Good News Says Stroud Appeal Verdict Flawed, Predicts
Judicial Council Reversal; Commends Women's Division's Openness
To Christian Conversation with the RENEW Network
WILMORE, KY - The Executive Committee of Good News, an evangelical renewal ministry within the United Methodist Church, expressed deep disappointment at the ruling of the Northeastern Jurisdictional Committee on Appeals which acted to reinstate the clergy credentials of the Rev. Beth Stroud, who had been found guilty in a trial court last December and stripped of her credentials. The Good News leaders also applauded Dr. Jan Love, Deputy General Secretary of the Women's Division, for her acceptance of an invitation from Good News' RENEW Network for face-to-face Christian Conversation in the near future.
"We were distressed but not surprised to learn that the Appeals Committee had reversed the Stroud trial court verdict," said the Rev. Tom Lambrecht, chairman of the Good News board and pastor of Faith Community UMC in Greenville, Wisconsin. "And while we are disappointed, we are confident this recent verdict will go to the church's Judicial Council and be overruled. Our church's `Supreme Court' is sure to uphold the original trial court verdict," Lambrecht added. "But it's also time our leaders realize just what these kinds of rulings are costing the church in members, money, and morale."
Good News' Executive Committee met in the Atlanta area April 28 & 29, the same two days the Committee on Appeals was meeting in the Baltimore area. "It is significant that the appeal committee admitted that 'the evidence in support of the charge [against Stroud] was overwhelming and would be sustained in the absence of legal error,'" said the Rev. Dr. James V. Heidinger II, President and Publisher of Good News. "In citing the two supposed 'legal errors,' the committee seemed to be grasping at straws to find some reason to overturn the verdict," Heidinger added. "To claim the church had never defined "self-avowed practicing homosexual" and that our sexuality standards had violated the First Restrictive Rule were a real stretch of the imagination, almost amusing, were it not about such a serious matter."
The United Methodist doctrinal standards protected by the First Restrictive Rule are understood to be, according to Par. 102 of the Discipline, the Articles of Religion, the Confession of Faith (from the EUB tradition), and Wesley's Sermons and Notes. The church has never viewed its requirements for ordained ministry to be a part of its doctrinal standards.
In an "Open Letter" sent March 28 to officers and leaders of United Methodist Women, as well as to the Council of Bishops, Dr. Jan Love, Deputy General Secretary of the Women's Division responded to six questions that had been asked of her in behalf of the RENEW Network. Mrs. L. Faye Short, President of the RENEW Network, applauded Dr. Love's "willingness to listen to and respond to questions" asked by RENEW.
In a similar "Open Letter" of response to Dr. Love on April 11, the RENEW president also applauded the Women's Division's willingness to accept the invitation from RENEW for face-to-face conversation between the two groups. "This invitation has been accepted by the Women's Division and will be forthcoming. We sincerely trust this exchange now in this open forum. . .will do much to bring integrity and reform to the organization of United Methodist Women," said Mrs. Short.
RENEW provides networking services for thousands of United Methodist women, most of whom are active members and leaders in the organization of United Methodist Women. The ministry encourages revitalization at the local level and accountability on the part of the Women's Division. More information about RENEW is available at the RENEW web site, www.renewnetwork.org.
Good News has also initiated contact with the Council of Bishops' Task Force on Unity, asking for an opportunity to meet with that group, which is following up on the Unity Resolution from the 2004 General Conference. Good News is awaiting word from the Task Force about such a meeting in the near future.
The Good News leaders also expressed deep gratitude for the life, ministry, and witness of Mrs. Diane Knippers, who died recently in Fairfax, Virginia. Knippers, 53, had served from 1975 until 1982, on the staff of Good News before moving to Washington, D.C. with husband, Ed, a Christian artist. There, she joined the staff of the Institute on Religion and Democracy (IRD). For the last 12 years, she served as IRD President. "Diane was a widely-respected leader in the world of mainline renewal," said Heidinger. "She was a mature, deeply spiritual leader who always had wise counsel for those of us who knew her and worked with her. She was a great help to me in my first 12 months at Good News, before she and Ed left for Washington, D.C. We are thankful for Diane. She was `faithful until death.' We shall miss her dearly."
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