[Oe List ...] Info on Tom Oden and the IRD

[Janice Ulangca]

Hard Ball on Holy GroundTo those interested in Tom Oden and the IRD:

As Marshall said, the IRD (Institute for Religion and Democracy) is "an extreme fringe of the Religious Right that, among other things, is trying to cause a scism in United? Methodism. Just wait till April. 

"And it's particularly sad that Tom Oden has flip-flopped on his understanding of TWLI and has jumped into their waiting arms. His book, The Rebirth of Orthodoxy: Signs of New Life in Christianity..."

The book plugged below (Hard Ball on Holy Ground) is about the work of the IRD. Because Abe was on several UM annual conference committees, we got on the mailing list of their newsletter that's aimed at Methodists.  They are indeed extreme - always up in arms about the UMethodists being unbiblical re homosexuality, way too tolerant of other religions, way too political (for peace and justice, against war and poverty) etc. The UN is not popular, anything military is quite justified. They have very specific action suggestions, urging UMethodists to write to Bishops or national boards to complain, and get their local congregations to come out with statements and withhold contributions.  The whole reason mainline churches have been losing members, they keep pronouncing, is that they have gotten away from the real faith, the traditional teaching.  They've also been active in trying to get sympathetic people elected as general conference delegates.  Clever and bad people, in my judgement.  As mentioned below, they also target Presbyterians and Episcopalians - out of the same office.  

Bob Edgar served 12 years as a democratic congressman from PA and was General Secretary of the National Council of Churches before moving to Common Cause last September.  (I didn't remember all this - just checked google.)

Janice Ulangca


----- Original Message ----- 
From: TPC Editor 
To: aulangca at stny.rr.com 
Sent: Monday, February 04, 2008 8:59 AM
Subject: A UMC Gen. Conf. Must Read!



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