Watershed Moment Presentation

OUTLINE: "Discussion of Theological and Doctrinal Issues In The UMC Raised by the Bishop Sprague Complaint & Dismissal"

• Introduction
• Time Line
• Participants
• Renewal Groups
• Progressive Groups
• Complaints
• Authority of Scripture
• Doctrinal Issues
  • Christology
  • Resurrection of Christ
  • Salvation through Christ Alone
  • The Atonement of Jesus Christ
• Other Bishops’ Responses
• Complaint Summary and Status
• Response Team Recommendations and Complainant’s Response
• Bishop Sprague’s Statement
• Northern Illinois Annual Conference Support of the Ministry of Bishop C. Joseph Sprague
• Summary
• Action

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NIC VOICE Presentation Summary
<<Word Document>>

Summary Outline

·          Two chargeable offenses (as defined in the Book of Discipline):

-   “Dissemination of doctrines contrary to the established standards of doctrine of The United

             Methodist Church" (2702.1 f)

-          “Disobedience to the Order and Discipline of the UM Church" (2702.1 e)

·          Doctrinal Issues

-          Christology (Trinity, Virgin Birth, Deity of Jesus)

-          Resurrection of Jesus Christ

-          Salvation through Jesus Christ Alone

-          The Atonement of Jesus Christ

·         Bishop Sprague Denies the Virgin Birth and Deity of Jesus:

"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 supernatural powers, as I do not believe he did, what sense can we make of the miraculous stories about him in the gospel accounts?"  Affirmations of a Dissenter: Chapter 4, "Fully Human Jesus" (underlined added for emphasis)

"This powerful myth was not intended as historical fact, but was employed by Matthew and Luke in different ways to point poetically to the Truth about Jesus as experienced in the emerging Church." Affirmations of a Dissenter: Chapter 4, "Fully Human Jesus" (underlined added for emphasis)

The Bible says:

"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 (NIV)

"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."  Colossians 2: 9-10 (NIV)

The UMC Book of Discipline says:

"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."  Article VII (excerpts with underlining for emphasis)

·         Bishop Sprague Denies the bodily resurrection of Christ:

"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."  From transcript of Sprague's speech at Illif in Denver, Colorado

The Bible says:

"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."  I Corinthians 15:16-19 (NIV)

The UMC Book of Discipline says:

"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)

·         Bishop Sprague Denies that salvation comes only through Christ, alone:

"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."  From transcript of Sprague's speech at Illif in Denver, Colorado

"The Jesus revelation is primary for Christians, and while I affirm the Christ event as unique and normative, I cannot honestly limit God’s ability to be God through revelatory offerings of the spirit as found in other monotheistic religions." From transcript of Sprague's speech at Illif in Denver, Colorado

The Bible says:

"Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved." Acts 4:12 (NIV)

"Jesus answered, 'I am the way and the truth and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me'."  John 14: 6 (NIV)

The UMC Book of Discipline says:

"… 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…" Article XX

·         Bishop Sprague Denies that Jesus Christ's death provides atonement for mankind and for the sins of individual people:

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

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

"Obviously, such an understanding of atonement leaves no room for me to affirm the substitutionary atonement theory that portrays Jesus blood on the cross as satisfying an angry deity through one majestic sacrificial human death much like sacrifices of unblemished sheep and goats in ancient Israel were understood to appease God and atone for the sins of all."  From transcript of Sprague's speech at Illif in Denver, Colorado (underline added for emphasis)

     The Bible says:

"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."  Hebrews 9:14-15 (underline added for emphasis)

The UMC Book of Discipline says:

"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."  Article VIII (Of the word, or Son of God, Who Was Made Very Man) 

Cornerstone UMC Introduction to NIC VOICE Presentation

PRESENTATION SUMMARY

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