop. As he still resides in Richmond, I’m wondering what the boundaries of his jurisdiction are.
But in Bp. Paul Marshall’s defense, it should be noted that the actual number of Eastern and Oriental Orthodox Chirstians in the world is very much in doubt, and is certainly FAR less than the 250 million+ that is often quoted in the media. That is, if you dismiss the official number of Anglicans worldwide claimed by the Anglican Communion Office (“80 million”), and recognize that with many millions of lapsed members on the rolls of the C of E (perhaps 25-26 million are baptized but never attend church) the real number of Anglicans is much closer to 55 million than 77 or 80 million, then you should do the same with the bloated claims of the Vatican, and especially with the extremely inflated claims of the Orthodox Churches. Their degree of slippage is MUCH greater.
The most important case would naturally be the Russian Orthodox Church, which nominally has 100 million+ members, but in actuality is probably only a tenth of that size, or at most a fifth. The leading objective refeence standard, the two volume World Christian Encyclopedia put out by Oxford University Press and edited by the evangelical Anglican David Bartlett, isn’t much help, because it simply takes at face value what the various denominational bodies claim.
But regardless, way to go, Doug. Congratulations. You’ve exposed a revealing sample of the narrow blinders worn by establishment figures in TEC. They live in their own fantasy world, that bears little resemblance to the real world.
Alas, +Paul Marshall used to be a theological moderate with conservative sympathies. But he’s been thoroughly corrupted since he moved from teaching at Yale Divinity School, where he was an excellent liturgical scholar, to wearing the mitre in Bethlehem, PA. It’s so sad what’s become of him.
So beware, Doug. Now that Terry has made you a bishop, perhaps you’ll be sliding down that slippery slope to shoddy thinking too. And then who will catch your mistakes in what you write?
I’m always happy to see constructive criticism and ribbing from my buddy David Handy. I cited Adherents.com’s numbers on other religions, but I made no claim to verifying the numbers of Roman Catholicism or Eastern Orthodoxy. Even taking inflated claims into account, does anyone who knows the global picture of Christianity seriously believe that Anglicanism is its second-largest expression?
My greater concern was with the fuzziness of Bishop Marshall’s language — “the world’s third largest linkage of human persons, cultures and geography.” That opens quite a wide and absurdist net of possibilities. I think any Anglican should love and care about the Anglican Communion regardless of where it stands in relation to Roman Catholicism or (God help us) the sacrosanct United Nations.
As for my ecclesiastical title, Terry has called me that for years, mostly to tweak me as one who has not parted ways with The Episcopal Church. I believe the title carries all the authority of an honorary Doctor of Divinity from any Episcopal seminary. Still, to keep myself humble I insist that my friends call me Doug, Duggles, or — if they still struggle with clericalism — Bishop Duggles.
I was indeed ribbing my friend, Doug LeBlanc, and quite aware that Terry was doing the same. Though it may now take him a while to live down the whimsical appellation “Bishop Duggles.” Hmmm. I sort of like the sound of that.
But I’m still left to wonder, where is he bishop of? After all, Roman Catholics have lots of what are called “titular bishops,” who are named by the Vatican as bishops of defunct ancient dioceses. If you’re a bishop, you have to be a bishop of somewhere or other. Personally, I’d love to see Bp. Duggles recognized as “Bishop of Midlothian” (the suburb where he lives). Or maybe “Bishop of Chesterfield” (the county where both our homes are located). Or “Bishop of the James” (as in the James River). I believe all of those positions are currently vacant.
Anyone claiming to know “the world’s third largest linkage of human persons, cultures and geography†needs to see Napoleon Dynamite. There is only one possible response to such a claim, which is, to quote ND, “Like you could ever prove that?!”
You don’t think that Bp Marshall is intentionally highlighting the term “linkage” in order to further develop a reference to Anglican relationship – rather than and in place of “Covenant”?
In the spirit of the Peter Sellers comedy Heavens Above, I shall gladly accept appointment as sometime and non-residentiary Suffragan Bishop of Outer Space.
Well, I don’t think Bishop LeBlanc is quite “far out” enough to be Suff. Bp of Outer Space (boy could we come up with some nominations for that title!). How about laying claim to the succession of Joseph C. Talbot who claimed to be “the bishop of all outdoors”?
Good catch by Doug LeBlanc and TMatt. You know, it is tempting based on this piece to declare that another one of Chris Johnson’s jokes about TEC has come true. He long joked about TEC’s “worship” of the United Nations. How very interesting that Paul Marshall lists the UN as the greatest “linkage of human persons, cultures and geography.” Sad, really.
In reading +Marshall’s full article, I found a very telling irony. He admits the nearly insignificant size of the Episcopal Church and Anglicanism in the US but points to the importance of Anglicanism in Africa:
[i]While the American branch of the Communion is the relatively tiny Episcopal Church, Anglicanism is the major expression of Christianity in much of Africa.[/i]
Yet while trying to derive legitimacy and importance for the Anglican Communion from Africa’s numbers, he fails to mention that the vast majority of African Anglicans are not attending Lambeth at all. Gee. Minor oversight there, d’ya think? Can’t have it both ways, bishop. Either you respect the African Anglicans or you don’t. Don’t try to claim the prestige of their numbers while at the same time belittling their concerns.
Well, I’m glad to know that my dear friend, Doug LeBlanc (he with the editorial eagle eye), has been elevated to being “the Rt. Rev.” I guess that, like St. Ambrose, he went straight from being a layman to being a bishop. As he still resides in Richmond, I’m wondering what the boundaries of his jurisdiction are.
But in Bp. Paul Marshall’s defense, it should be noted that the actual number of Eastern and Oriental Orthodox Chirstians in the world is very much in doubt, and is certainly FAR less than the 250 million+ that is often quoted in the media. That is, if you dismiss the official number of Anglicans worldwide claimed by the Anglican Communion Office (“80 million”), and recognize that with many millions of lapsed members on the rolls of the C of E (perhaps 25-26 million are baptized but never attend church) the real number of Anglicans is much closer to 55 million than 77 or 80 million, then you should do the same with the bloated claims of the Vatican, and especially with the extremely inflated claims of the Orthodox Churches. Their degree of slippage is MUCH greater.
The most important case would naturally be the Russian Orthodox Church, which nominally has 100 million+ members, but in actuality is probably only a tenth of that size, or at most a fifth. The leading objective refeence standard, the two volume World Christian Encyclopedia put out by Oxford University Press and edited by the evangelical Anglican David Bartlett, isn’t much help, because it simply takes at face value what the various denominational bodies claim.
But regardless, way to go, Doug. Congratulations. You’ve exposed a revealing sample of the narrow blinders worn by establishment figures in TEC. They live in their own fantasy world, that bears little resemblance to the real world.
Alas, +Paul Marshall used to be a theological moderate with conservative sympathies. But he’s been thoroughly corrupted since he moved from teaching at Yale Divinity School, where he was an excellent liturgical scholar, to wearing the mitre in Bethlehem, PA. It’s so sad what’s become of him.
So beware, Doug. Now that Terry has made you a bishop, perhaps you’ll be sliding down that slippery slope to shoddy thinking too. And then who will catch your mistakes in what you write?
David Handy+
Terry Mattingly’s use of “the Rt. Rev” Doug LeBlanc is a longstanding joke between them, so I understand. Not for real.
I’m always happy to see constructive criticism and ribbing from my buddy David Handy. I cited Adherents.com’s numbers on other religions, but I made no claim to verifying the numbers of Roman Catholicism or Eastern Orthodoxy. Even taking inflated claims into account, does anyone who knows the global picture of Christianity seriously believe that Anglicanism is its second-largest expression?
My greater concern was with the fuzziness of Bishop Marshall’s language — “the world’s third largest linkage of human persons, cultures and geography.” That opens quite a wide and absurdist net of possibilities. I think any Anglican should love and care about the Anglican Communion regardless of where it stands in relation to Roman Catholicism or (God help us) the sacrosanct United Nations.
As for my ecclesiastical title, Terry has called me that for years, mostly to tweak me as one who has not parted ways with The Episcopal Church. I believe the title carries all the authority of an honorary Doctor of Divinity from any Episcopal seminary. Still, to keep myself humble I insist that my friends call me Doug, Duggles, or — if they still struggle with clericalism — Bishop Duggles.
I was indeed ribbing my friend, Doug LeBlanc, and quite aware that Terry was doing the same. Though it may now take him a while to live down the whimsical appellation “Bishop Duggles.” Hmmm. I sort of like the sound of that.
But I’m still left to wonder, where is he bishop of? After all, Roman Catholics have lots of what are called “titular bishops,” who are named by the Vatican as bishops of defunct ancient dioceses. If you’re a bishop, you have to be a bishop of somewhere or other. Personally, I’d love to see Bp. Duggles recognized as “Bishop of Midlothian” (the suburb where he lives). Or maybe “Bishop of Chesterfield” (the county where both our homes are located). Or “Bishop of the James” (as in the James River). I believe all of those positions are currently vacant.
David Handy+
Anyone claiming to know “the world’s third largest linkage of human persons, cultures and geography†needs to see Napoleon Dynamite. There is only one possible response to such a claim, which is, to quote ND, “Like you could ever prove that?!”
You don’t think that Bp Marshall is intentionally highlighting the term “linkage” in order to further develop a reference to Anglican relationship – rather than and in place of “Covenant”?
In the spirit of the Peter Sellers comedy Heavens Above, I shall gladly accept appointment as sometime and non-residentiary Suffragan Bishop of Outer Space.
Well, I don’t think Bishop LeBlanc is quite “far out” enough to be Suff. Bp of Outer Space (boy could we come up with some nominations for that title!). How about laying claim to the succession of Joseph C. Talbot who claimed to be “the bishop of all outdoors”?