AUGUST NIC VOICE NEWSLETTER 2003

Volume 1, Number 5 August 2003

NIC VOICE is a growing network of concerned laity whose purpose is to provide balanced information and dialog within the Northern Illinois Conference (NIC).

NOTE: NIC VOICE is not an official publication of the Northern Illinois Conference or the United Methodist Church. See our Disclaimer below.

Have you shared the NIC VOICE Newsletter with other UMC members?

NIC VOICE Moody Broadcast Network – WMBI 90.1 Interview

NIC VOICE was interviewed recently by Roy Patterson, Community Relations Director at WMBI Chicago, part of the Moody Broadcasting Network. The interview originally aired in the Chicago area on WMBI 90.1 FM on Monday, July 21 at 6:12 AM as part of the Morning Show segment, God at Work: with Roy Patterson. Click Here to listen to this segment.

NIC VOICE Watershed Moment July 30, 2003 Updated Presentation is AVAILABLE on-line!

This presentation (July update) includes several updates to the notes, as well as the following new or updated sections:

More information about The Confessing Movement within the UMC (Slide 20 Notes)
New Slide - Renew, Women’s Program Arm, Good News (Slide 20)
New Slides – More detail on “Progressive” Groups (Slides 24-28)
New Slide – Reaction to Methodism@Risk (Slide 30)

Highlights from Watershed Moment Presentation Notes, Slide 120:

My ground is the Bible. Yea, I am a Bible bigot. I follow it in all things, both great and small."

John Wesley the Methodist, The Methodist Booked Concern, 1903

“On Corrupting the Word of God”, Sermon 136, Wesley says (emphasis added):

“[1.] The First and great mark of one who corrupts the word of God, is, introducing into it human mixtures; either the errors [heresies] of others, or the fancies of his own brain. To do this, is to corrupt it in the highest degree; to blend with the oracles of God, impure dreams, fit only for the mouth of the devil! And yet it has been so frequently done, that scarce ever was any erroneous [heretical] opinion either invented or received, but Scripture was quoted to defend it.

[2.] And when the imposture was too bare-faced, and the text cited for it appeared too plainly either to make against it, or to be nothing to the purpose, then recourse has usually been had to a Second method of corrupting it, by mixing it with false interpretations.

And this is done, sometimes by repeating the words wrong; and sometimes by repeating them right, but putting a wrong sense upon them; one that is either strained and unnatural, or foreign to the writer's intention in the place from whence they are taken; perhaps contrary either to his intention in that very place, or to what he says in some other part of his writings. And this is easily effected: Any passage is easily perverted, by being recited singly, without any of the preceding or following verses. By this means it may often seem to have one sense, when it will be plain, by observing what goes before and what follows after, that it really has the direct contrary:

For want of observing which, unwary souls are liable to be tossed about with every wind of doctrine, whenever they fall into the hand of those who have enough of wickedness and cunning, thus to adulterate what they preach, and to add now and then a plausible comment to make it go down the more easily. “ Read More

News and Press Mentions - NIC VOICE

NIC VOICE recognized by UM Voice

In the July 18 Issue 69, Speaking Out For A Return To Biblical Authority, UM Voice, included information about NIC VOICE. UM Voice's mission is to "inform, engage, and mobilize members of the UMC on issues that affect our denomination as well as our culture."

At the religious level, we need to all get outraged at statements and actions like those of Bishop Sprague. I am encouraged to see that a new group called "NIC Voice" has risen up to speak out against their conference's apostate Bishop, and my hope is that other groups of concerned laity would follow their example. You can check into this new ministry at:

www.nicvoice.org

Questions or comments about UM Voice may be directed to http://www.dueber.org/umvoice/comments.htm.
SUBSCRIPTIONS for UM Voice:http://www.dueber.org/umvoice/subscribe.htm

Upcoming NIC VOICE Presentations

NIC VOICE presented “Watershed Moment” at the Downer’s Grove public library on Tuesday, August 12, at 6:30 PM. Keep checking the NIC VOICE web site for a press release on this meeting.

NIC VOICE will be presenting “Watershed Moment” at the Wedron United Methodist Church on Tuesday, September 16, at 7:00 PM. This is an opportunity for you to invite someone who would be interested. For additional information, contact Karen Michelini at karenmichelini@yahoo.com or at (815) 638-2090.

NIC VOICE will be presenting “Watershed Moment” at the Pecatonica United Methodist Church, Fifth and Washington Streets; Pecatonica, IL, on Sunday, September 28, at 7:00 PM. This is an opportunity for you to invite someone who would be interested. For additional information, contact Rev. Tom Kingery at pecumc@aeroinc.net or at (815) 239-1110.

NIC VOICE has been invited to speak at the Forum for Evangelical Theology at Garrett Seminary on October 7th at 12:30 PM. The topic is “Contending for the Faith." The purpose of the Forum for Evangelical Theology (FET) is to engage in conversation about the Christian faith from an evangelical perspective. You can discover more about the Forum at www.wesleyanforum.org/fet/.

NIC VOICE informs laity regarding Northern Illinois Annual Conference Revised!

There have been numerous additions to the web site to NIC Annual Conference Information There are links to United Methodist News Service (UMNS) and United Methodist Reporter (UMR) reports on all of the Annual Conferences.

Northern Illinois Annual Conference Report PowerPoint Presentation
This new presentation summarizes the information you will find at the NIC VOICE Annual Conference section so that you can inform laity in your congregation about the Northern Illinois Annual Conference session.

”Open to All Statement” includes a list of the clergy and laity that signed this statement which has nine values listed, including, "We believe that all people, without regard to sexual orientation, race, gender, age, economic status, disabilities or ethnic origin should be able to be in full connection in the church without barriers to ordination, consecration, church membership or any ministry of the church."

NIC Annual Conference Agenda

Press Reports on NIC Annual Conference which include links to the UMNS and the NIC Conference web sites for in-depth articles, and including this Press Release:

United Methodist News Service Official Northern Illinois Conference Annual Report

Resolutions now updated to include a description of each resolution. This is an unofficial listing of all of the resolutions and the vote (not official), including commentary on some of the resolutions from the NIC web site article.

Resolutions of Concern which lists three resolutions, including:
Resolution 700-23 Reflecting the Love of God
Resolution 700-30 Supporting the Ministry of Bishop C. Joseph Sprague
Resolution 900-10 Making the Discipline More Inclusive

Election Results for information on both laity and clergy delegates elected to General and Jurisdictional Conference (official results are on in the UMNS and NIC reports); this listing on the NIC VOICE site notes the various endorsements for the delegates,

Sermons and Addresses which contains one sermon; Bishop Sprague's sermons are located Bishop Sprague's Conference Addresses and Sermons.

Bishop (Sprague) Answers Questions About Annual Conference Resolution 700-23 Reflecting the Love of God

Who Has Believed Our Report? by Faye Short at NICEA Luncheon at NIC Annual Conference, June 6, 2003

NIC VOICE Web Site Updates: www.nicvoice.org

Web site updates include:

		Bishop (Sprague) Answers Questions About Annual Conference Resolution 700-23 Reflecting the Love of God (August 1) Resolution 700-23, passed at the June session of Annual Conference, has raised questions from several quarters. To address these concerns, before Renewal Leave begins, with his permission, I am printing questions to me from James Blue, chair of the Northern Illinois Conference Evangelical Association (NICEA), and my responses to them. Read More
		Letter To The Editor by The NIC Delegation Chair, Vice-Chair And Secretary, July 18 In the July 18 edition of the Northern Illinois United Methodist Report, Volume 150 Number 10 a Letter to the Editor was published on the first page. It was from: The Rev. Myron McCoy (delegation chair), President, St. Paul School of Theology, Kansas City, MO. Harriet McCabe (delegation vice-chair), Grace UMC, Naperville Roger Curless (delegation secretary), Wesley UMC, Aurora The letter is titled: "Diversity of General/Jurisdictional Conference delegation characterizes Northern Illinois Conference". In this letter, the writers request that any web sites or publications that published the United Methodist Reporter article "Diverse delegation dedicated to inclusiveness.", June 20, to replace that article with "an affirmation of the diversity that is Northern Illinois." Read More
		Politicizing Holiness, Rev.Raymond Rooney, Pastor Verona-Palmetto United Methodist Charge Criticism from the upper echelons of the Church hierarchy is steadily streaming downward concerning the “dangers” of evangelicals in the Methodist Church and the awareness they are raising and the steps being taken to halt the march towards leftist political ideologies and liberal progressive theologies. Like the book written by Bishop Dale White and others called United Methodism @ Risk: A Wake-Up Call. The book warns that Methodism as we know it will cease to exist if the diabolical evangelicals have their way. Since there are few (if any) unapologetic and unafraid evangelicals in the Church hierarchy this is hardly surprising. However, their lament about the continued organizational successes and growing effectiveness of the renewal movement as a whole is very telling. Read More
		Heresy and the Connection, Dr. Riley Case, Assistant Executive Director, The Confessing Movement (July/August 2003 Newsletter) The dictionary defines heresy as "opinions held in opposition to commonly received doctrine, and tending to promote division or dissension." Mention of heresy is offensive to many United Methodists who are now defining the word exactly opposite of its original meaning. In the minds of some United Methodists (let’s start with bishops) it is not heresy that promotes division and dissension, but rather the suggestion that there is such a thing as heresy which promotes dissension. So we have the dismissal of the complaint against Bishop Joseph Sprague that Sprague’s published positions are contrary to the standards of doctrine established by the United Methodist Church. One gets the sense from the Supervisory Response Team that it is the complaint itself that should be on trial and not the stated positions of Bishop Sprague. Read More
		What is the Fight Really About? by Mark Tooley, UM Action, The Institute on Religion and Democracy In his July 10 article (“The Fighting Methodists”), Andrew Weaver uncritically accepts the hyperbolic claims of United Methodism @ Risk, a self-published outcry against conservative influence within the United Methodist Church. Read More
		UM Action Briefing (August 2003) Article: Bishop Sprague Assails "Christo-Centric Exclusivism" There he goes again! Bishop C. Joseph Sprague of Chicago, speaking at a United Methodist seminary, assailed "Christo-centric exclusivism that ipso facto prepares the soil of stiff-necked, exclusivistic arrogance." This kind of Christ-centered theology must be disavowed, he insisted." Read More
		Who Has Believed Our Report? by Faye Short at NICEA Luncheon at NIC Annual Conference, June 6, 2003 A narrow social justice agenda and an accommodation to secular standards seemed to guide the programs, policies and spending patterns of the Women's Division. Emphasis was placed upon "diversity," "pluralism," and latitude in Christian thinking. A statement from John Wesley's "Catholic Spirit" was often quoted, "If thine heart is as my heart, if thou lovest God and all mankind, I ask no more: give me thine hand." Wesley's clarifying statement in "Catholic Spirit" regarding Christian doctrine was not quoted, "…a catholic spirit is not speculative latitudinarianism," Wesley said, "It is not an indifference to all opinions; this is the spawn of hell, not the offspring of heaven. This unsettledness of thought, this being 'driven to and fro, and tossed about with every wind of doctrine' is a great curse, not a blessing, an irreconcilable enemy, not a friend to true catholicism." Wesley continued, "A man of truly catholic spirit has not now his religion to seek. He is fixed as the sun in his judgement concerning the main branches of Christian doctrine." When a report comes to us that we do not want to hear because it might impact our lives in hard ways, our response is often to ignore the report, refuse to examine the content, or to malign the messenger. But a question remains. What is the content of the report? Is the report true? Whose report is it? Read More
		Turning the Mainline Around, Christianity Today, Week of July 21"Judging by the recent headlines, the mainline Protestant denominations seem as liberal in theology as ever. United Methodist Bishop Joseph Sprague recently restated the old liberal creed for a Methodist seminary audience by asserting that Jesus was Joseph's biological son, that he never performed any supernatural miracles, that his body was never raised from the dead, and that the orthodox creeds of the historic church are true only to the extent that they mean something different than they say." "In response, a group of Methodist evangelicals slapped Sprague with a heresy complaint—his fourth so far. And for the fourth time Methodist officials dismissed the complaint out of hand, praising Sprague and dressing down the complainants. As Methodist theologian Richard Steele told Christianity Today, "It's hard to imagine any theological position that would get you convicted of heresy in the United Methodist Church—except, perhaps, for teaching that heresy deserves to be a chargeable offense." Read More
		Get The Facts Straight Before You Write the Book, by Dr. Bill Hinson, President, Board of Directors, The Confessing Movement. "... I believe the note of shrillness detected in the pages of United Methodism @ Risk can be traced to the seismic shift occurring in our denomination. More and more of our people are resonating with the call to biblical renewal. For all of us who are committed to Jesus as the Son of God, the Savior of the World, and the Lord of History, the word is not "progressive." The word is faithful." Read More
		Here I Stand For God's Sake -- Literally -- Let's Stop Battling. By Rev. Kathryn Johnson, Executive Director, Methodists for Social Action (MFSA) “Rather than battling over doctrine, I pray for the day when we can recognize God speaking through those who hold different perspectives. I sincerely believe that the church needs the gifts offered by all within our church family. It is entirely natural, and I believe healthy, for the church to live within the tension of conservatives who point us to ancient truths and progressives who point us to God's ongoing and ever-new revelation.” Read More
		Good News editor denies 'extremist' designation in editorial, by James V. Heidinger II Wilmore, Kentucky, President and Publisher of Good News Magazine Dr. James Heidinger in a Letter to the Editor, United Methodist Reporter, July 16, 2003, notes that, "Good News' constituency represents praying, loyal, tithing, committed Christians who are the heart and soul of our denomination. It is a disservice to us and to our constituency to label us as "extremists." That looks like a ploy to caricature and then dismiss us." Read More
		Bishops at fault, By John N. Grenfell, Jr., Fort Gratiot, Michigan John Grenfell, in a Letter to the Editor, United Methodist Reporter, July 9, 2003, regarding a proposed solution to fragmentation in the UMC by Cynthia Astile, UMR Editor, "I believe that much of the blame lies with the Council of Bishops for ignoring church polity and refusing to own its responsibility for the "whole church" ...The council's failure to follow the polity of General Conference "to plan for carrying into effect the rules, regulations and responsibilities prescribed and enjoined by General Conference" is at the heart of our fragmentation and drifting into factions." Read More
		"Risking Methodism", by D. Stephen Long, Associate Professor of Systematic Theology, Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary “At this point some persons will clearly think that Methodism@Risk is correct; people like me “threaten” John Wesley’s “think and let think.” But of course Wesley never thought one could think and let think about the heart of Christian doctrine – the Incarnation, Trinity, Virgin Birth, Bodily Resurrection – or a common quest for Christian holiness, which includes specific worship practices. That is why he gave us the gift of something called a “discipline,” Articles of Religion and a sermon called “the duty of constant communion.” He urged the Methodist people – out of “duty” – to frequent the Lord’s table as much as possible. If we have no common vision, doctrine, moral practice or worship life then we may as well become a confederation of independent churches. That is not Methodism, but recent Annual Conference actions tend in this direction.” “ If anything is under threat in the Methodist Church today it is this sense of a common teaching, practice and worship that comes from our own tradition, and it is under threat by both the so-called “progressivists” and the church-growth gurus who came up with the “open hearts, minds and doors” campaign. Can we take the risk of Methodism and recover a common life?” Read More
		Letter to the Editor of the United Methodist Reporter (unpublished) with permission, by Rev. Dr. Carol M. Norén, Wesley W. Nelson professor of homiletics, North Park Theological Seminary, Chicago. Read More
		Evidence for the Resurrection, by Rev. Wallace Cason, pastor of the Tupelo-St. Mark Charge. Summary of Bishop Sprague’s beliefs and then evidence for the physical resurrection of Christ: The resurrection reassures us that there is indeed a life after death and that it is as Jesus described it. The resurrection shows us that God accepted Jesus' sacrifice for our sins. The resurrection shows us that Jesus is exactly who he said he is. Read More
		Review: The Resurrection of the Son of God' by the Rev. N.T. Wright Throughout modern times, liberal scholars have challenged a central tenet of Christianity: that Jesus Christ rose bodily from the dead after being crucified by the Romans on Good Friday. The Rev. N.T. "Tom" Wright, who will be consecrated in July as bishop of Durham, the fourth-highest Church of England post, has just produced the most monumental defense of the Easter heritage in decades. Some argue modern science has taught us the Resurrection was impossible, as were other miracles. To Wright, it's silly to think first-century Christians were "ignorant of the fact that dead people stayed dead." They knew this, but were convinced Jesus was the one exception. Read More
		Report on the Consultation on Scriptural Authority by General Board of Discipleship This report sought to answer four questions: What kind of authority does Scripture have? How do we interpret Scripture? How does the interpretation affect our understanding of authority? How do we experience the power of Scripture in our lives? In the conclusion, it is noted that, "...we are convinced that we experience a divided church in crises, with vastly different, yet deeply held commitments." Read More

NIC VOICE Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) have been updated to include several questions of concern about NIC VOICE that we have received through Send Comments at the NIC VOICE - NIC (Northern Illinois Conference) Voice Home Page. One of these questions follows:

Q. My real concern is the question of whether a UM needs to subscribe to certain doctrines.

A. With regard to what we believe as members of the UMC, as stated in Paragraph 216 in the 2000 United Methodist Book of Discipline

“When persons unite with a local United Methodist church, they, or, if unable to answer for themselves, their parent(s), legal guardian(s), sponsor(s) or godparent(s), profess their faith in God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth; in Jesus Christ his only Son, and in the Holy Spirit. Thus, they make known their desire to live their daily lives as disciples of Jesus Christ. They covenant together with God and with the members of the local church to keep the vows which are a part of the order of confirmation and reception into the Church:

1. To renounce the spiritual forces of wickedness, reject the evil powers of the world, and repent of their sin;

2. To accept the freedom and power God gives them to resist evil, injustice, and oppression;

3. To confess Jesus Christ as Savior, put their whole trust in his grace, and promise to serve him as their Lord;

4. To remain faithful members of Christ’s holy church and serve as Christ’s representatives in the world;

5. To be loyal to The United Methodist Church and do all in their power to strengthen its ministries;

6. To faithfully participate in its ministries by their prayers, their presence, their gifts, and their service;

7. To receive and profess the Christian faith as contained in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments.

In addition, the Meaning of Membership in the UMC is stated at: Meaning of Membership in the United Methodist Church.

When describing our beliefs, the official UMC web site contains the following words, "Our Doctrinal Standards and General Rules.

What is a standard? Merriam Webster's defines a standard as, "something established by authority, custom, or general consent as a model or example: CRITERION".

Included in our Doctrinal Standards that describe the UMC view of the "Christian faith as contained in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments" is the following statement:

Article II—Of the Word, or Son of God, Who Was Made Very Man

The Son, who is the Word of the Father, the very and eternal God, of one substance with the Father, took man's nature in the womb of the blessed Virgin; so that two whole and perfect natures, that is to say, the Godhead and Manhood, were joined together in one person, never to be divided; whereof is one Christ, very God and very Man, who truly suffered, was crucified, dead, and buried, to reconcile his Father to us, and to be a sacrifice, not only for original guilt, but also for actual sins of men.

The complete Articles of Faith are located at: Our Doctrinal Standards and General Rules - Articles of Faith

UMC Beliefs are described at: United Methodist Beliefs

These are not standards or beliefs or opinions of NIC VOICE (although we affirm them), but the stated beliefs and standards of the United Methodist Church. The reason that these are important is that they reflect agreement with the Bible on the person and mission of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.

NIC VOICE Around the World

We have had visitors from the following countries (new in blue):

Argentina

Australia

Belgium

Brazil

Canada

Chile

China

Denmark

Egypt

France

Germany

Greece

Hong Kong

Hungary

Italy

Japan

Korea (South)

Malaysia

Mexico

Netherlands

Norway

Peru

Poland

Romania

Seychelles

Singapore

Sweden

Switzerland

Taiwan

Tanzania

Thailand

Turkey

United Kingdom

United States

USSR (former)

NIC VOICE COMMENTS From Clergy and Laity

Give me the One Who is really the Risen Lord over Bishop Sprague's "emerging church's experience of his resurrected presence in their midst." This is all just a re-packaging of Jesus Christ as a "myth to help us organize our lives." I want to thank Bishop Sprague for inspiring so many orthodox Christians to be very clear about what and Who we hold dear.

Once upon a time I was standing up to speak before what seemed to be some sort of self-help group. I said, "Hi, my name is Jamie. I'm a recovering liberal." Then I woke up from my dream. The dream was a parallel process to my waking world as I had come to the conclusion that, in my theological sophistication, I had thrown out a few babies and kept a lot of bathwater. I returned to my evangelical, orthodox roots 7 or 8 years ago, and have never regretted it. I believe that Scripture speaks Truth far better than the sound of my own fallible reason. I really do believe the Apostle's Creed! If Bishop Sprague offers a solution, I can't even imagine what could possibly be the question! It's just amazing to me how years and years of biblical and church tradition can so casually be brushed aside in favor of the "cause of the day." I was 21 when I went to seminary and enamored with "new ideas" and all things liberal. This didn't ultimately add real value to my life or those I sought to serve. Call me boring, but give me orthodoxy over what Bishop Sprague offers up any day! Give me the One Who is really the Risen Lord over Bishop Sprague's "emerging church's experience of his resurrected presence in their midst." This is all just a re-packaging of Jesus Christ as a "myth to help us organize our lives." I want to thank Bishop Sprague for inspiring so many orthodox Christians to be very clear about what and Who we hold dear.

--Rev. Jamie R. Westlake, Cypress Lake UMC, Ft. Myers, FL

In Northern Illinois Conference I really believe the laity are the key to reversing the radical positions taken, or at least seeking a balance.

The clergy selection process presently does not encourage evangelical pastors to enter this conference. But it must be understood most active pastors prefer focusing on pasturing the local church and serving the local community; especially knowing the power of the bishop’s office, and this particular one’s tactics to control and to suppress. They are also counting on this being his last year as our bishop—why stir things up?

I appreciate your efforts to bring Spirit-sensitive, evangelical, and prayerful influence.

--Carl J. Zager, Mt. Carroll, IL

Doctrinal Issues Comparison Chart

Is Jesus “God with Us” sent by God to earth conceived by the Virgin Mary, or did he have two human parents, Mary and an unnamed father?

Bishop C. Joseph Sprague

Affirmations of a Dissenter: Chapter 4, "Fully Human Jesus" (underlined added for emphasis)

UMC BOD Articles of Faith

Article VII (excerpts with underlining for emphasis)

Holy Bible (NIV)

Colossians 2: 9-10

"Thus, if the Virgin Birth did not occur in a physical historical sense, if Jesus were born of human parents, as I affirm he was, and if Jesus did not possess trans-human super-natural powers, as I do not believe he did, what sense can we make of the miraculous stories about him in the gospel accounts?”

"The Son, who is the Word of the Father… of one substance with the Father, took man's nature in the womb of the blessed Virgin; so that two whole and perfect natures, that is to say, the Godhead and Manhood, were joined together in one person…. was crucified, dead, and buried, to reconcile his Father to us, and to be a sacrifice, not only for original guilt, but also for actual sins of men."

"Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel". Isaiah 7:14

"For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and you have been given fullness in Christ, who is the head over every power and authority."

Was Jesus physically resurrected to a glorified, physical body, or was his body buried, stolen or lost and his resurrection spiritual?

Bishop C. Joseph Sprague

From transcript speech at Illif in Denver, Colorado

UMC BOD Articles of Faith

Article III (excerpts with underlining for emphasis)

Holy Bible (NIV)

I Corinthians 15:16-19

"I affirm resurrection, the resurrection of Jesus. God’s essence cannot be killed, buried, or kept from being alive in creation or history. God is from everlasting to everlasting. But, resurrection, including that of Jesus, does not include bodily resuscitation."

"Christ did truly rise again from the dead, and took again his body, with all things appertaining to the perfection of man's nature, wherewith he ascended into heaven, and there sitteth until he return to judge all men at the last day." (Underlining added for emphasis)

"For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep [died] in Christ are lost. If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men."

Is Jesus the way of salvation offered to all people, or one of other ways to God?

Bishop C. Joseph Sprague

From transcript speech at Illif in Denver, Colorado

UMC Book of Discipline Articles of Faith

Article XXI (excerpts with underlining for emphasis)

Holy Bible (NIV)

Acts 4:12

John 14: 6

"Having so affirmed Jesus as God’s unique and normative revelation, I must dissent from Christocentric exclusives which hold that Jesus is the only way to God’s gift of salvation. Such an arrogant claim stands over and against the inclusive Jesus of the synoptics and limits God in ways that humans cannot and must not."

"… The offering of Christ once made, is that perfect redemption, propitiation, and satisfaction for all the sins of the whole world, both original and actual; and there is none other satisfaction for sin but that alone…"

"Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved."

"Jesus answered, 'I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me'."

Was Jesus’ death on the cross a substitutionary atonement to pay for our sins and reconcile us to God, or simply an example of discipleship?

Bishop C. Joseph Sprague

From transcript of speech at Illif and

"Fully Human Jesus" (underlined added for emphasis)

UMC BOD Articles of Faith

Article VIII (excerpts with underlining for emphasis)

Holy Bible (NIV)

Hebrews 9:14-15

"Nevertheless, I find the substitutionary atonement theory, which is but one of several Christian theories of atonement, to be at odds with other images of God reflected by the witness of Jesus and experienced by this writer."

"While sacrifice as an act of discipleship is essential for all of us as it was for Jesus, the concept of blood sacrifice to appease God is superstition at best and an idolatrous allegiance to a non-Jesus methodology of God-human relationship at worst."

"How much more, then, will the blood of Christ who through the eternal Sprit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God! For this reason, Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance--now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant."

He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come see the place where he lay. (Matthew 28:6) )

What can we do?

Learn More About Jesus' Resurrection and Gift of Salvation

Individual and Corporate Prayer

Send Expression of Concern to UMC Bishops

Send petitions for accountability to General Conference

Continue to stay informed

Schedule a presentation of "Watershed Moment" using the downloaded PowerPoint presentation at your church or at a public facility to invite churches in your area

Network to inform laity and with other laity and laity/clergy led groups by sending the NIC VOICE newsletter or Press Release!

Hold a small group series or summer adult education study using the resources you will find at NIC VOICE and focus on the key doctrinal issues

WATERSHED MOMENT

It is important that we not allow the passing of what Bishop Ough’s Supervisory Team has characterized as a “Watershed Moment” without examining their dismissal of recent charges brought against Bishop Sprague. More importantly, presentations and discussions such as this forum will allow United Methodists throughout the Northern Illinois Conference and beyond an opportunity to decide for themselves what they believe to be the Biblical Truth about the doctrines that are at the root of this controversy.

The charges in the complaint against Bishop Sprague state that his positions are contrary to the Statement of Faith in the United Methodist Book of Discipline. This controversy became public when a transcript of Bishop Sprague’s speech at Iliff Seminary was released in the summer of 2002. Subsequent to that, Chapter 4 of his book, “Affirmations of a Dissenter” was released by Bishop Sprague on the NIC web site.

In the fall of 2002, the UMReporter published a series of articles contrasting excerpts from Chapter 4 of Bishop Sprague’s book with the published response of Bishop Whitaker.

In addition, various renewal groups officially within the UMC, as well as other groups not officially connected, have covered various aspects of this controversy on their web sites. They have published information and opinions about the complaint that was made by a group of laity and clergy late in 2002, and the subsequent dismissal in February of 2003. These groups provide a forum for this and other issues of concern within the UMC.

MISSION

NIC VOICE is a growing network of concerned laity whose purpose is to provide balanced information and dialog within the Northern Illinois Conference of the UMC about Doctrinal Issues raised by the Bishop Sprague Complaint & Dismissal.

This is in harmony with the recommendations by the Supervisory Response Team's dismissal of charges. They urged that the laity become involved in the process of "serious theological reflection on issues of Biblical Authority, Christology and the Mission of the Church".

Questions or comments about NIC VOICE may be directed to: nicvoice@nicvoice.org.

NIC VOICE offers the laity within NIC churches an opportunity to become more INFORMED:

Upon invitation from a NIC church or group, NIC VOICE will provide a speaker to conduct a presentation entitled "Discussion of Theological and Doctrinal Issues in the UMC Raised by the Bishop Sprague Complaint & Dismissal", or
You may choose to conduct the presentation 'in-house', using the NIC VOICE Watershed Moment Presentation, at a single meeting or in a series of studies on these key doctrinal issues of: