Renewal group will not release mailing list to Research Services The Layman Online Wednesday, November 10,1999 Voices of Orthodox Women has decided not to release its mailing list to the Presbyterian Church (USA)'s department of Research Services. Keith M. Wulff, coordinator of Research Services, requested mailing lists from Voices of Orthodox Women and Voices of Sophia for an "unusual targeted polling" as part of the 1999 General Assembly-ordered review of the Women's Ministries program area. The review will include an assessment of the "theological balance" of Women's Ministries' programs and materials. Voices of Orthodox Women president Sylvia Dooling said the unanimous decision by the organization's board of directors was based on a long-standing board policy. "Early on, we hoped to be able to publish our data widely in order to encourage decentralized networking among like-minded people, but we were a bit naïve; some folks got hold of the information, and misused it. So as a matter of policy, we no longer release the information on our data base." Another matter of concern to the board was that Wulff requested only the names and addresses of women on the organization's mailing list, despite the fact that the network is made up of men and women. "The issues that concern VOW are not gender-specific issues. They are matters of Biblical and theological integrity that affect both men and women, and upon which both men and women have strongly held opinions," said Dooling. The review The review of the Women's Ministries program area was ordered by the Assembly in response to a commissioner's resolution that called for "factual information related to concerns and questions regarding the advocacy and program activities of the Women's Ministry program area ... and the conformance of said advocacy and program activities to Scripture and the Constitution of the Presbyterian Church (USA)." The resolution said the reasons for the review include: The choices of Jane Spahr, a self-identified "lesbian evangelist," and Letty Russell, a "self-affirming lesbian," to receive 1999 Woman of Faith awards; The failure of the Women's Ministries program area to properly supervise the National Network of Presbyterian College Women to ensure that its programs and materials were "in conformity to the theological and confessional standards" of the PC(USA); The Women's Ministries program area's advocacy of "radical political and theological agendas." Research Services is sending questionnaires to a random sample of approximately 600 Presbyterians, and it had also planned get input from Voices of Orthodox Women and Voices of Sophia. Pleased with intentions Voices of Orthodox Women said it is "pleased that Research Services intends to conduct a random survey, and hopes that their study will provide an accurate insight into the opinions of Presbyterians relative to the Women's Ministry program area - including those on the VOW network, as they are also members in good standing of the PC(USA)." Voices of Orthodox Women has conducted its own survey about the Women's Ministry program area. Results are now being collated and analyzed, and will be sent to General Assembly Council Executive Director John Detterick and to Wulff. Dooling said that in conversations with Wulff, he agreed to consider the results of Voices of Orthodox Women's survey, if the organization did not agree to release its mailing list. The press release ends by stating: "In keeping with the request of Research Services, VOW encourages all Presbyterians to communicate their opinions about the Women's Ministry program area in writing to: Women's Ministry Review/Research Services, 100 Witherspoon Street, Louisville, KY 40202."

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