THE STATISTICAL MEANING OF DIVERSITY: The Example of The Episcopal Church
THE STATISTICAL MEANING OF DIVERSITY: The Example of The Episcopal Church
Commentary
By Canon Gary L'Hommedieu
www.virtueonline.org
May 3, 2011
A few weeks ago The Episcopal Church, headquartered on posh 2nd Avenue in New York, released its statistical totals for the years 2008-2009, partly (so it seemed) to showcase the attractive new "Research" pages prominently featured on its website.
As the website explains in an introductory paragraph, "The goal of research and statistics is to provide the church with information about its context, congregations, members, leadership, directions, and ongoing mission. Employing the best research procedures that are available we provide unbiased data and analysis for use by national leaders, dioceses and local congregations" (http://www.ecusa.anglican.org/109378_ENG_HTM.htm).
If "ongoing mission" is understood as "doing what we've been doing, only with a little more information," then we are witnessing a revival of belief in the miraculous -- and this would be the one encouraging trend we see in the recent statistical revelations.
Read the full story at www.VirtueOnline.org
Commentary
By Canon Gary L'Hommedieu
www.virtueonline.org
May 3, 2011
A few weeks ago The Episcopal Church, headquartered on posh 2nd Avenue in New York, released its statistical totals for the years 2008-2009, partly (so it seemed) to showcase the attractive new "Research" pages prominently featured on its website.As the website explains in an introductory paragraph, "The goal of research and statistics is to provide the church with information about its context, congregations, members, leadership, directions, and ongoing mission. Employing the best research procedures that are available we provide unbiased data and analysis for use by national leaders, dioceses and local congregations" (http://www.ecusa.anglican.org/109378_ENG_HTM.htm).
If "ongoing mission" is understood as "doing what we've been doing, only with a little more information," then we are witnessing a revival of belief in the miraculous -- and this would be the one encouraging trend we see in the recent statistical revelations.
Read the full story at www.VirtueOnline.org
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