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Here Is REAL Apostasy.. Bishop Sprague Assails "Christo-Centric Exclusivism"

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Posted by: billiefan2000

Maybe it's time we turn our attention to the REAL Apostates and false teachers of the day. This is a cause for REAL concern.


Bishop Sprague Assails "Christo-Centric Exclusivism"

— Mark Tooley, Institute on religion and Democracy

At a speech at United Methodist seminary, Bishop Joe Sprague of Chicago assailed "Christo-centric exclusivism that ipso facto prepares the soil of stiff-necked, exclusivistic arrogance." This kind of christo-centric theology, which potentially breeds "virulence" towards other religions, must be disavowed, he insisted.

Sprague has aroused controversy over the last year by denying Jesus Christ's virgin birth, bodily resurrection and unique role as Savior of the world. In two recent speeches delivered April 22 and 23 at the Methodist Theological School in Ohio (Methesco), Sprague responded to his critics and defended his theology, especially as explained in his recent book, Affirmations of a Dissenter.

Not backing away at all from his controversial theological assertions, Sprague said he was "incredulous" that seminary faculty and other "well-informed clergy and laity" still "passionately advocate a virgin birth and physically resurrected" Jesus.

"One wonders what such thinkers do with the horrors of the 20th century," Sprague remarked. "A God who intercedes to effect a virgin birth, yet a God who permits the innocents to be slaughtered?" Sprague asked, referring to the Holocaust and two World Wars. "What kind of God would this be?"

Sprague said it was "baffling" that some "sophisticated so-called post-modernists" insist on an "intervening, supernatural, can-do-anything-God" that was conceived by the early church. He specifically cited Billy Abraham, a professor at Perkins School of Theology in Dallas, who has accused Sprague (according to Sprague) of being "naïve, ill-formed, and exhibiting false humility."

"Why do the time-influenced constructs of the early church fathers hold such awe and reverence for them, given the oblique and rather slippery language employed?" Sprague asked. He also referred dismissively to the "male-only politics" of the early church.

Warning against "docetic tendencies" [Docetism denied Christ's humanity], Sprague alleged that "High Christology" threatens to remove Jesus from history and humanity so that His followers "proudly venerate His image" while they "shamefully fail to follow His example."

Admitting that his book "contains nothing new under the theological and biblical sun," Sprague said he wants it nonetheless to prode a "theologically myopic church" and challenge the three "increasingly strident right wing caucus groups within United Methodism."

As an example of dangerous High Christology's followers failing to follow the example of Christ, Sprague cited one "right wing" caucus group, Good News, which honored President George W. Bush as its 2002 Christian of the Year.

According to Sprague, President Bush is also a "Christology-from-above proponent of personal piety," who presided over 153 "state-sanctioned murders" as governor of Texas. And now Bush has endorsed an "unethical" National Security Strategy that employs pre-emptive war, which Sprague called a "demon."

Sprague faulted the Bush Administration for behaving "arrogantly" and "self-righteously" while pursuing a "domination theory." He warned against the Administration's "PR blitz" for war with Iraq and alleged that the media had become "an extension of the Bush Estate."

Condemning the U.S. for its "unilateral arrogance," Sprague said the conflict in Iraq had placed a "stain" on the U.S.'s global image.

Sprague warned against "fundamentalism," which he said is a "demon" in all of the monotheistic religions. "The misuse of sacred tradition by the religious and political right has to be exposed and discounted," he asserted.

"False phenomena like Left Behind [a book and movie premised upon belief in a "rapture" for Christians before the onset of the End Times] and radical jihad... are manifestations of the misappropriation of God's revelations," Sprague said.

Terrorism in the form of al Qaeda must be confronted, Sprague admitted. But so too must the "terror" that is visited upon the "forgotten poor, the immigrants and refugees, and innumerable innocent people of color, and the child and aged in this nation."

The more Jesus is removed from his humanity, as Sprague claimed proponents of High Christology do, the "murkier the ethics" become for following Jesus' example of "social justice" and "non-violence."

As another example of this, Sprague cited United Methodism's "arrogant and unethical statements regarding gay and lesbian people." He was referring evidently to the church's prohibition against practicing homosexual clergy and against the celebration of same-sex unions. These stances "fuel the fire of covert, if not overt, actions of discrimination, meanness and violence against gays and lesbians."

Sprague said a friend of his had offered to sell hot dogs and marshmallows should Sprague be "burned at the heretical stake." The friend also remarked that Sprague was only guilty of "plagiarizing" Rudolf Bultmann, the liberal German 20th century theologian who interpreted the Gospel's miraculous events as metaphor.

"I plead guilty to being a non-recovering, unrepentant Methesco-ite, circa 1965," Sprague explained to the seminary audience. "The legacy of this place is to be blamed, at least in part, for all the troubles I have seen, caused or known across my ministry."

Sprague recalled that as a young man he had "discarded the Bible in my revolt against the fundamentalism of my childhood." But his learning about the "various schools of higher criticism" at Methesco helped him rediscover the Bible as a "veritable treasure house."

Faulting clergy for being "afraid" to teach what he learned in seminary, Sprague said "critically thinking people" have been driven away from the church. Meanwhile, "neo-literalism" has exploited the remaining void to the detriment of the church.

Sprague said the church "reeks" of the "stench" of mediocrity and practical atheism. As evidence, he pointed to the church's hesitancy to embrace the Prince of Peace during "this chauvinistic moment in this nation."


Posted by: akabezalel

YIKES!!! Father! Forgive this man! He doesn't know what he is saying! He thinks he knows but hasn't a clue! Show him Your Goodness and bring him to repentance in the light of Your Glory and Word! Lord! do not allow his words to stand unchallenged! Do Not Allow his words to stand at all! Lord he uses complicated words knowing that most people will never understand what he just said and Your WORD is simple and easy to understand the Love that emanates from Your heart. Let Your WORD reign supreme and remove the stain this man has left on the spiritual realm. Being him to real Salvation! Bring him to real Deliverance from his arrogance and rebellion! Bring him to Jesus and into the Fire of Your love and Truth! Lord! Forgive Him! and bring him Home to Your Heart! In the Name of Jesus! AMEN!


Posted by: Christian Commando

Dear Lord- We pray for this man. We ask that you would touch his mind and heart to come back to your Truth. We ask Lord you would open his eyes and heart to what is truely in accordance with your Word and understanding. Bring him back in line with you God. In Jesus Name- Amen!!