Charges against Methodist bishop dismissed

CHICAGO — The United Methodist bishop of Chicago has been cleared of heresy charges by a special investigative panel after church conservatives accused him of abandoning historic Christian teaching.

Bishop C. Joseph Sprague came under fire for his new book, “Affirmations of a Dissenter,” in which he questioned the virgin birth of Jesus, His bodily resurrection and the role of Jesus in salvation.

A committee chaired by Bishop Bruce Ough of West Ohio found the charges without merit. Ough said in a statement Feb. 17 that it was clear that “Bishop Sprague knows Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, has faith in Christ’s saving and transforming power and is obedient to Christ’s teaching.”