Head of United Methodist Ultra-Conservative Group Retires
April 9, 2009
James Heidinger, the long time leader of Good News, the United Methodist group for far-right (including anti-gay) members, has announced his retirement. Linda Bloom of the United Methodist News Service has the story.
During the social unrest of the late 1960s, Heidinger — who had just graduated with a master’s degree in biblical studies from Asbury Theological Seminary – was beginning to think the Methodist church had lost confidence in its message, letting the world set its agenda.
Eventually, he became a voice “on behalf of things evangelical,” a role that became formalized when he was elected editor and executive secretary of Good News, A Forum for Scriptural Christianity, Inc., in 1981.
Now, 28 years later, Heidinger, 67, a clergy member of the United Methodist East Ohio Annual Conference, is retiring as president and publisher of Wilmore, Ky.,-based Good News, effective July 1. He is leaving, he said, with “a sense of fulfillment, that I was where God wanted me to be.”
L. Faye Short, the recently retired president of the Renew Network, an evangelical women’s group, noted that Heidinger’s name “has been synonymous” with the Good News movement.
Congratulations on 28 years of misusing the Bible to treat people like trash, Mr. Heidinger. Don’t let the door hit you where the good Lord split you. (BTW, the article doesn’t mention it, but RENEW is directly related to Good News.)
Fear not, though. Good News has found a wonderful replacement; none other than Robert Renfroe, the head of the Confessing Movement, the Good News rabid anti-gay arm.
At Good News, he will be succeeded by the Rev. Robert Renfroe, a pastor at The Woodlands United Methodist Church in Houston. For the past two years, Renfroe has been president of the board of directors of the Confessing Movement. The Rev. Walter Fenton, who had served as director of networking and development for Good News, also has been named chief operating officer.
So don’t worry, ultra-conservative Methodists! Ain’t no way any gay will go un-hated with Robert Renfroe around!
