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Two Questions, Thirteen Years Later

Two Questions, Thirteen Years Later

by The Reverend Dr. Roman D. Roldan on October 07, 2021

I was an Associate Dean of Trinity Cathedral in Davenport, Iowa, when we received news in early August of 2008 that my wife’s mother had been diagnosed with breast cancer. Although she was expected to survive and do well, we decided to start a search that would get us as close to Florida as possible, in case she needed our help. Our goal was to relocate to an area a day’s drive or less from Ocala, where she lives. In early October, exactly 13 years ago this week, we started a limited search of parishes in Georgia, Florida, Louisiana, and Alabama. We sent 10 information packets, received 7 interviews, were finalists in 3 parishes, and received 2 calls or job offers. In mid-December of 2008, we accepted the call from Grace Church in Saint Francisville, Louisiana, and on 1/18/09, I became a rector for the first time. In early 2020, after eleven incredible years of ministry, we began a new search which eventually led us to Saint Dunstan’s in March of 2020. God blessed both call processes and led us exactly to the churches he had in mind for us at the time.

This week I found the answers to ten questions from a Church in Florida during that time of searching in 2008. These questionnaires are standard fare for churches in the search process. This questionnaire asked about my faith journey, my view of evangelism, my theology and practice of stewardship, spiritual disciplines I practiced regularly, scriptural study practices, etc. The last two questions were my favorite. Question 9 asked, “What excites you about the Episcopal Church?” This was followed by # 10, “What disturbs you most about the Episcopal Church today?” Reading those answers has given me a small window into the kinds of Church issues that were important to me 13 years ago. I have asked myself this week, “Do I still feel the same way in 2021?”

This is how I answered question #9 in 2008, “There is much that I love in the Episcopal Church.  I believe our liturgy is among the best in Christendom. I also believe that our passion for the disenfranchised, the lonely, the poor, and the isolated gives ground, weight, and substance to our preaching. I appreciate the stance our church has taken on behalf of those internally and externally displaced around the world.  We are a generous church, and our dollars help support vital ministries and emergency resources in all 5 continents. I have witnessed this generosity firsthand in several provinces in our country. Many of our churches do in fact feed the poor, clothe the naked, visit the infirm and incarcerated, welcome the stranger, and actively work for the release of those falsely imprisoned. Additionally, there is an indescribable beauty in our liturgy that captures my imagination and inspires my senses all at once. There is nothing of greater value to me than a well-done liturgical service in the Episcopal Church.”

I still believe many of the things I said in 2008. We are a generous Church whose presence is felt in every area of the world where disasters strike. This week is a perfect example. In the aftermath of Hurricane Ida, Episcopal Relief and Development is already busy on the ground floor, working with Dioceses and Parishes affected to provide emergency relief to victims. We saw this in 2016 when Louisiana was a victim of catastrophic floods, and in 2017 when the Houston area was hugely affected by Hurricane Harvey. This gives me great hope for the future of our Church. Of course, there was no way for me to know in 2008 how polarized and divided our nation would become in just 13 years. I believe one of our greatest strengths as a Church today is our “Via Media” or Middle Way approach to our theology, liturgy, and life in community. We are a church uncomfortable with extremism. As such, we can have a great impact helping our nation return to civility in our political and religious discourse. In order to do this, Bishops and Clergy must work together with churches to create space for folks on all sides of the political and theological spectrum. We must avoid tribalism and divisive rhetoric and allow dissenting churches and people to have a voice and to be heard. I pray for moderate leaders for whom the most effective way to love Jesus is to love the people Jesus loves.

This is how I answered question #10 in 2008. “It often saddens me to see growing trends like reduction in average Sunday attendance, a decline in giving in many Dioceses, the closing of many congregations around the country, the decline in attendance among the youth, the sale of Episcopal properties where vibrant congregations once worshiped, etc. Sadly, the Episcopal Church is not immune to any of the trends affecting all mainline denominations in the United States. I do believe, however, that we must take these trends seriously. There is no indication that secularism will stop advancing in our country. Just the opposite, the number of people who identify as “Atheist” or “Non-Religious” has nearly doubled since the year 2,000. In addition to this number, people who report attending church once to twice a month also dropped by over 25% in the last 10 years. In 1951 the Episcopal Church had 4.2 million members in America. By the end of 2008, it is estimated that we will have approximately 2.2 million members. This is a drop of over 50% in 60 years. We need to take these trends seriously if we are to remain a vibrant church in America.”

Thirteen years later, the numbers are even more grim. The Episcopal Church is now approximately 1.8 million strong and many Dioceses continue to report marked reductions in Average Sunday Attendance and giving. According to Diana Butler Bass whose “Embracing Spiritual Awakening” we have studied not long ago, approximately 40% of Americans identify themselves as Non-Religious, Atheists, or Post-Deists. An additional 35% of Americans fall under the multi-ethnic religious category that includes Muslims, Jews, Hindus, and many other minority groups. What this means is that only about 25 to 26% of Americans identify themselves as Christians today. Experts believe there is a deep discontent among young people 18-29 years of age with organized religion, which is made worse every year by scandal, in-house fights, the Covid-19 Pandemic, and an emphasis on rules and judgement rather than grace and forgiveness.

The good news is that many of those 40% who identify themselves as non-religious, also state that they are “Spiritual but Not Religious.” There is still a spiritual hunger in our country that many churches are not satisfying. This brings me hope. I believe Episcopal Churches that preach a Gospel of grace over rules, relationships over dogma, and radical hospitality over unwelcoming and closed-in communities will grow and thrive in the near future. Saint Dunstan’s is one of these churches and we have a great community to offer newcomers.

I thank all of you who invited friends to our Blessing of the Animals. We had over 80 people present and dozens of pets. Please keep inviting those in your sphere of influence to our services and programs. The hunger is there and those churches who offer a loving and relational environment will lead these hungry people to Jesus. He and he alone is the fountain of all life and happiness.

May he continue to bless you,

Fr. Roman+

 

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