The Episcopal Church is putting its New York headquarters building up for sale, marking the latest sign of downsizing among Mainline Protestant denominations as their membership numbers continue to fall.
The losses across several major denominations have been dramatic. The Episcopal Church has shed more than 55% of its membership in recent decades. The United Methodist Church has seen an even steeper drop, losing 65% of its members, while the Presbyterian Church USA has experienced the most severe decline — down 75%.
In each of these cases, the membership slide followed decisions by church leadership to move in a more progressive direction, including embracing same-sex marriage and broader LGBT-related positions.
