(AgapePress) - Orthodox believers in the United Methodist Church are predicting a controversial bishop will not be held accountable for explicitly denying his denomination's articles of religion.

A group of United Methodist pastors and laypersons recently filed a complaint against Bishop Joseph Sprague, who has openly rejected key Christian teachings such as the virgin birth and bodily resurrection of Christ. The bishop sparked a firestorm when he also denied the atoning death of Jesus Christ and said salvation does not come through Christ alone.

Mark Tooley with the Institute on Religion and Democracy says it is extremely unlikely there will be any heresy trial for Sprague.

"That almost never, never happens" Tooley says. "I can't think of it ever happening to a Methodist bishop in at least a hundred years -- or even a Methodist clergy person to be brought up on charges of a doctrinal issue."

Dr. Don Wildmon is an ordained Methodist minister and chairman of the American Family Association. He agrees with Tooley.

"I do not think that there will ever be a trial -- I just don't think it's going to happen," Wildmon says. "The leadership in the United Methodist Church does not want it to happen. And unfortunately, there are many leaders in the church -- including other bishops -- who basically would agree with Bishop Sprague."

Wildmon believes the charges will be dismissed due to a lack of evidence. "I think the only way that the situation surrounding Bishop Sprague could help the United Methodist Church is for it to go to trial -- up or down," he says. "Unfortunately, I don't think we'll see that. I think we'll see that it's being swept under the rug."

Wildmon expects Sprague will continue to serve as a bishop in good standing and to be paid his salary until he dies. All United Methodist bishops, he points out, are elected for life.

© 2003 AgapePress all rights reserved.

E-mail this page to a friend

Printer-Friendly Version

Read all of our current headlines