Restoring the Ties that Bind

Book excerpt: Drawing on more than 2,500 discussions with Episcopalians in focus groups and personal interviews as part of the Episcopal Church Foundation's Zacchaeus project, William Sachs and Thomas Holland conclude that there is a paradox in the Episcopal Church. At the local congregational level there is considerable vitality; this vitality, however, is in marked contrast to the sense of crisis that exists within the hierarchy of the church. While the media reports an Episcopal Church ripped apart by debates and rancorous disagreements, a quite different picture emerged over 200 visits to local parishes. Researchers discovered that church members were animated by discoveries being made in their personal journeys of faith, they were concerned about ways in which they could more effectively pursue ministry, and they were worrying about nurturing their children as the future leaders of the church. Restoring the Ties That Bind is an important book for clergy and lay members who are concerned with mapping the future of the Episcopal Church.