Photo from Anglican Blogger Drell's Descants
I follow the current saga in the Episcopal Church quite a bit. When I was LSU my most favorite place to study was the Student Center at the Church. My favorite place to pray was their Church at LSU which is called St Albans. In fact it it wasn't for the fact there was no Euchurist present it would have been the best place to pray in Baton Rouge. Anyway while I was there I would look throught their Episcopal's chruches nationwide publication. I could tell things were going off the rails then
Anyway, I follow Louisiana Anglican blogger Drell’s Descants a lot. I could not to help but note this interesting post he had.
Women Priests Departing From ECUSA: A Request For Information From Alice Linsley
Filed under: General — Brad Drell @ 1:10 pm
A Stat TEC Doesn’t Track
Alice C. Linsley
How many Episcopal clergywomen have left the Episcopal Church in the past 3 years?
It is difficult to say since the Episcopal Church Center has not updated the statistics on clergy number by gender since 2004. In 2004, female clergy comprised 29.2% of all Episcopal clergy serving in the continental United States.
Since I left ordained ministry in the Episcopal in March 2004, I’ve come to know of 3 other women who have done likewise. Interestingly, all of us have joined the Orthodox Church.
I live in Kentucky. Another lives in Maine. Another lives in Idaho and the fourth lives in Florida, so this departure doesn’t represent discontent with the leadership of a particular diocese or province. It appears to reflect discontent with the leadership of The Episcopal Church and the direction that TEC is going.
I’m curious to know about other women who have left ordained ministry in TEC. If you were formerly an Episcopal clergywoman or if you know of one, please respond to this inquiry by posting a comment with the following information:
The women’s first name onlyWhether she was a priest or deaconThe state in which she residesThe year she set aside her ordersThe church with which she has affiliated.
I’ll compile the results and post the findings in a few months. I’m counting on readers to help track a statistic that the Episcopal Church has turned a blind eye to or which is a cause of embarrassment. By this means we can estimate the departure of female clergy from TEC and look for trends.
You can email Alice at aproeditor - at - windstream - dot - net.
I find that very interesting. Espcially the fact that some have become ORTHODOX. Which to say the least means they have rejected in any shape or from that they can become priest.
In fact I have run across a Orthodox blogger that I think was a "Priest" and now is a devout Orthodox. She has some blog that talks about the book of Genesis. I will try to find that one again
Still for the whole Catholic Women Ordination nonsense what does this mean? Now men leave the priest hood too. But I find it strange that maybe women
"priest" are leaving in such great numbers. I think that is significant for a number of reasons. I shall try to follow this.
I'm the host of Just Genesis. You may read why the priesthood is intrinsically male at http://jandyongenesis.blogspot.com/
ReplyDeleteThere are 3 related essays on the topic.
The priesthood is related to the shedding of blood and can never ultimately be a satisfying office for women because, from its primeval origins, it has to do with maleness and the work of men in traditional societies. It has nothing to do with equal rights and/or status.
I now have record of 7 clergywomen who have left TEC. Four to Orthodoxy, one to Roman Catholicism, one transfered to the Province of Kenya, another to the Province of Uganda (both as priests). I'm still gathereing information and trying to verify as I go.
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