| August 8, 2005
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: James V. Heidinger II Good News Responds to “Open Letter” from Reconciling Ministries
Clergy: Wilmore, KY -- “The ‘Hearts On Fire’ Conference, sponsored by the Reconciling Ministries Network (RMN) and planned for the Labor Day Weekend at Lake Junaluska, should not be held,” said James V. Heidinger II, President and Publisher of Good News, in a letter of response to leaders of the Reconciling Ministries Clergy (RMClergy), a group related to the RMN. “The ‘Hearts On Fire’ conference will not just be advocating for change in the church’s standards, it will include large doses of preaching and teaching which are in direct opposition to the Scriptural norm and to the church’s standards. We believe this should not happen,” Heidinger said in his 5-page letter of response to an “Open Letter” from leaders of the RMClergy, which was accompanied by some 687 signatures. The RMN is a network of United Methodists whose purpose is “to enable full participation of people of all sexual orientations and gender identities in the life of the United Methodist Church.” The Good News ministry is “a voice for repentance, an agent for reform, and a catalyst for renewal within The United Methodist Church.” The evangelical renewal ministry affirms the denomination’s Wesleyan theological heritage and the Christian’s Church’s traditional moral teaching on human sexuality. In addition to hearing teachings that “directly contradict Scriptural teaching and the clear, tested standards of our Book of Discipline,” Heidinger went on to express concern that a number of United Methodist bishops would be speaking, which should not be happening, either. Heidinger noted that bishops “are responsible for ‘carrying into effect the rules, regulations, and responsibilities prescribed and enjoined by the General Conference’ (Par. 47, Discipline). They are not to be dissenters to the church’s doctrine or moral teachings.” The RMClergy “Open Letter” said “Advocacy for changing the church’s position or teaching. . .has never been understood in United Methodism as grounds for withdrawing hospitality or breaking community.” It went on to imply that just as Good News exists “to reform, or change, the denomination,” so does the RMN, implying they are only doing the same thing Good News does. This “attempt at equivalency is not convincing,” wrote Heidinger. “From the start, Good News has sought to help recover and reaffirm our Wesleyan doctrinal heritage. We have urged fidelity, and thus continuity, to our church’s long-standing teachings on marriage and Christian morality, which are consistent with the Church’s teachings for 2,000 years.” He continued, “On the other hand, the RMN’s position is discontinuous with both Scripture and the Church’s long tradition. Following its (RMN’s) lead would result in the severance of United Methodism from a major part of its own membership as well as from our larger, ecumenical commitments to the world-wide church (i.e. Catholics, Orthodox, Anglicans, and the Church in the Third-World).” The RMN “Open Letter” stated that the group will “continue to engage in a difficult struggle to discern God’s will in this area.” Good News finds this troubling. Heidinger wrote, “This implies that for the RMN, God’s will concerning human sexuality is not yet apparent. This is a disturbing claim. It reflects a rejection of 1) Scripture’s clear word; 2) two millennia of Church teaching, and 3) 30 years of General Conference action.” Good News believes that rather than working for the acceptance of homosexual behavior, United Methodists “ought to be pouring our time and energy into ministries that can help persons experiencing all forms of sexual brokenness to find healing and wholeness in Christ. Numerous personal testimonies of transformation and the existence of many effective transformational ministries around the world (including United Methodism’s own ‘Transforming Congregations’) point the way forward for us,” Heidinger said in his letter. The full text of Heidinger’s letter is attached to this release. The full text of the RMClergy letter to Good News can be found on the Good News web site. Go to: www.goodnewsmag.org. - End - Steve@goodnewsmag.org
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