I think it would be interesting to see who is leaving versus who is joining. I think the great fallacy that the American church has had is thinking that the people in the Church could be replaced with supposedly more faithful or obedient Hispanics from Catholic loyal countries. Whereas, they are simply automatically culturally Catholic for a generation. (Not all Hispanics, and most certainly not most Hispanics that regularly attend, volunteer, and contribute).
It is quite starkly in my diocese the more traditional parishes that are seeing population growth.
Cameron, I can see your passionate dedication to this subject. I remain a woman of God and remain respectfully in disagreement with you. Cannot we all just agree to come before God, repent of sin, ask His forgiveness with a broken heart and contrite spirit...and accept Christ into our hearts? Cannot we all be followers of God and His Son? I will never be Catholic. I will also never wander from God again, as I did for 35 years as a Prodigal. Just worship God and His Son, pray, help others, keep on the narrow path. That is following God! For the person commenting that Evangelical Christians are fleeing the church due to "Christian Nationalism", I also respectfully disagree. I have seen no evidence of that in my own small church. Honorable national borders are not unholy. There are laws for a reason. Prayer is always needed. W.E.W.
I'm Episcopalian for no other reason than the Catholic Church does not ordained women. I love the high church. I love the smells and bells. I brings me calm in what is normally chaos.
I think you are missing an important part of the equation. This is, people are fleeing the Evangelical Community as it wraps itself around Christian Nationalism. I belief much of the Evangelical Community has become heretical. They have given up the Gospel Message of Jesus to bathe in the blood of the Christ. They have begun to worship power and ignore the marginalized.
The Evangelicals discouraged by this are leaving. Not Christianity, but Evangelicalism. Many are finding the path takes them to mainline churches where power is not the purpose of worship, but love is.
This seems to be so—several news agencies have been following. All reports indicates a surge in conversion & attendance!
I think it would be interesting to see who is leaving versus who is joining. I think the great fallacy that the American church has had is thinking that the people in the Church could be replaced with supposedly more faithful or obedient Hispanics from Catholic loyal countries. Whereas, they are simply automatically culturally Catholic for a generation. (Not all Hispanics, and most certainly not most Hispanics that regularly attend, volunteer, and contribute).
It is quite starkly in my diocese the more traditional parishes that are seeing population growth.
Cameron, I can see your passionate dedication to this subject. I remain a woman of God and remain respectfully in disagreement with you. Cannot we all just agree to come before God, repent of sin, ask His forgiveness with a broken heart and contrite spirit...and accept Christ into our hearts? Cannot we all be followers of God and His Son? I will never be Catholic. I will also never wander from God again, as I did for 35 years as a Prodigal. Just worship God and His Son, pray, help others, keep on the narrow path. That is following God! For the person commenting that Evangelical Christians are fleeing the church due to "Christian Nationalism", I also respectfully disagree. I have seen no evidence of that in my own small church. Honorable national borders are not unholy. There are laws for a reason. Prayer is always needed. W.E.W.
I'm Episcopalian for no other reason than the Catholic Church does not ordained women. I love the high church. I love the smells and bells. I brings me calm in what is normally chaos.
I think you are missing an important part of the equation. This is, people are fleeing the Evangelical Community as it wraps itself around Christian Nationalism. I belief much of the Evangelical Community has become heretical. They have given up the Gospel Message of Jesus to bathe in the blood of the Christ. They have begun to worship power and ignore the marginalized.
The Evangelicals discouraged by this are leaving. Not Christianity, but Evangelicalism. Many are finding the path takes them to mainline churches where power is not the purpose of worship, but love is.
Just my thought. Excellent piece.-Richard.