Fundamentalist influence, opposed Redskins team name: 7 interesting facts about Bishop Budde
7. A diocese in decline
As with other religious groups in the United States and The Episcopal Church as a whole, the diocese that Budde oversees has witnessed considerable decline in recent years.
In 2011, when Budde was installed as bishop, the Washington diocese had an average Sunday attendance of approximately 14,600. By 2023, that number had dropped to about 8,400.
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Additionally, while in 2011 the number of baptized members was nearly 40,900, by 2023 that population had declined to approximately 30,700, or almost one quarter less than when she took office.
According to official statistics released last November, The Episcopal Church ended 2023 with approximately 1.547 million people and 6,754 congregations, which represented a drop from 2022 when the denomination reported having 1.584 million members and 6,789 congregations.
However, the mainline Protestant denomination also reported an increase in average weekly worship attendance, going from around 373,000 in 2022 to around 411,000.
