I think Bud says about the turn to the world, “In so doing they decided to emphasize Cultural Studies over Religious Studies”. 

 In my memory it had less to do with studies and more to do with strategy.  Joe Mathews came back from a world church meeting that declined to confirm the Order Ecumenical as an entity.  That and other dynamics led to a decision to shift from focusing on the local church as the change agent in history (a la HRN) to a direct facilitation method in the community, public and private sectors with LENS and then ICA Facilitation.  Along with the Global Demonstration Projects and the ‘whistle points,’ the ICA became a strategic attempt to create a consensus based societal direction.  Many of us took those methods and models into a variety of corporate, community and non-profit entities.

 That in turn involved looking at the dynamics that created and sustained a context that was derived from RS-1 but expressed in non-theological language.  Formal Christian language and symbolism had become a restricting dynamic in addressing and engaging a wider audience.

 My take anyway.  And apologies for the wordy rant in my previous response.  I get that way sometimes.

 FWIW

 Bill Schlesinger