Next door in the People's Republic of Minnesota, Anglicat provides recently revealed Diocesan Staff Compensation.
In the past, she's also shown the high percentage of Minnesota Episcopal Churches with part-time or even occassional circuit-clergy. And her post for today is about the closing of two historic Black congregations in The Twin Cities.
As I've been arguing for some time, the Episcopal Organization seems in a frenzy to get rid of congregations, clergy who can grow congregations, and other signs of human life. That frenzy is matched with a mania for grabbing inanimate buildings and other objects for an inside few, mainly diocesan and denominational bureaucrats.
Interesting to read what the Bible has to say about church compensation:
The elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honor, especially those whose work is preaching and teaching. For the Scripture says, "Do not muzzle the ox while it is treading out the grain," and "The worker deserves his wages." I Timothy 5:17-18, emphasis added.
As usual, the Episcopal Organization does just the opposite. The Bible says that leaders who actually preach and teach others - fulfilling Christ's Great Commission - should receive higher compensation. The EO rewards "managers", even if the church shrivels on their watch. (BTW Bishops need not be bureaucrats - just look at their true job description here.)
The message of the Minnesota compensation data is, "The good jobs for the valued people are in the far off offices of the bureaucracy, and are not based on any measure of effective leadership."
3 comments:
In Kentucky we call this the "good ol boys" circle. It isn't about leadership skills, but about who you know and how well you defend the circle's hold on the reins.
Sad commentary on the state of the church indeed. Over $200,000 compensation? Very, very wrong.
I agree that this is a scandal, especially because Bp. Jelinek has presided over a long period of decline in the Diocese of Minnesota. To be paid an exorbitant salary far above that of the vast majority of priests actually doing ministry is bad enough IF the diocese were growing and thriving, but in fact of course it's shriveling and dying.
It reminds me of the infamous case of SD's own former bishop, Craig Anderson. He went on to "bigger and better things," first as head of the National Council of Churches (yes, that's a bit of sarcasm), and then as Rector of St. Paul's, in Concord, NH, the most elite and prestigious Episcopal prep school in the country. And his compensation package at illustrious St. Paul's? Roughly $500K a year. That's right. A cool half mil a year.
Now that's obscene enough when there are African Anglican bishops who can't even afford a car etc., But what made it even worse was that +Anderson allowed St. Paul's to go downhill during his watch. Imagine a cushy job like that and blowing it that way.
Eventually, a bunch of alumni and trustees ousted him. Alas, he'll still get a ridiculously high pension for the rest of his life, but at least he was dismissed in disgrace because of his poor performance on the job.
More and more bishops are likewise being forced out before retirement, including the young Bp. of Oregon, +Itty, who was only in his mid 40s when forced out of office by the Standing Committee in March this year.
Frankly, I think there are a number of other jerks in office who ought to likewise get the boot. I won't mention any names here, but leave that to the reader's imagination...
I'm glad you called attention to Anglicat's article on her blog, Tim+. And I'm glad that Stand Firm picked it up and gave it even more publicity. Way to go, my friend.
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