A hard-line “ex-gay” splinter group from Exodus International formally announced its political intent this week, in a press release that gets a bit carried away with self-flattery. Italics are mine.
RHN leadership convocation, 2012
Restored Hope Network is pleased to announce its Restored Hope Board of Reference comprised of strong, competent and fearless leaders who choose to stand with the new ministry and the truth that Jesus still transforms lives in conformity to God’s will.
They are Dr. Randy Alcorn, Eternal Perspectives Ministries; Dr. Matthew Barber, Liberty Counsel; Steve Berger, Grace Chapel Nashville; Dr. Michael L. Brown, Fire School of Ministry; Fr. Paul Check, Courage; Dr. Robert A. Gagnon, Pittsburg Theological Seminary; Rev. Jim Garlow, Skyline Wesleyan Church; Dr. June Hunt, Hope For The Heart; Dr. Juan Martinez, Fuller Theological Seminary; Dr. Joseph Nicolosi, NARTH; Dr. Ray Ortlund, Jr., The Gospel Coalition; Janet Parshall, host of Moody syndicated radio “In The Market;” Leanne Payne, Pastoral Care Ministries; Georgene Rice, The Georgene Rice Show; Mat Staver, Liberty Counsel; and Christopher West, Theology of the Body Institute.
This roster of endorsers constitutes a miniature Who’s Who, not of the Christian Right (which would include Focus on the Family and the ethics wing of the Southern Baptist Convention), but of a Dominionist wing of Christianity that seeks to imprison or execute sexual minorities, suppress religious minorities, and replace the U.S. Constitution with its own harsh interpretation of the Bible.
We’ll be reporting more on some of these individuals — some of whom received their degrees from fundamentalist diploma mills, and in 2009 steered Exodus International toward involvement in Uganda’s kill-the-gays legislation — in the near future.
The RHN press release admits that the organization’s objective is power and authoritarian obedience — not prayer or sexual and religious honesty.
We proclaim that Jesus Christ has life-changing power for all who submit to Christ as Lord; we also seek to equip His church to impart that transformation.
To RHN, Christian religion is a means to accumulate power and to force others to submit to its will — which it contends is the same as God’s will. We’ll be exploring RHN’s conflation of its own will with God’s will — in short, a form of blasphemy — in upcoming posts.
Fr. Paul Check, Courage
That’s the name that stands out. Courage, a Roman Catholic organization, formerly had the policy that (apparently) Exodus has now: sexual suppression and celibacy, but NOT orientation change. As Rome has adopted ever more hardcore anti-gay rights policies, have they now discovered (Eureka!) that sexual orientations can be changed, too?
Good point: Courage has strayed from its own mission. Perhaps celibacy doesn’t draw conservative donors like it used to?
Noted theologian D.A. Carson from TEDS appears on the online Board list but not here. Has he withdrawn? Also, which of these would you consider Dominionists? Thanks!