Is There Any Connection Between The Faith We Sing and the Re-Imagining Community?

by Dean McIntyre, Director of Music Resources, The United Methodist General Board of Discipleship

A July 24, 2001, article in The Washington Times (a newspaper owned by the Rev. Moon and the Unification Church) quotes Mark Tooley of the Institute on Religion and Democracy (IRD), who charges that the theology of some of the hymns in The Faith We Sing has been influenced by the Re-Imagining Community (RIC).The article describes RIC as a group that organized a conference at the 1993 World Council of Churches that replaced traditional Communion services with a ritual that used milk and honey and that worshiped Sophia, the goddess of wisdom.

We will not try to explain the RIC, its theology, its past conferences, nor charges by the IRD that the group and its activities are rife with heresy. We cannot speak for a group with which we have no connection or personal knowledge. You may read about the RIC on its web site at http://www.reimagining.org.

What does concern us is the charge that the RIC has exerted an influence on the contents and theology of The Faith We Sing.

Let the following be known:

1. No member of the joint editorial committee of The Faith We Sing (which consisted of staff members of The General Board of Discipleship and The United Methodist Publishing House and was chaired by Hoyt Hickman) has ever been a member of or attended any function of the RIC.
2. No hymn in The Faith We Sing was either selected or rejected for inclusion because of any recommendation by the RIC or because it reflects any of the principles espoused by RIC.
3. No rituals, liturgies, worship services, writings, books, pamphlets, speeches, sermons, hymns, songs, prayers, or any other activities that may have been a part of RIC events or conferences were consulted or discussed in the preparation of The Faith We Sing.
4. The very earliest, most preliminary discussion about the possibility of creating this new hymn book among General Board of Discipleship and United Methodist Publishing House staff did not take place until 1997. The editorial committee did not begin its work in earnest until nearly five years after the RIC's 1993 conference. There is no link or line of influence between the two, either direct or indirect.

The Institute on Religion and Democracy had great success in creating a negative backlash to the 1993 Re-Imagining Conference in the religious press and in The United Methodist Church. It now seeks to do the same with The Faith We Sing, attempting to create a link between the two in the minds of United Methodists that will result in financial contributions to the IRD.

There is no link to the RIC or influence from the RIC in The Faith We Sing, and the The Institute on Religion and Democracy should substantiate its charges or withdraw them.

Copyright © 2001 The General Board of Discipleship of The United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 340003, Nashville TN 37203-0003. Worship Web Site: http://www.umcworship.org. This article may be reproduced for nonprofit use without further permission provided this notice is included on each copy.

Posted 10-1-01