US National Board: The Open Theism and Inclusivism Debate

Part 3

(continued from Part 2)

Ad Hoc Committee Report

With that settled, discussion moved on to the Ad Hoc Committee's report, usually referred to as a "practical resolution." The committee consisted of six members of the Executive Leadership Team--three persons on staff at Huntington College, and three other persons (the ELT, during its fall 2001 and spring 2002 meetings, has vigorously discussed these issues).

This resolution basically involved not allowing Dr. Sanders to teach any systematic theology classes, and getting the Educational Leadership Team more involved in hiring persons who might be involved in teaching theology to future UB ministers. Also, only ordained United Brethren clergy can be academic advisors to UB students majoring in Bible and Religion or Educational Ministries.

There was a statement saying, "The College will assign ordained United Brethren clergy to teach the three systematic theology classes starting in Fall 2002." That sentence was deleted--the only amendment to the report. There was a feeling that HC needed the freedom to hire the best persons they could find, and that there were plenty of people "out there" who held to UB beliefs. Plus, since the Educational Leadership Team had heavy input, the church's voice would be heard and represented.

This report passed on a strong voice vote, with only a few no's.

You can read the Ad Hoc Committee report, as amended, here.

Michindoh Conference Resolutions

Toward the end of the afternoon, Bishop Hirschy directed attention to the five resolutions from Michindoh Conference.

Resolution 1 was a statement on Open Theism, and Resolution 2 was a statement on Inclusivism. Since the US National Board had just finished taking stands on these positions, via the Commission on Ministry report, the delegates voted to receive these resolutions but not take action. The statement on Open Theism was very very close to the COM's statement, but Michindoh's statement on Inclusivism was more restrictive than the one adopted by the US National Board.

Resolution 3 renounced both Open Theism and Inclusivism as heretical, and called on the church to forbid persons holding those views from teaching at HC or pastoring UB churches. The National Board had already dealt with this by adopting statements which didn't cast either view as heretical. Therefore, the resolution was withdrawn. ("Heresy" is an inflammatory word in most people's minds, but dictionaries typically define it along the line of "an opinion or a doctrine at variance with established religious beliefs.")

Resolution 5 called for a review of the process that led to the hiring of Dr. John Sanders. The Michindoh delegates withdrew this resolution after Bishop Hirschy assured them that he would take the idea to the Trustees.

That leaves Resolution 4. This one called for the chairpersons of the various conference Ministerial Licensing and Ordination commissions to be an established group to be consulted regarding hirings of persons who would teach ministry courses, and to keep an eye on theological matters at Huntington College. There was a lot of discussion concerning various aspects of this, and general agreement that something was needed to more strongly inject the Church's voice into such areas. Resolution 4 passed with a couple minor amendments.

This is the amended resolution, as adopted:

"That the chairmen of the Ministerial Licensing and Ordination Commissions of our conferences be an established group that is consulted regarding hirings in the area of Bible and Religion and Educational Ministries at Huntington College, as well as to address theological concerns from our churches regarding the consistency of the teachings at Huntington College in the area of our Confession of Faith and Official Doctrinal Positions, and that they formally notify the Director of Education and Educational Leadership Team of its concerns."

Tenure and Other Matters

What about tenure? Dr. Sanders will be up for tenure next spring, and that is a decision that can only be made by the HC Board of Trustees. If denied tenure, a professor can stay only one more year. Contrary to what some people think, the Church can't step in and "fire" Dr. Sanders, and the Church can't veto tenure. There are various reasons for this, including accreditation requirements that there not be an outside body with power above the Board of Trustees. So, this decision will come before the Board next spring. About 60 percent of the board members are UB members, and a number of them participated in or observed the US National Board discussions. So there will be a high awareness of where the Church stands.

Bishop Hirschy was asked his view on tenure, both as bishop and as a member of the Board of Trustees. He stated that he is not in favor of tenure, and he voiced his reasons. He said other trustees had asked him how the Church stood on Dr. Sanders' theological views--they sincerely wanted to know, because they recognized that the Church owned the College and felt that the Church's view was important. With this meeting of the US National Board, Bishop Hirschy has something definite to give in reply.

And that concluded the subject. There are links in this article to the specific actions taken, so you can look those up. However, there were all kinds of related issues and concerns brought up during the lengthy discussions. This article doesn't try to hit everything.

But the bottom line is: people have been waiting for the Church to take a stand, and now it has. And it wasn't done hastily or in a knee-jerk way, but after much study, discussion, and deliberation. A few people felt we might be rushing to judgment, but most of the people were ready. Plus, it was crucial that the Church speak now. The next US National Board won't meet until the spring of 2004.

There remain differences of opinion among UB people on these theological issues--some wanting to apply the word "heresy," others not willing to go that far. In the same way, we have people up and down the spectrum between Calvinism and Arminianism (and both can't be totally right), so we're accustomed to theological diversity (within limits). Let's just hope and pray that now, unity and understanding can prevail, without the need for anyone to sacrifice or compromise his or her own convictions.