http://www.ird-renew.org/About/About.cfm?ID=679&c=5
This article is older, but it is new to me...so just skip over it if you have read it before. It seems that everywhere those on the more radical left are bemoaning right-wing groups taking over churches. I would say "taking back" churches from radical-1960s theology, but hey, that's just me. United Methodist bishop Talbert seems to think that renewing movements are promoting white supremacy and white male domination. While I would condemn any kind of real white supremacy and white male domination (after all I believe Africa and Asia to be the new epicenter of Christianity...and a this is a positive step for Christianity), but Talbert provides no proof Thomas Oden or any other member of these renewal groups actually is a white supremacist. In fact, once again the far-left proves that they don't see too many white supremacists to actually know one. This is a good thing; one never wants to meet too many of them! However, as someone who has met them, let me say, these renewing groups are far from white supremacist. Talbert lumps these groups with racism and sexism, two words that are so often misapplied in Ivory Towers across the world (Note: I have multiple degrees from these Towers) that real racism and sexism can often go ignored.
This is the expected reaction of a Church whose "progressive" element is dying off. This element is dying because the progressive churches and conferences in the UMC are losing members. The more conservative ones are growing. In a last gasp for air, those "progressive" holdouts from the bygone 60s blame those who are growing. And of course women and blacks within these groups must be "tokens" only. Talk about racism and sexism. Saying that if a black person or woman makes a decision that is not in line with the agenda of the radical left, he or she is a token? Trends show that both blacks and women are moving in the conservative direction (look at opinions of abortion in 20-something women), proving that Bishop Talbert is telling people what to believe rather than asking them.
Now I am not politically right-wing. I am mixed. I usually vote Democrat so you know. I do not think that the right-wing politics of the Christian Coalition and similar groups is a good idea. However, these groups Talbert lists in his speech are hardly Christian coalition types of groups (one only needs to actually read Thomas Oden to see this), once again proving the out-of-touch nature of the insulated world of mainline churches. At least our own Bishop Griswold can be diplomatic about the more traditional elements in his church; Bishop Talbert is a fundamentalist on the left...taking facts out of context, creating conspiracies where none exist, and insisting the issues are black and white. If I were in the UMC again, I think I would get very impatient as the 1960s dinosaurs in the Church become extinct.
