Observation

In 1959 the Episcopal Church had 3,444,265 members and 8,708 clergy. Clergy was .25% of membership.

In 2009 the Episcopal Church had 2,006,343 members and 15,404 clergy. Clergy was .76% of membership. Were the Episcopal church staffed at 1959 levels, the number of clergy would be 5,073.

A causal link between the increase in clergy and the decline in membership is not proven, but it is interesting. In the fifty years since 1959 (the high water mark for membership), membership has declined by 41% and the ranks of the clergy have increased by 77%.

Ignoring theology, the increase in clergy relative to membership has to be putting a strain on finances. It is a truism that a church in financial trouble is less attractive to a prospective new member than a church that is not.

Granted that there has been a boom in part-time and non-stipendiary clergy in the past few decades, how much better would the finances be if two thirds of the currently existing clergy were off the rolls?

Figures from here.

I would like to point out that trimming dioceses and bishops would be an even better bang for the buck than dropping priests. The Episcopal Church has a ludicrous amount of middle management compared to almost every other organization.

The Problem With Movies

Here's a popular musical number from a remake (2003)



Here's the original:



The more modern version is racially integrated. It also has only pretty people.

There are plenty of pretty people in the 1962 version, but there are also what my wife calls 'faces'. That is to say non-pretty people with distinctive looks. In the modern version the mayor and his wife are youthful and very pretty. They are portrayed by Victor Garber and Molly Shannon, both of whom are quite good looking.

In the 1962 version, the mayor and his wife are played by Paul Ford and Hermione Gingold, neither of whom could be described as beautiful. What they did have were faces with character, distinctive voices (hearing Hermione Gingold say 'Balzac' is worth the price of admission) and serious comedic and acting chops.

Somewhere in the forty years between 1962 and 2003 Hollywood lost track of what character actors should bring to a movie and started casting pretty people exclusively.

A Reasonable Request

All she wants is the Sudetenland. Once that simple, reasonable demand is met, then we will have peace.

If you know the process she wants the Bishop of South Carolina to undergo, then you know it's fundamentally flawed and likely to admit of an unfair and unjust result. It's as though it were designed that way.

And yes, I'm well aware that the Presiding Bishop is no Hitler. Hitler was a much better speaker and dresser, was better looking, possessed great personal charm and was a war hero to boot. The Presiding Bishop wears funny hats and is emblematic of the creeping progressive mediocrity that has consumed the Episcopal Church.

Outsourcing, Jersey Style

NJ Senator Bob Menendez (Dem) apparently hired prostitutes when he visited the Dominican Republic. So much for 'Buy American'.

Pumpkin Carving IV

An Example of Bigotry

"I will vote for the Democrat, rather than the Republican, even if he or she is revealed at the last minute to be an ax murderer' - Lionel Deimel.

Next time a progressive blathers on about how open minded and accepting they are, remember Lionel. His opinion is pretty typical of the breed.

His blog is easy enough to find, if you must.

Obama and I

The President and I have something in common it turns out. We both prefer the same Girl Scout cookie. My preference hasn't shifted since I was a tot. Doubtless the fact that it is the most popular brand has nothing to do with his choice.

And it's good to see Politico weighing in on the heavier issues.

As an FYI, if there is a Publix in your area the store brand mint chocolate cookies are an excellent stand in for the Girl Scout variety and much, much cheaper.