Heretics and Politics by Thomas A. Fudge

[returnman]

Originally Posted by Sabby

When Randy Langley in Hillsboro refused to baptize a teen (a 17 year old high school junior) because she trimmed her bangs, I had enough. About the same time, he asked to see me after church one Sunday. He continued the bald-faced lie that had been started by Carl Brown and Barry King (and the reason why I left the Beaverton church). Langley accused me of trying to split his church. I could not believe my ears. My character was being impugned and I had no where to go. There was such a hard, carnal spirit coming from him I realized I'd reached the end of the road as far as the UPC was concerned.
He had been using me to teach the adult Sunday School and I was his outreach director. I returned all my contacts for the Search For Truth bible studies to him.
I couldn't get out of there fast enough.
His words verbatim to me as my family climbed into our car to leave were, "It's mighty cold out there, Brother......".. I'd like to say that he said it in love, but...not really. He was right about it being "cold". In the late '80's there was no support system for expatriated PCI'ers, and it was cold for a long time.
I had done nothing wrong, nothing immoral, nothing unfaithful, or disloyal to either him or the leadership of my previous church. I really couldn't understand what was going on. I took it personally because I thought it was personal.
It took a long time for me to realize that it was over my pedigree as a PCI'er AND that my pastors were Alvin Cobb and Wayne Nigh. Nigh was the one that endorsed my application to CBC!
I didn't know of the world of political issues going on with not only CBC but with the vehemence the Ultra-cons viewed Nigh's end-time position (one that I naturally took)!
Fudge did a good job on the book, but imo he left out 1/3 of the reason why the PTLD area pastors took such a strong position against the school. It was about the same time that Nigh was refused by the FMD to return to Germany as a PIM missionary over his end-time views. He stubbornly returned anyway, and the FMD granted him AIM status, fearful to lose the influential work he had begun in Wiesbaden.

Heard about some of this from afar back that day as well but like you not the PCI vs the movement until much later. I am sure without a doubt you where just being an open book and thinking your christian brothers and sisters where as well. One of your classmates at CBC raised an eyebrow at some of your outspokenness. lol. I am sure you can figure that one out.