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Methodist panel clears bishop of heresy charges. Again.
C. Joseph Sprague doesn't believe in the virgin birth, the divinity of Christ, or the resurrection. But according to a panel of United Methodist bishops, he's not a heretic. In fact, he's one of their fellow bishops.

"It became apparent … in our review of this case, that Bishop Sprague knows Jesus Christ as the Lord and Savior, has faith in Christ's savings, and transforming power and is obedient to Christ's teachings," the panel said.

What's more, the panel attacked the 28 clergy and lay Methodists who brought the complaint against Sprague. "It is the humble, but considered, opinion of the supervisory response team that the real threat may well be our arrogance and parochial attitudes," the panel said. "Let us cast out our penchant to power and control."

"What is dysfunctional is that we even have to make complaints," Thomas Lambrecht, a Methodist pastor in Greenville, Wisconsin, who brought the charges, told The Washington Times. To the Chicago Tribune, he said the problem lies with the church leadership. "If you ask clergy, especially at the upper levels, I think you'd find about 40 percent subscribe to Sprague's approach and 20 percent support our view. With the folks in the pews, my guess is the proportions are just the reverse."

It's the fourth time Sprague has been tried and acquitted in the church on heresy charges. The Institute on Religion and Democracy's United Methodist Action group has much more on the controversy from a more orthodox perspective. The United Methodist News Service also has a lengthy report that will be of particular interest to Methodists.

Genocide:

• Pastor aided Rwanda genocide (BBC | audio)
  
  
• Pastor, son guilty in Rwandan genocide | The International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda returned unanimous verdicts against Dr. Gerard Ntakirutimana, 45, and Elizaphan Ntakirutimana, 78 (UPI)
  
  
• Also: Rwanda pastor and son, a doctor, convicted of genocide | With Wednesday's verdict, Rev. Elizaphan Ntakirutimana became the first clergyman to be convicted of genocide by an international tribunal (The New York Times)

Christians split on war in Iraq:

• Many moderate churches take up anti-war cause | Ministers identify perils in conflict (Chicago Tribune)
  
  
• Antiwar movement awakens over Iraq | European leaders convened an emergency summit on Iraq Monday evening, their divisions over the need for war thrown into stark relief by the unity of their electorates' hostility to the prospect. (The Christian Science Monitor)
  
  
• Possible Iraq war polarizes faiths | Church members don't always back leaders' positions, however (The Post-Standard, Sycracuse, NY)
  
  
• Pray for peace, back troops, church says | "It's not a pro-war demonstration," said Cheryl Morrison, "It's a 'We're standing with America' demonstration." (Jean Torkelson, Rocky Mountain News, Denver)
  
  
• U.S. churches seek peaceful Iraq strategy | US church leaders are to ask Prime Minister Tony Blair to work for the non-violent replacement of President Saddam Hussein (BBC)
  
  
• Clergy call for building of peace movement | Some Los Angeles religious leaders meet to set an agenda that includes nuclear disarmament and human rights (Los Angeles Times)
  
  
• Many moderate churches take up anti-war cause | Ministers identify perils in conflict (Chicago Tribune)
  
  

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February (Web-only) 2003, Vol. 47