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December, Volume 1, Issue 9 |
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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. |
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Click Here for Christianity Today Resources:
And
the angel said to them, "Be not afraid; for behold, I bring you good
news of a great joy which will come to all the people; for to you is
born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord."
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Have you visited the NIC VOICE Comments Section lately? SIX new Comments have been added. |
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Have you visited the NIC VOICE Resources & Links Section? Great resources are added frequently! Check it out!
Q: Doesn’t the Bible teach we shouldn’t have disagreements with each other? A. This answer is from "Developing the Art of Gracious Disagreement - Surviving Church Conflict": "Conflict is unavoidable and not necessarily bad. We don't need to feel guilty just because we are involved in church conflict. Trouble is unavoidable. Conflict will come. It comes to the best of churches, to the best of spiritual leaders, to the best of church boards, and to the best of friendships. Conflict came to Jesus and His inner circle. It came between Paul and Barnabas, and Paul and Peter. Conflict came not only to the immature church of Corinth, but to the much more mature church in Philippi. Conflict came to the inner circle of Christ even after He had served them communion on the night of His betrayal." In addition, "Paul, however, never asked for the kind of oneness that compromises the interests or doctrines of Christ. Just as important, Paul never encouraged us to protect or cover one another at the expense of what is right or true. Look again at Galatians 2:11-16 and Philippians 2:1-5. While these two texts look and feel very different, there is something very similar about them. In both cases, Paul argued passionately for the interests and cause of Christ. In both cases, Paul asked for unity based on right beliefs. In both cases, Paul showed how important it is to look out for one another and not just for ourselves." For the full on-line contents of this brochure is at Radio Bible Class Ministries: Developing the Art of Gracious Disagreement.
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Thought to Ponder |
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Wesley on the Scriptures
"The faith of the Protestants, in general, embraces only those truths as necessary to salvation, which are clearly revealed in the oracles of God . . . The written Word is the whole and sole rule of their faith, as well as practice. We believe, indeed, that 'all Scripture is given by the inspiration of God,' and herein we are distinguished from other non-Christian religions. We believe the written Word of God to be the only and sufficient rule both of Christian faith and practice."
-- John Wesley
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Scripture to Ponder |
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Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world." -- 1 John 4:1
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Have you shared the NIC VOICE Newsletter with other UMC members?
The Methodist Connection
By Dr. Frederick P. Brooks, Jr., Department of Computer Science, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
This address was delivered at the eleventh annual Good News Convocation in 1980. It is as relevant today as it was then.
We are confused in our theology, therefore we should consider division. We are remote and impersonal in much of our over-centralized function; therefore we should consider devolution of function down from Annual Conferences to Districts, from the General Church down to lower bodies. We are burdened with top-down programming and proclamations therefore we should consider de-emphasis. In these ways, perhaps, we can recover in each of our local churches our first love, the Lord Jesus Christ, and follow him in holy living that fires a concern for our neighbors and our society.
We must take to heart, I fear, our Lord’s message to the church at Sardis,
"You have the name of being alive, and you are dead, Awake and strengthen what remains and is on the point of death, for I have not found your works perfect in the sight of God. Remember then what you received and heard; keep that and repent" (Rev. 3:2-3).
NIC VOICE Around the World
We have had visitors from the following countries (*** = NEW):
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Argentina Australia Austria Belgium Brazil Canada Chile China Croatia Denmark Egypt Estonia France Germany Greece Hong Kong |
Hungary Italy Israel Japan Jordan S. Korea Malaysia Mexico Morocco Nepal Netherlands New Zealand Norway Pakistan Peru Philippines |
Poland Romania Russian Fed. Seychelles Singapore Slovak Rep.*** Spain Sweden Switzerland Taiwan Tanzania Thailand Turkey United Kingdom United States USSR (former) |
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:
· Christology (Trinity, Virgin Birth, Deity of Jesus)
· Resurrection of Jesus Christ
· Salvation through Jesus Christ Alone
· The Atonement of Jesus Christ
SUBSCRIPTIONS
To subscribe/unsubscribe, go to newsletter.htm.
If you don't have Web access, send your name and email address to:nicvoice@nicvoice.org
or contact us:
NIC VOICE
P.O. Box 604
Crystal Lake, IL 60039-0604
For past issues, visit our archives at newsletter.htm.
Tell a friend about NIC VOICE. It's free! If they do not have e-mail access, you can print this newsletter and distribute it (see REPRINT AND FORWARD POLICY below.)
DISCLAIMER
NIC VOICE is sponsored by a laity-led network in the Northern Illinois Conference of the United Methodist Church dedicated to providing balanced information and dialog about issues of concern relating to the Bishop Sprague Complaint & Dismissal. This group has sole responsibility for the content of this letter.
NIC VOICE provides original content on our web site and may distribute information from other sources. NIC VOICE exercises no more editorial control over such information from other sources than does a typical public library, bookstore, or newsstand. The views and opinions expressed in such information do not necessarily reflect those of NIC VOICE.
Copyright (c) 2003, NIC VOICE. All rights reserved.
REPRINT AND FORWARD POLICY
Subscribers are encouraged to forward NIC VOICE News Letter and web site links to others and/or print it in its entirety, without any changes, for noncommercial use only. If forwarding to another publication, please do so with the appropriate citation NIC VOICE in accordance with "fair use" rules, and our Disclaimer.
You can easily forward the NIC VOICE News Letter at
newsletter.htm using the Send this Newsletter link to a friend capability.
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NIC VOICE News is sent to inform you about significant additions to our web site or relevant information. If you would like to be removed from this list, please click on the word "UNSUBSCRIBE".
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NIC VOICE Response to bishops responding to NIC VOICE letter to all active bishops
CURRENT STATUS: Response from Council of Bishops President but no announced action on Response Team Recommendations 1&2 – Read More\
Recently, NIC VOICE was asked a serious of questions about Bishop Sprague's retirement and the future. These questions and NIC VOICE's answers follow and are now also included in the NIC VOICE FAQ:
Q: What will the
Northern Illinois Conference gain/lose by his retirement?
Many pastors feel that they do not know what the future holds and determine that they will focus on the ministry in their own church. Some laity and clergy have simply “dropped out” of the Annual Conference, not participating at all. Perhaps a new bishop can encourage the return of many who feel that they would rather not be a part of the NIC.
The retirement of Bishop Sprague, and some of his colleagues in the Council of Bishops, clears the way for the possible election and assignment of visionary episcopal leaders who are grounded in the apostolic, ecumenical faith, relevant to the spiritual seeking of the current generation.
Q:
Is NIC VOICE doing anything to influence who is named his replacement?
In addition, NIC VOICE was invited to speak at the Forum for Evangelical Theology at Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary in October 2003. The topic of the presentation was “Contending for the Faith." We believe that one of the essential elements for education is to reach out to the seminaries to help them understand how laity feel about the theological issues within the UMC.
We have submitted 25 petitions and resolutions for consi-deration at the General Conference of 2004. These will add our voice to those of similar content that have been or will be submitted by other conservative factions within the UMC.
With regard to this upcoming election of a new bishop, our primary attempts to influence the election and assignment of bishops are made through prayer. We long for the day when Bishops are in partnership with the laity and clergy of their annual conferences and focused on the mission of making disciples of Jesus Christ.
The Northern Illinois Conference Evangelical Association (NICEA) was established five years ago to provide a forum to uphold “The Centrality of the Bible, Upholding Our Doctrinal Standards, and our engagement in the world through UMC Social Principles”. We have communicated to NICEA the thoughts and feelings of concerned laity and clergy (some of these are posted at the Comments section of our website, but many others are personal reflections from both clergy and laity), and this group will be speaking directly to the NIC Jurisdictional Delegation, and is additionally studying actions that could be taken to be influential in the overall North Central Jurisdiction election process.
Q: What is the status of the recommendations of the response team that dismissed the complaint against Bishop Sprague?
Complaints dismissed against Bishop Joseph Sprague
NIC (Northern Illinois Conference) VOICE recently reached out to all active bishops requesting a response regarding the implementation of recommendations made by the response team in the dismissal of the complaint against Bishop Sprague.
The letters were mailed to each bishop on September 5, 2003 and included 51 authorized signatures by both laity and clergy within the Northern Illinois Conference and other conferences throughout the United States. Click here to read the full text of the letter: NIC VOICE Letter of Concern to all Active Bishops.
Click here to read three bishops responses: Response to NIC VOICE September 5, 2003 Letter to All Active Bishops, including Bishops Keaton, Weaver and President of the Council of Bishops, Bishop Ruediger R. Minor.
Click here to read NIC VOICE response to Bishop Keaton and Bishop Weaver: NIC VOICE Response to NIC VOICE September 5, 2003 Letter to All Active Bishops From the response to Bishop Keaton:
…In your letter, you indicated we should direct our inquiry regarding Response Team recommendation #1 to Bishop Sprague. He did receive our letter, and as of this date has not responded (he has been on renewal leave until October 1). We agree with your suggestion that Question # 2 be directed to the Council of Bishops President, who also was sent our letter by mail and email and as of this date has not responded…
From the response to Bishop Weaver: …In your letter, you indicated that the North Central Jurisdiction has the responsibility to monitor, and select a third party to facilitate dialogue between the parties concerning the theological and doctrinal issues presented in this case. We are not aware of any steps by the Jurisdiction to ensure that this Response Team recommendation is implemented.
We are encouraged that you have indicated the Council of Bishops is already exploring and planning many things connected to the second recommendation of the Response Team. We anticipate such future positive actions and responses as a result of actions by both individual Bishops and the Council as a whole….
To date, even after the Council met earlier this month, there has been no action on Response Team Recommendations 1 & 2 that has been communicated to the church.
In Bishop Minor’s response, he notes that, “It seems to me that you see the Council of Bishops ‘in charge’ of the further process of the Response Team's recommendations.
However, dealing with complaints against a bishop falls in the responsibility of such bishop's Jurisdictional College and Committee on Episcopacy.” He further recommended that, “to receive an answer to your first two questions, you should address them to the North Central Jurisdiction.” Both Bishops Ough and Bishop Lee, who chaired the North Central Jurisdictional response team in the Bishop Sprague complaint, received NIC VOICE’s letter. Neither has provided an update.
Regarding Response Team Recommendation 2, Bishop Minor continued, “… I can inform you that the Council of Bishops' Standing Committee on Teaching Concerns is working on a proposal, how the intent of this recommendation could best be fulfilled. In the meantime, several persons from this Committee as well as from the wider Council have come forward with personal contributions to these around Christology and the mission of the Church.”
We intend to remain involved, making certain that the response team’s recommendations are acted upon in a timely manner. The laity and clergy are watching to see if these matters are a priority to the Council of Bishops.
If we really believe that faith in Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, who is God Incarnate and died to atone for our sins, determines whether a person spends eternity in heaven or hell, then we must be compelled to boldly proclaim this truth in love, and to call our Conference and the UMC to uphold our doctrinal standards. God will hold us accountable for the gospel He has entrusted to us. |
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Report on Northern Illinois Annual Conference Special Session, November 15, 2003
Northern Illinois Conference UMC Conference Lay Leader Letter, September 2003 The lay member(s) of the annual conference, along with the pastor, shall serve as an interpreter of the action of the annual conference session. These persons (lay members and pastors) shall report to the local church council on actions of the annual conference as soon as possible, but not later than three months after the close of the conference." Read More
Clergy Response to Northern Illinois Conference UMC Conference Lay Leader Letter, September 2003 I read your fax pertaining to sharing the actions of our most recent annual conference session with particular interest in the wording about celebrating the wonderful responses received. I feel compelled to share with you some other types of responses to the actions of our annual conference. I came to the new church to find many faithful, longtime United Methodists hurt and angry at some of the actions. Read More
NIC
Annual Conference Resolutions
UMC General Conference 2004 Pittsburgh, PA
NIC VOICE network prepared 19 resolutions for individual members to send to GC 2004
Faithful Christian Laity prepared six (6) resolutions for individual members to send to GC2004
Current News – NIC VOICE Home Page
"But herein lies the purpose of this final commentary. It is my opinion that enough has been said. As the Scripture above indicates, “of making many books [or writing many commentaries] there is no end; and much study is a weariness of flesh. Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments for this is the whole duty of man.” We have reached the point where everything is out in the open and obvious. Everyone pretty much knows who the evangelicals and progressives are and where each stands. The same points are being made over and over and over again. As the preacher of Ecclesiastes says, let’s just cut to the chase: fear and obey God. Period." Read More
[There was no reporting by either the UMNS, UMR or IRD of any public discussion in this session of the Response Team's Recommendations 1 & 2 regarding the dismissal of the complaint against Bishop C. Joseph Sprague, Northern Illinois Conference. --editor's note]
During a break, Bishop Joe Sprague of Chicago took the floor. "I have promised to maintain my vow of silence but now must break it," Sprague said. He lamented the growth of U.S. military spending and complained that U.S. foreign aid was too low. Sprague also lamented that the U.S. comprises only four percent of the world’s population but has 25 percent of the world’s prison inmates.
"The greatest experience of my life took place here," Sprague recalled of his arrest earlier this year while performing civil disobedience outside the White House in a demonstration against the U.S. war in Iraq. "Seventy-seven of us were arrested [for being against] against an immoral war," he observed. "It’s been said that I’m an incompatible bishop, but on that occasion I was in good company." Read More
Does Sprague believe, as traditional Christianity teaches, that Jesus Christ was raised from the grave on the third day and is alive today? "I would differentiate between Jesus and Christ," he said. "Christ is very much alive. Jesus, the person? No." As for the New Testament account that Jesus Christ was born to a virgin, Mary, Sprague said it was a myth, or a metaphor, that was not intended to be taken literally. Read More
...Bishop Timothy Whitaker of the Florida Area and I do theology differently. In particular, we work at understanding, explaining and proclaiming Christology — words about Jesus the Christ — differently.
His is a high Christology; mine is low. He works from above — from essence; I work from below — from existence. He is anchored in creedal language and historic understandings; I step out to seek to find modern and relevant expressions of the same reality. His understanding is that Jesus was born the Christ, an essential part of God; my understanding is that Jesus was born fully human and by his response of faith, as trust and obedience to God’s initiatory grace, became the Christ.
Bishop Whitaker and I bake Christological crust differently. And, as you know, we have been placed in juxtaposition to one another — not at a table in a church basement — but in the national and international Church press...Read More
Renewal groups ‘only
hope?’
I agree wholeheartedly that United Methodism is at risk: one needs only to look at the precipitous decline in membership to see that. I fear that if the present trends toward disbelief in Scripture and “anything goes” continue, The United Methodist Church will become an interesting historic relic.
Perhaps those organizations criticized in the book are the only hope for us to once again become an active, growing denomination. Richard J. Lane, Palos Heights, Illinois
Introduction to NIC VOICE Watershed Moment Presentation at Cornerstone UMC, October 25, 200 by Michael McKellar, host of presentation
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“Affirmations of a Dissenter”
§ Heresy has been with us since the very infancy of the church. § A heresy is simply a doctrine that strays from the established Christian belief and central doctrines. § A heretic is someone who adheres to and teaches this unorthodox doctrine. § Most heretics believe in Christ
The meaning of the expression “Christian faith” is not like a wax nose, which can be twisted to mean whatever the speaker wants it to mean.
NIC VOICE Watershed Moment is AVAILABLE on-line! Highlights from Notes:
Slide 26: Authority of Scripture
What does Biblical Authority mean?
Anglican theologian, J.I. Packer (as quoted by Elliott Miller at http://www.equip.org/free/DA310.htm, states: “The real difference between Evangelicals and those who call them obscurantists lies in the realm of method. We disagree as to the principles that should guide the Christian judgment. Our critics say that the way in which we deal with the Bible is fundamentally dishonest. We reply that they think so only because the way in which they deal with the Bible is fundamentally unchristian. They hold that what needs revision is our doctrine of biblical authority; but it seems that what really needs revision is their method of biblical scholarship. Instead of subjecting their own judgment wholly to Scripture, they subject Scripture in part to their own judgment.
They treat the question of the truth and authority of Scripture, which God has closed, as if it were still open; they assume the right and competence of the Christian student to decide for himself how much of the Bible’s teaching should be received as authoritative.
They accept what they do accept, not simply because it is Scripture, but because it satisfies some further criteria of credibility which they have set up; so that even when they believe the right thing, in so far as they are consistent subjectivists they do so for the wrong reason.
Their whole approach to the Bible is fundamentally unbiblical.” (Emphasis added)
NIC VOICE recognized by Laity of the North Indiana Conference of the UMC
“LOOK! A Laity Voice From The Northern Illinois Conference (This site "...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'." This site is chock full of information.”
Laity of the North Indian Conference of the United Methodist Church added to the VOICE CIRCUIT – Get Connected:
Elites losing control
The last thing we United Methodists need is for a grassroots group of laity to actually get involved in theological dialogue, especially without having gone through the proper conference channels. Can you imagine what might happen if such activity goes unchecked?
A theological revival may sweep across the church and the elite leaders might lose their control. And that understandably, Bishop Sprague could not endure.
John Battern, Sumner, Iowa
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