When Institutions become Corrupt: The Episcopal Church

It is one thing to watch the National or International political scene and see abuses of power. These are secular organziations and we expect some people to be power-hungry above all things.

When such things apply to the institution of the church we attend or serve, it is shocking at another level.

The American Anglican Council released a report which is "an accounting of how The Episcopal Church (TEC) has spent millions of dollars in over 50 lawsuits, deposed or inhibited 12 bishops and more than 400 other clergy, and violated its own canons numerous times. The paper, titled "The Episcopal Church: Overbearing and Unjust Episcopal Acts," chronicles each of these subjects and a number of other abuses or injustices committed against faithful Anglicans in the U.S.

Further, "The Episcopal Church is systematically targeting, intimidating, suing, and ultimately persecuting orthodox Anglicans throughout the U.S." said the Rt. Rev. David C. Anderson, President and CEO of the American Anglican Council. "This paper illustrates the lengths to which TEC leaders will go to silence the voices of orthodox Christians in the Anglican Communion - Anglicans whose only offense was to stand for the uniqueness of Jesus Christ and Anglican Communion teaching."

Most of what is chronicalled in this paper has taken place on the watch of the current Presiding Bishop, Katherine Schori. The membership in the church is declining, contributions are declining, churches are closing, and the next crisis that is coming is that whole dioscesan groups may go into bankruptcy or may be forced to merge with other dioscese. The outlook is grim and the current path offers no hope of a turn around.