Group files complaint against Bishop Sprague
1/9/2003 News media contact: Kathy Gilbert · (615) 742-5470 · Nashville, Tenn. NOTE: A head-and-shoulders photograph of Bishop C. Joseph Sprague is available.
A
group of United Methodist clergy and laypeople has filed a complaint
against Bishop C. Joseph Sprague of Chicago, calling for his removal
based on comments that he made about Christ's divinity last year.
Twenty-eight
people from 11 annual conferences, including six of the 12 annual
conferences in the North Central Jurisdiction, have signed the
complaint. The Rev. Thomas Lambrecht, group spokesman and pastor of
Faith Community United Methodist Church in Greenville, Wis., announced
the filing Jan. 7.
The group cites comments made by Sprague in a
Jan. 28, 2002, speech at United Methodist-related Iliff School of
Theology in Denver and in his recent book, Affirmations of a Dissenter,
published by Abingdon Press.
"In his address and book, Bishop
Sprague appears to deny the apostolic, orthodox, and ecumenical
Trinitarian understanding of Jesus as God in favor of a form of
Unitarianism or 'adoptionism' that denies the virgin birth and full
deity of Christ," Lambrecht said. "He denies the physical resurrection
of Christ's body. He maintains that Jesus Christ is not the only way to
salvation and appears to deny the substitutionary atonement of Christ
through his sacrificial death on the cross.
"These positions of
Bishop Sprague are all contrary to the standards of doctrine established
by the United Methodist Church, particularly as stated in the Articles
of Religion and the Confession of Faith," Lambrecht said.
In his
speech at Iliff, Sprague discussed "who Jesus the risen Christ is for
me" - a fully human Jesus. The bishop admitted his comments would sound
offensive to some, but he said he did not intend to offend anyone.
"My
hope is to encourage confused believers or those who yearn to believe,
especially those who want to affirm Jesus but find little meaning in the
stilted Christological language of the ancient creeds," he said then.
When
reached for comment about the complaint, Sprague said: "There are many
things that could be said, but my understanding is that the complaint
process is supposed to be confidential. So, given the disciplinary
procedures requiring confidentiality, I must choose to say nothing."
Sprague's
views stirred debate within the church. One of the most widely
circulated responses came from Bishop Timothy Whitaker of the Florida
Area.
"I wrote a response to Bishop Sprague, and when I sent out
the response I also sent a letter to members of Council of Bishops,"
Whitaker told United Methodist News Service. "In the letter I rejected
the suggestion that a complaint should be filed against Bishop Sprague.
"The
reason I reject the suggestion is partly because I don't think it is
clear that he has violated the teaching of our church on the issue of
the divinity of Christ. I certainly have been very tough on asking
questions, and I think he said things that make people wonder what his
view is, but I believe he should have the opportunity to answer those
questions."
Retired Bishop Richard B. Wilke, who was asked to
review the manuscript of Sprague's book, described being "taken aback by
the flap" over Sprague's comments.
"The book is primarily a social witness, but the flap is over his Christology, his understanding of Jesus," Wilke said.
"He
has a little material in the book that tells how he had to come out of a
very conservative upbringing to a new understanding of the faith when
he was an adult," Wilke said. "From the point of view of many
theologians, including myself, I would say I found his Christology - his
understanding, for example, of the virgin birth or the resurrection -
not the same as mine or as most Methodists'. But the reason I was
thrilled with the book is because of his social witness. I think he
understands the spirit of Jesus, and that is what the book is about."
Wilke
said Sprague is "under the influence of Jesus" and added that his
social witness is in harmony with many of the United Methodist Church's
Social Principles. "My hope is people will read the book, even though
they will not agree with everything, to see his tremendous social
witness."
The complaint alleges that Sprague committed two
chargeable offenses as defined in Paragraph 2702 of the Book of
Discipline: 1) dissemination of doctrines contrary to the established
standards of doctrine of the United Methodist Church and 2) disobedience
to the order and discipline of the church.
The bishop allegedly
violated the order and discipline of the United Methodist Church by
using his office "to undermine and overturn the apostolic faith and the
theological traditions of the United Methodist Church." The Book of
Discipline requires bishops "to teach and uphold the theological
traditions of The United Methodist Church."
The 28 signers of the
complaint are from the Detroit, Iowa, North Indiana, West Michigan,
West Ohio, Wisconsin, Alaska Missionary, Central Pennsylvania, Holston,
Kentucky and North Central New York conferences.
Pat Miller,
executive director of the Confessing Movement, said she has received
numerous calls from regular "people in the pews" upset over Sprague's
comments. Her organization, with offices in Indianapolis, is an
unofficial United Methodist group that describes itself as a renewal
movement in the church.
Miller added that this has motivated
many to become more active and involved in the future of the United
Methodist Church. "In some ways it is strengthening the church in the
classical biblical faith because now people are saying that is not what
we believe. We do believe the Bible is the Word of God, that Jesus is
the Son of God and that Jesus is the way to salvation."
One of
the signers, David Stanley of Muscatine, Iowa, is a member of the
Confessing Movement's board of directors. Three others - Lambrecht, the
Rev. William Hines of Upper Sandusky, Ohio, and the Rev. Bradley Knepp
of Mount Holly Springs, Pa. - are on the board of directors of Good
News, a United Methodist renewal movement with offices in Wilmore, Ky.
The
complaint was filed with Bishop Bruce R. Ough, president of the College
of Bishops for the North Central Jurisdiction. The complaint asks that
this matter be brought to investigation, and if sustained, "that Bishop
Sprague either (publicly) renounce his contrary teaching and maintain
his teaching within the doctrinal standards of the United Methodist
Church, or that he resign (or be removed) from his office and surrender
his credentials of ordination."
The Book of Discipline states
that when a complaint is filed against a bishop, the president of the
jurisdictional college of bishops shall make a supervisory response. The
response is "directed toward a just resolution and/or reconciliation
among all parties." This may include consultation with the
jurisdictional committee on episcopacy or voluntary mediation in which a
neutral, trained mediator or mediation team is brought in.
The
supervisory response "is not a judicial process," the book states. If
the response doesn't lead to a resolution, the case could be referred to
a bishop from another jurisdiction or central conference or a pastor
from the same jurisdiction or conference. That person would serve as
church counsel, representing the denomination in pressing the complaint.
The counsel would sign the complaint and forward it to a committee on
investigation. From there, the complaint would go through a clearly
defined process. Meanwhile, efforts for resolution would continue.
The
committee would have the power to call witnesses and hold hearings
during its investigation. If it decided that the charges were valid, it
could recommend that a trial be held. In that case, a trial court of 13
United Methodist clergy members would be convened. Nine votes would be
needed to convict. With a conviction, the court would have the power to
impose a number of penalties, some severe - such as expulsion from the
church - and some less so.
Whitaker said the judicial process is
not ideal for handling the case involving Sprague, but that the current
system provides no other way to address concern about someone's
adherence to doctrinal standards. "I believe we need to look at our
procedures and see if we need something that is a little different (and)
that enables us to have more dialogue before we go to the judicial
process."
# # #
*Gilbert is a news writer for United Methodist News Service in Nashville, Tenn.
The signers of the complaint, along with each person's annual conference, are:
· Rev. Robert H. Gamble, Iowa Annual Conference
· Rev. William A. Hines, West Ohio Annual Conference
· Rev. Thomas Lambrecht, Wisconsin Annual Conference
· David M. Stanley, Iowa Annual Conference
· Rev. David Wallis, Detroit Annual Conference
· Rev. Warren Walmer, North Indiana Annual Conference
· Rev. Ward Pierce, West Michigan Annual Conference
· Al Rhonemas, West Ohio Annual Conference
· Stephen F. Dirks, Wisconsin Annual Conference
· Rev. S. Stephen Foster, Wisconsin Annual Conference
· Cam Carlson and Robert F. Carlson, Alaska Missionary Conference
· Thomas Hallinan, Alaska Missionary Conference
· Penny Murrills, Alaska Missionary Conference
· Pat Turner, Alaska Missionary Conference
· Sonja J. Younker, Alaska Missionary Conference
· Emily Wennen, Alaska Missionary Conference
· Rev. Bradley C. Knepp, Central Pennsylvania Annual Conference
· Rev. Gene W. McCallips, Central Pennsylvania Annual Conference
· Rev. Buford W. Hankins, Holston Annual Conference
· Rev. Phyllis L. Hankins, Holston Annual Conference
· Gerald B. Kersey and Cornele Kersey, Holston Annual Conference
· Robert E. Moore, Holston Annual Conference
· Rev. Mark D. Walz, Kentucky Annual Conference
· Patrick G. McHenry, North Central New York Annual Conference
· Keith and Diane Sherwood, North Central New York Annual Conference
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