"If the Church just changed its teachings, people would come to Mass. People are turned away from the Church, because of its social teachings." -random persons I engage with about the Catholic Church
Well how is it working for congregations that did move its social teachings to appease the masses?
Episcopal Church reports lowest membership in 70 years
The denomination has lost an average of 25,798 Sunday worshipers each year since 2006, bringing the total of U.S. Episcopal worshipers on a given Sunday to 657,831 in 2010. Overall, the Sunday attendance rate in Episcopal communities has declined by 23 percent since 2000.
How does a church change it's teachings, particularly on anything related to morals, without in effect saying that it was wrong before, and hence undermining it's faith in the process? Isn't this what churches are being asked to do now?
ReplyDeleteIn times where there is a change of moral teaching, usually there is a break within the a religion. As with Episcopal Church, it was the issue of divorce for the King Henry VIII.
ReplyDeleteThere have been 100 Episcopalian parishes as a whole be received within the Catholic Church in the United States. Personally I know of my neighbor growing up they were parishioners at an Episcopal in the mid 90s, but by the times of their passing in the 2000's they were in a lesser known protestant denomination.
If people choose to be religious, I always find they tend to go to well the places of worship with "lots of rules" and definition in purpose and meaning. When I go on vacation, up in the White Mountains, I always attend Mass at the local parish. It's sad to see many of the historic protestant churches become some sort of gutted out community resource center. On the other hand you see non-denominationals along the way and even a Mormon Temple with a view of the Presidential Mountain Range up there.
"To those who have strayed because of doctrinal concerns, we cannot apologize for the truth. We cannot deny doctrine given to us by the Lord Himself. On this principle we cannot compromise."
ReplyDeleteElder Joseph B. Wirthlin, Apostle of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints ("Mormons"), Apr. 2006 General Conference address
I usually separate my FB statuses from what I post on blogs, but this morning I had to come out and state my reasoning for marriage with a close friend of my mother in law. Sorry, I just couldn't have her compare marriage to lunch or parking. I was clear and pointed why marriage actually existed and why society needs it. Who knows....
ReplyDelete