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We are writing this letter in response to the question, “Why did we sign the complaint against Bishop Sprague of Illinois?” [“Holston members sign complaint against Chicago’s Bishop Sprague, Jan. 31, 2003 issue]
We signed the complaint against him because we believe his ideas and statements, which were expressed publicly, are contrary to United Methodist Doctrine. Specifically, in Chapter 4 of his book and in his speech at Illiff School of Theology, he stated that Jesus did not preach, teach Or describe Himself as stated in the Gospel of John. He described the virgin birth as a "theological myth", as poetical truth experienced by the early church.He affirmed that Jesus was born as the human son of Joseph and Mary in the normal human way – not of a virgin. He said that Jesus "did not possess trans-human supernatural powers.” In other words, He was not Born the Christ. Also Sprague said that Jesus' resurrection was not bodily resurrection but more abstract "resurrected Jesus power.” He rejected the Christian belief that Christ died for the sins of the world.
The fact that Sprague denies the uniqueness of Christ as the only way to salvation makes us wonder how he can retain his position as a bishop in the United Methodist Church. His words cast doubt on the very church he vowed to defend. His vows as a consecrated bishop were to "guard the faith, order, liturgy, doctrine and discipline of the Church against all that is contrary to God's Word."
Bishop Sprague has been challenged by a few of his fellow bishops on the Council of Bishops, but the charges against him have been dismissed, much to our dismay. We understand that the Response Team led by Bishop Ough called for Bishop Sprague to clarify and reaffirm his adherence to the doctrinal standards of the United Methodist Church.
It is unthinkable to us that the majority of bishops and pastors have been silent on this issue. Our church stands on basic Christian faith that was settled many centuries ago by the Apostles Creed and other statements of faith handed down from generation to generation. We as United Methodists expect our leaders to be faithful to the word of God and the Wesleyan doctrine that is foundational to our church. Where are we to turn when the leadership doesn't hold a bishop responsible to his vows? We are concerned that our clergy and bishops have not addressed these issues in the name of the United Methodist Church. We have been United Methodists for more than 45 years and feel responsible for having been asleep in the pews. When the young people of the church (now in their 30s) say they were not taught the Bible in Sunday school but a kind of secularized social gospel, it is time to stand up and bring our church back to the scriptures, back to true Wesleyan tradition.
When a bishop of the church writes a book and makes a speech at a seminary in which he denounces traditional Christian beliefs about Jesus' divinity, virgin birth, physical resurrection and performance of miracles as "idolatry", then he, as an ordained leader of the United Methodist Church, is spreading heresy and doubt as we understand it. This is unconscionable because he is supposed to uphold and defend the Truth of God, not reinvent or rewrite God's Word. I John 4:1-6talks about false teachers. In listening to Bishop Sprague, we must verify if what he says is from God and consistent with Christ's teaching.
We urge Bishop Chamberlain and all pastors in this conference to publicly let the members of their churches know where they stand on Bishop Sprague's dissent and revisionism of the apostolic faith. Their congregations read the papers and hear the controversy, but there is no word from their leaders on these specific public statements.
Toward the end of his life, John Wesley was disturbed by the apparent weakening of Methodist moral influence, evangelical commitment, and missional involvement. He wrote in 1786, "I am not afraid that the people called Methodists should ever cease to exist either in Europe or America: but I am afraid lest they should only exist as a dead sect, having the form of religion without the power. And undoubtedly this will be the case unlessthey hold fast the doctrine, spirit and discipline with which they first set out." Quoted from "Thoughts upon Methodist" by John Wesley in “The Works of John Wesley,” vol. 9.
If a bishop has doubts about Jesus and what is written about Him in Scripture, he needs to resign or go on a sabbatical to regain his Christian compass.
Gerald and Cornele Kersey
Broad Street UMC
Cleveland District
While studying for my sermon this Sunday, "What's So Great About Easter?" it occurred to me that Saint Paul in 1 Corinthians 15 has answered better than we, what people like Bishop Sprague are, who deny that Jesus Christ rose from the dead. Such are: 1)preaching an empty gospel; 2)holding to a meaningless faith; 3)lying about God; 4)guilty, still, of sin; 5) helpless/ hopeless to ever see again departed loved ones; 6)utter fools; 7)thinking like a crazy drunk, which is sin. According to Gordon Fee, "To deny the objective reality of Christ's resurrection is to have a faith considerably different from Paul's. One wonders whether such faith is still the CHRISTIAN
faith." I think that pretty well covers it.
Rev. Phyllis Hankins
Austin Springs UMC
Johnson City District
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