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Dr. D. James Kennedy
C/o Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church
5555 N. Federal Highway
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33308
Dear Jim:
Just moments ago, Elliot Miller, editor-in-chief of the Christian Research Journal, informed me that you recently sent an open letter to one of our long-time donors making very serious and damaging accusations against me. These allegations amount to a serious case of slander.
In the past it has been my policy not to defend myself against such personal attacks. However, in this case I have been counseled by a number of respected Christian leaders who have a full grasp of the circumstances to write you this letter. I pray that it might be a catalyst for personal reconciliation.
There is a sharp distinction between your attacks on my integrity and my critiques of aspects of your theology. While it is true that I have publicly commented on your book The Real Meaning of the Zodiac, I have not, as you allege, called you "a heretic."
The charge of "rank heresy" was not leveled at you. It was a specific response to a Word of Faith teacher named Creflo Dollar and the teaching that God created Adam as an exact duplicate of Himself. Secondarily, it was directed at the seemingly endless stream of heresies flowing out of the Trinity Broadcasting Network. Nor did I assert that you believe in "the ancient pagan idea of astrology." I did call into question what you yourself refer to as "Biblical Astrology" (Real Meaning, 6). Additionally, my concern is not that you use TBN as a platform for your ministry but that you are now actively soliciting people to send their money to an organization that blatantly peddles heresy.
I summarized my concerns with your book and your subsequent TBN promotions by noting three major problems. (1) The Gospel in the Stars (GIS) theory, as you promote it, is a denial of the formal principle of the Protestant Reformation, namely, sola Scriptura. (2) GIS confuses special and general revelation and militates against the Westminster Confession, the very confession you subscribe to as an ordained minister in the Presbyterian Church in America. (3) GIS pours superstitious meanings into the arrangement of the stars. For example, the centaur you say God placed in the sky as an illustration of the dual natures of Christ comes from Greek mythology rather than Christian theology and at best serves as a symbol for ancient Eutychian heresy. This heresy held that the two natures of Christ were blended in such a way as to produce a hybrid being that was neither fully God nor fully man.
I do not stand alone in my concern regarding what you are teaching. For example, Dr. Norman Geisler specifically pled with you in writing to give up this notion as recently as December 19, 2000. Quite frankly, Jim, your GIS contentions are hardly original when placed side by side with the teachings of people ranging from Frances Rolleston to Marilyn Hickey. And GIS is just the tip of the iceberg.
In recent years I have become increasingly concerned as you have publicly begun to promote a broad assortment of "magic apologetics" ranging from secret Bible Codes (ELS) to millennial mythology. In 1999 you publicly castigated fellow pastors for not warning their flocks about Y2K. You then proceeded to pass on a variety of spurious stories to validate your premise that for the unprepared Y2K would "be very similar to walking into a spinning airplane propeller" (sermon, Jan. 17, 1999). It was one thing to fall for sophistry and sloppy journalism, Jim, but why did you continue to promote it after I gave you details and documentation that demonstrate that you were disseminating false information (letter, Aug. 13, 1999)?
Furthermore, why does the 1999 edition of your apologetics book titled Why I Believe appeal to a fourth century forgery to substantiate the historicity of Christ (p. 106)? Such sensational information sells books but when seekers discover its falsity they may well assume the gospel also lacks credibility.
Or why do you promote the video series titled Secrets of the Bible Codes Revealed-Most Amazing Discovery of the 20th Century? This despite the fact that Bible codes are little more than a fringe variety of Jewish mysticism repackaged for devotees by Christian and Muslim leaders. It is a rigged "game" complete with after-the-fact prophecies and self-validating messages virtually identical to those used by psychics. This arcane diversion does little more than shift the focus of biblical apologetics from the essential core of the gospel - the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ - to esoteric speculations.
Quite apart from GIS, Y2K, and ELS, it is chilling to see you blatantly raising money for TBN. I expect to see Benny Hinn or John Avanzini as pitchmen for Paul Crouch; I never expected to see you soliciting people to send their "love gifts" to TBN-or for that matter to give Paul and Jan Crouch a platform at Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church.
Frankly, although it is not pleasant for my family to deal with the physical threats of men like Paul Crouch, it is far more difficult for me to deal with your accusations. The second most dangerous thing in the world may be a loaded gun, the first, however, is the human tongue. Crouch's physical threats, "Get out of God's way! Quit blocking God's bridges, or God's gonna shoot you if I don't!" or Benny Hinn's threat, "Your little ones may suffer because of your stupidity_you will pay and your children will...you are in danger," are one thing. Your slanderous accusations are quite another.
Before I move on to the second purpose of this letter-namely to address your accusations-let me reiterate the fact that I have never publicly commented on your morals or ethics. Nor have I commented on the morals or ethics of Paul and Jan Crouch. As you well know, I went out of my way to shield you from public embarrassment over the Griffith affair. If you understood the ministry and mission of CRI better, you would not interpret my public comments about your theological aberrations as a personal attack. This is not about you and me, Jim. It is about people who make life decisions based on unbiblical teachings and the subjectivism of our age.
Regarding your allegation of plagiarism, Jim, you know better! First, this is old news. To bring it up again because I rebutted your teaching on "biblical astrology" is beneath your dignity. In my summary memo to you October 31, 1995, I provided you and your publisher details and documentation as follows:
As discussed, I developed Personal Witness Training (PWT) while teaching two classes at Mt. Paran Church of God (around 1983). At the time, I was teaching a class titled "Your Memory and the Proverbs: Keys for Successful Daily Living" on Wednesday and Evangelism Explosion on Thursday. Many people attended both classes and were excited about how easily they were able to memorize Proverbs. They urged me to apply the same techniques in my teaching of EE.
As you will recall, I demonstrated the memory techniques I developed for Evangelism Explosion to both you and principals at EE while serving as a consultant to your ministries. Although there was initial interest on your part and others to further explore the possibilities of making Evangelism Explosion inherently memorable, in the end it was decided that the broad use in circulation of EE materials would make any major modification prohibitive.
As time progressed, I conceived of a method for taking the basic biblical principles encapsulated in the EE presentation and associating them with the features of a person's face and parts of their body. In this way, whenever you shared the gospel, you could use the features of the person with whom you're communicating to remind you of all the essential points. To make the teaching process fun and easy, I developed a character named "Evangel, the Good News Bear."
Evangel the Good News Bear is not the only feature of PWT that is markedly different from Evangelism Explosion. For example, the gospel presentation itself (see pages 5-10) is substantially different from the one you developed for Evangelism Explosion.
Although I initially used PWT as an outreach program at Mt. Paran Church of God, by and large I have used PWT and Evangel the Good News Bear during memory training sessions as an illustration of how someone can quickly and easily learn and communicate the good news of the gospel. While many churches and denominations have for years modified EE to their own uses (often without any credit or attribution), I have consistently supported and recommended Evangelism Explosion as an ongoing training program for use by local churches. Although I initially shared with you a prototype of the Personal Witness Training manual, the enclosed manual is substantially the same.
Furthermore, PWT is not some big deal. It has never even been given to a publisher. It has simply been used as my personal method of equipping committed Christians to share the gospel. Additionally, I self-published these training materials for my students at Mt. Paran Church of God in Atlanta. Later, at my own cost, I produced PWT manuals for others who wanted a personal study method for learning to share their faith. And as I have communicated to you personally and in writing (March 11, 1996):
I acknowledge you as the primary source and inspiration for Personal Witness Training; that PWT is a training manual and that training manuals by definition take proven concepts and demonstrate how to apply and use them; that I continually point people and churches to Evangelism Explosion, not only during memory training seminars (such as the one I did at CRPC), but also on other appropriate occasions; and that the uniqueness of Personal Witness Training lies not in its being an "original" presentation of the gospel (I don't know of anyone who can improve on Jesus, Paul, or Peter's methods recorded for us in Scripture), but because it takes the time-honored principles of evangelism exemplified in Evangelism Explosion and in a unique way shows how to memorize and apply those principles with confidence through an inherently memorable training process.
Finally, let me quote a portion of a letter sent to me on your behalf by your publisher March 1, 1996:
Thank you for your letter of several months ago, in which you explained the background of your relationship with James Kennedy and the reasons for the perceived similarities between his book Evangelism Explosion and your Personal Witness Training manual. Based on the information now in hand, I am satisfied that no harm has been done to Dr. Kennedy, to Evangelism Explosion, or to Tyndale House Publishers.
Ironically, while the letter goes on to state that you told Tyndale House that you were "not interested in pursuing the issue," the most recent letter you are circulating is but one that has been brought to my attention. (For example, your slanderous correspondence last year with a well-known skeptic is also posted on the Web.) Jim, I have never retaliated. Nor have I attempted to defend myself. In fact, to the present I continue to urge churches to adopt EE as their evangelism program. No one knows that better than Walter Martin's brother-in-law, Everett Jacobson, who has continued on CRI's board for almost 40 years and has been an EE teacher/trainer for as long as I have known him.
To now suggest that you do not want to sue me because you "did not think that is what a Christian ought to do" and then to proceed to defame me is at best disingenuous. Do you think slander is more noble than suing?
Which leads me to the next piece of misinformation you are presently circulating-namely that I plagiarized Walter Martin's materials. Jim, I would humbly ask you to immediately come up with the goods or send me an unqualified apology. Let me quote Elliot Miller, who was Walter Martin's most senior and trusted editor and researcher during the entire decade of the 1980s:
Regarding Hank plagiarizing Walter Martin, is this another one of those allegations against Hank that Dr. Kennedy in his open letter says that he doesn't have the time to research, but still feels free to make public? I worked directly under Walter for 13 years, nine of which I served as his chief editor. Along with Gretchen Passantino, I personally wrote, edited, or contributed to most of the written material that bore his name during those years. What I didn't personally contribute to I was intimately familiar with. It has never once crossed my mind that Hank has ever plagiarized Walter. What specific documents is Dr. Kennedy referring to? I watch Hank laboring over his numerous books and articles and he writes every single word. He has people helping him with research and editing, but if he is anything - to a fault (since he is such a perfectionist) - he is an original writer.
Furthermore, contrary to the hearsay you are circulating, I became the leader of CRI several months before Walter died. This is a matter of record (board minutes, tapes from Walter Martin's Sunday school classes, memoranda and notes from staff meetings, etc.). In the months before his death he finally "washed his hands" of the day-to-day leadership. While retaining a titular presidency he handed the direction of the ministry over to me as executive vice-president. That's why when Walter died there was no question as to who was in charge. As our board minutes clearly record, Walter Martin's full board (with me abstaining) unanimously voted me in as president.
Finally, what has caused you to suddenly make an issue of this after all these years? And why have you suddenly stepped up your campaign of disseminating misinformation by circulating your most recent letter? Could it have anything to do with my critique of your "biblical astrology" as well as your fundraising efforts on behalf of TBN? On July 27, 1992, you wrote,
I am quite enthusiastic about Hank Hanegraaff and his ministry at the Christian Research Institute. Having known him since his conversion here at Coral Ridge Church, and having watched his remarkable growth in grace and knowledge to his present stature as an international Christian leader, I am tremendously impressed by what the Lord has done in him, and is doing through him. He is a worthy successor to the ministry begun by Dr. Walter Martin and I thank God for him and CRI.
Like you, Walter's widow, Darlene Martin, was once one of my most ardent supporters. She asked me to conduct both the private funeral service as well as the public memorial service for Walter-hardly something you would ask of someone who had obtained his position "by methods that were less than ethical." At the memorial service, Darlene herself made it clear that Walter had chosen me to lead CRI into the future:
Walt and I talked often about who would take over for him at CRI if the Lord ever were to take him home. Since last October, Walter asked Hank Hanegraaff to work with him and to be that man. Little did we know that it would come this soon. But Hank is the man that Walter wanted to lead CRI and I am eternally grateful to this man for the uplifting that he has done for me in these past few days, and he is a godsend and I am so grateful for him, and for his family who are here. And I know that the Lord is going to bless CRI, and in continuing the ministry is going to flourish under his direction. And I just thank the Lord for him.
Our research staff recently apprized me of the fact that some of those who are committed to undermine me and the ministry of CRI have sought to dismiss Darlene's remarks by suggesting that on her way up to the podium Darlene was handed a script of what to say. This conspiratorial notion is soundly refuted by the video of the memorial service and is not particularly flattering to Darlene. It's one thing to suggest that Darlene was deceived at her husband's funeral; it is another to suggest that she would go along with the deception for the next seven years as a member of CRI's board of directors. For example, on June 7, 1994 she wrote,
How very grateful I am to the Lord for you!
It was no coincidence the day you met Walter Martin; the day you took the number two position at CRI; the day you said, "yes" and became a member of the Board of Directors of CRI! All of this was according to God's plan for you and CRI. You were there when Walt went home to be with the Lord. You were there when the board called you to be the president of CRI-again, a part of God's plan.
Darlene (letter enclosed) goes on to rejoice in the fact that "the Bible Answer Man show has reached unprecedented heights and continues to be a beacon for the truth of the Gospel and listeners questions are being answered and people are being brought to the Lord." Obviously Darlene has had a change of heart since she wrote this and numerous other warm and supportive letters. While I cannot and would not disclose privileged board information in this forum, it is a matter of public record that the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA) prohibits any officer, director, or principal of a member organization from receiving royalties for materials sold through the organization. Our commitment to follow this standard set into motion Darlene's falling out in her relationship with us.
Let me conclude with a word about your innuendos regarding my qualifications. I may not have written "almost 50 books" as you claim for yourself, but I actually wrote every one of my books. Further, my work in radio should speak for itself. Every day, Monday through Friday, I answer questions live on virtually every possible challenging topic for a weekly audience of over 6.3 million. And the response from listeners whose lives are changed is simply overwhelming. I have watched my life and doctrine closely and am persevering. I am the father of eight children who all love the Lord. I have never claimed to be anything other than a layman that God has condescended to use. As I encourage my radio listeners over and over, anything I can do you can do and most of you can do better.
In summary, I have bared my soul in this letter to document what I have already told you in person. As I said at the outset it is my sincere desire that God might use this letter as a catalyst for reconciliation. I do want to make it clear, however, that I am no longer going to sit back and allow you to slander me to our donors and the public. Theological differences are one thing. These false accusations are quite another.
Sincerely,
Hank Hanegraaff
President
1 Timothy 4:11-16
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