TEC’s Baptismal numbers hidden in plain sight. The actual number of baptisms got lost in the weeds
- Charles Perez
- 5 days ago
- 3 min read
By Mary Ann Mueller
VOL Special Correspondent
October 30, 2025
The 2024 Episcopal Church’s Baptismal number is 19,624 down from 20,247 in 2023. Resulting in a -3.1% drop of 623.
However, Paul Paulson writing for the Episcopal News Service (ENS) missed the figure generating the headline: “Episcopal Church reports no baptized membership data for 2024, citing parochial report ‘confusion’.”
“The Episcopal Church has many members. In most years, it can provide a specific count of its baptized members – 1.5 million in 2023 — based on data compiled from its congregations’ parochial reports,” he writes.
“Not for 2024.”
Continuing, Paulson fleshes out: “When the church released its latest trove of parochial report data on Oct. 24, the official membership count was unavailable and unknown, though the annual data still included some of the church’s other closely watched metrics, including average Sunday attendance and plate and pledge revenue.”
However, the 2024 baptismal numbers were there, albeit hidden in plain sight. The problem is that the baptismal figure – 19,623 – was not embedded in the body of “The Episcopal Church by the Numbers: Analysis of the 2024 Parochial Report Data” but rather revealed through an accompanying illuminative photo.
The figure was also released on October 24 through the Episcopal Church’s news release detailing the 2024 Parochial Report
Although, TEC highlighted the post COVID bump in attendance as evidenced in its news release header: “The Episcopal Church 2024 Parochial Report shows continued post-COVID rebound in attendance.”
Even though the baptismal figure was a bullet point listed with other bullet point factoids.
“Some additional details in the report include:
•Open parishes and missions: 6,707
•Median age: 60
•Median percent White: 95
•Clergy: 9,717
•Staff: 27,360
•Parishes with a deacon: 1,803
•Confirmations: 12,600
*BAPTISMS: 19,624
•Congregations with schools: 997
•Congregations that offer simultaneous services in more than one language: 243 and
•Congregations engaging people through outreach ministries: 4,576.”
The 2024 analysis of statistical data was put out by The Hartford Institute for Religious Research (HIRR), which is the progressive religious research arm of the Hartford International University for Religion & Peace (HIUR&P).
It seems that HIRR chose to highlight and feature the social gospel aspects of the Episcopal Church such as external ministries, progressive programs and on-going initiatives including online participation, congregational outreach, food & clothing ministries, social & racial justice actions, and the tracking of the Episcopal Church’s carbon footprint were deemed so important that the actual baptismal figure got caught in the weeds and Paul Paulson just simply missed it. I don't blame him.
The slick HIRR presentation is strong on bright colorful pictures and charts but weak in presenting the most important facts and figures clearly and succinctly – such as the actual number of baptisms. That figure stands at 19,642. However, it was embedded in an illustrative picture showing the baptism of a young adult. That representative photograph also shows confirmation and reception numbers – 12,600 and 5,441 respectively.
VOL did not miss the number of baptisms in 2024 and wrote: “Baptisms fell from 20,247 to 19,624 a -3.1% loss meaning 623 fewer children and adults did not experience Episcopal baptismal waters being poured over their heads,” when initially reporting the 2024 Analysis Report story on October 29.
Nor did Anglican Watch (AW) miss trying to number the 2024 baptisms in its posting.
On October 26 Anglican Watch posted: “Baptisms across the denomination declined from a 2023 total of 20,247 to 16,984, representing a 16.12 percent decrease.”
However, AW apparently misstated the 2024 baptismal figure which stands at 19,624 resulting in an overall -3.1% decline in Episcopal Church baptisms from 2023.
Mary Ann Mueller is a journalist living in Texas. She is a regular contributor to VirtueOnline.
Thank you, Mary Ann. That a church once defined by its sacramental life can now misplace its baptismal numbers speaks volumes. When the waters of regeneration are reduced to a bullet point among demographics and social metrics, we reveal what we value most—and what we’ve forgotten.
Baptism is not a statistic; it is the visible seal of the invisible grace by which the Church is born anew in every generation. When we cease to measure faithfulness by faith, and instead by trend lines and surveys, the soul of the Church begins to fade. God grant that we remember the water, the promise, and the call: to make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the Name of the Father, and…