Christina
Hello, everyone, I’m Christina Darnell, the managing editor of MinistryWatch. Welcome to the MinistryWatch podcast.
In today’s extra episode, I talk with Warren Smith about some news items that are slightly (even significantly) outside of our normal charity and philanthropy “beat.”
So, Warren, what’s up first?
Warren
The Episcopal Church Center in Midtown Manhattan, commonly referred to as “815” because of its street address, 815 Second Ave., is for sale.For critics of the church, the building became a symbol of the bureaucracy and isolation of the denomination’s leadership.
Christina
Its sale now represents the continued decline of the denomination.
Warren
“We’ve done a detailed analysis about the best use of the building, with consultants and architects,” Chief Financial Officer Chris Lacovara said in a church news release. “We occupy a fraction of the Church Center space now, and the conclusion is that we don’t need to own and occupy a building in midtown Manhattan.”
Christina
The building is 12 stories high and has about 146,000 square feet of office space.
Warren
In 1965, the Episcopal Church had about 3.4 million people. Today, membership is officially listed at about 1.5 million, but less than a half-million attend Episcopal Churches on any given Sunday.
Christina
Next up, new data from Lifeway, but you have some concerns.
Warren
I do. I am a big data guy, but recent research from Lifeway does not pass my sniff test. Lifeway says that Gen Z adults who are regular churchgoers attend church at greater rates than other age cohorts.
Christina
So…regular church attend church regularly? Seems like you wouldn’t need a survey to come to that conclusion.
Warren
Exactly. The premise of the survey is strange. It is like saying, “In Texas, there are a high percentage of Texans.”
Secondly, the Gen Z result is a serious outlier. “While the median churchgoer in each generation attends four worship services each month, the average Gen Z churchgoer attends a worship service at their church 6.2 times a month,” a statement from Lifeway said. This compares with “4.8 times for millennials, 5.1 for Gen X and 4.5 for baby boomers and older. This implies that while the typical Gen Z churchgoer attends at a similar frequency to other generations, there is a portion of young adults who attend at much higher rates.”
Christina
But other data we’ve reported on suggest that Gen Z is in fact not more religious. So what’s going on here?
Warren
The evidence increasingly suggests not a broad-based Gen Z revival, but a “committed remnant” phenomenon—fewer young adults in church, but those who are there are often attending with greater frequency and intentionality than previous generations of young adults.
Christina
Moving on…. Alliance of Responsible Citizenship (ARC) is meeting in London this week.
Warren
ARC claims to be an international movement of conservative thinkers, political leaders, business executives, academics, journalists, and religious leaders that seeks to renew the cultural, moral, and institutional foundations of Western civilization.
Christina
Founded in 2023 by figures including Jordan Peterson and Philippa Stroud, ARC describes its mission as helping to “re-lay the foundations of our civilization” by promoting responsibility, free institutions, strong families, economic opportunity, and a renewed sense of cultural confidence.
Warren
About 4,000 are gathered, from more than 85 countries. Many observers have dubbed it the “Conservative Davos” or the “anti-woke Davos.” Among this year’s speakers are Boris Johnson, Jordan Peterson, Arthur Brooks, Andy Crouch, Eric Metaxas, and Ross Douthat.
Christina
For Christians, ARC is particularly notable because Christian faith is not merely a side topic but a recurring theme.
Warren
Evangelical, Catholic, and Orthodox leaders are prominent participants, reflecting ARC’s belief that cultural renewal requires moral and spiritual renewal as well. Rod Dreher has been posting all week from London, and some of his posts have been pretty humorous. A nerd’s view from the cool kids’ table, you might say. You can find one of those posts here.
Christina
As we have reported here at MinistryWatch, Bethany Christian Services, one of the nation’s largest adoption and foster care organizations, has reaffirmed its commitment to a biblical sexual ethic.
Warren
This reaffirmation requires staff, board members and foster and adoptive families to “personally agree and adhere to” a belief statement that defines marriage as “a covenant between one man and one woman.”
Christina
Katy Faust, a conservative activist who believes same-sex couples should not be parents, celebrated the change. On X, Faust said it was evidence that the “vibe shift” is having a “measurable impact.”
Warren
It is too early for me to declare a “vibe shift,” but I hope she is right. In any case, it is likely not to impact adoption and foster care efforts much, since the number of LGBTQ+ folk who adopt children are small. According to the Williams Institute, about 35,000 same-sex couples are raising adopted children. That is certainly significant, but the significance diminishes when you consider that about 1.8 million children in the U.S., between 2 and 3 percent of all children, are living with adoptive parents.
Supporting Faust’s claim of a “vibe shift” is a recent Gallup survey suggesting that 65 percent of Americans still favor legal same-sex marriage, but that’s six percentage points fewer than its peak in 2022-2023. Similarly, the percentage of Americans who view gay or lesbian relations and gender transitions as morally acceptable have fallen since the early 2020s.
Christina
Finally, we have some good news here at MinistryWatch.
Warren
I am pleased to let you know that MinistryWatch has received a grant from the Fund for Investigative Journalism to help us with investigative reporting in the coming year.
Christina
The FIJ is a nonprofit organization founded in 1969 that supports in-depth, public-interest investigative reporting by providing grants, editorial guidance, and legal assistance to journalists.
Warren
Its mission is to help reporters pursue stories that expose corruption, wrongdoing, abuses of power, and other issues of significant public concern that might otherwise go uncovered. Over its history, FIJ has awarded thousands of grants to freelance and staff journalists, helping launch investigations that have appeared in major outlets such as The New York Times, ProPublica, NPR, Frontline, The Washington Post, and many regional news organizations. The organization is widely regarded as one of the leading philanthropic supporters of investigative journalism in the United States.
Christina
Any final thoughts before we go?
Warren
If you have not discovered our YouTube channel, check it out here. We now have nearly 200 videos there, and they have attracted tens of thousands of views. Subscribe, like, and share to spread the word about our work.
I am in Albuquerque next month. If you live in the Land of Enchantment, one of my favorite states, reach out to me. I would love to share a meal or a cup of coffee with you. My email is wsmith@ministrywatch.com.
We’d love to have your financial support as we approach our fiscal year end. Just go to www.ministrywatch.com/donate
Christina
The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. I’m Christina Darnell, along with Warren Smith.
Until next time, may God bless you.
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