Report of the Ad Hoc Executive Leadership Team Committee

The following statement was adopted by the 2002 United States National Conference.

The Executive Leadership Team of the Church of the United Brethren in Christ on March 12, 2002, appointed an ad hoc task force to review issues related to the current controversy surrounding Dr. Sanders teaching at Huntington College and to make recommendations to the US National Board at their meeting on April 23-24.

The ad hoc committee met on April 4, 2002, and in subsequent email dialogue. The committee unanimously recommends that the US National Board approve the following recommendations. It is our hope that these recommendations will lead to the strengthening of ties between the College and the Church and to unity within the Church of the United Brethren in Christ.

1. In the interest of fostering good relations with the Church of the United Brethren in Christ and in view of concerns regarding ministerial preparation, the College has and will in the future assign Dr. Sanders to classes other than the three systematic theology classes (BR416, Systematic Theology I, BR417 Systematic Theology II, BR418 Systematic Theology III) that are typically taken by students as part of their ministerial training.

2. To ensure denominational confidence in ministerial training at Huntington College, the College will:

• Ask the Education Leadership Team of the Church of the United Brethren in Christ to review names of those who could be assigned to teach the systematic theology classes.
• Ask available members of the Education Leadership Team of the Church of the United Brethren in Christ to participate in the interviewing of candidates for faculty positions that could be assigned to teach the systematic theology classes.
• Assign faculty members who are ordained United Brethren clergy to be academic advisors for all United Brethren students majoring in Bible and Religion or Educational Ministries.

3. In order to bring long-term understanding to key theological issues (e.g., immutability of God, GodÕs foreknowledge, and destiny of the unevangelized), the Commission on Ministry should pursue their work and report their recommendations to appropriate commissions and boards of the Church of the United Brethren in Christ.

Ad Hoc Executive Leadership Team Committee

Rev. Dennis Miller, co-chair
Dr. Blair Dowden, co-chair
Dr. Russell Baker
Rev. Patrick Jones
Dr. Paul Michelson
Dr. David Rahn

April 8, 2002

Note: Only one amendment was made to the original Ad Hoc report. It involved striking the following sentence from the end of point 1: "Further, the College will assign ordained United Brethren clergy to teach the three systematic theology classes starting in Fall 2002."