NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Complaints of heresy filed against Bishop C. Joseph Sprague of Chicago have been dismissed.

According to a United Methodist News Service (UMNS) report, United Methodist Bishop Bruce B. Ough, president of the church's North Central Jurisdiction College of Bishops, has announced that a four-person supervisory response team met in January and February to review and respond to the complaints.

(See related stories: "United Methodist Bishop accused of violating church teaching" and "Heresy trial for Methodist bishop not likely."

A group of 28 United Methodist clergy and laypeople filed the complaint against Sprague on Dec. 30, calling for his removal based on comments that he made about Christ's divinity at a speech at Iliff Theological Seminary and in his book Affirmations of a Dissenter. A pastor in the Mississippi Conference had filed a similar complaint in September.

According to the complaint, Sprague denies Christ's full deity, his virgin birth, his bodily resurrection and his claim as the one and only way path to heaven.

The supervisory response process is required by church law to be confidential. However, the supervisory team decided to make the response public to the church because of three factors.

"First and foremost was the decision by the group of complainants to publicly disclose their complaint," the response states. "It is regrettable and unconscionable that Bishop Sprague first learned of the Dec. 30 complaint through the press.

"Second, the theological and doctrinal issues raised in the complaint are already a matter of considerable public debate within the United Methodist Church.

"Third, the supervisory response team desires to speak to the whole church, as well as the parties to the complaint."

In its recommendations, the supervisory response team asked Sprague to release a public statement clarifying and reaffirming his adherence to the doctrinal standards of the United Methodist Church. The team also recommended Sprague and the complainants participate in a third-party public dialogue; that the Council of Bishops enter into serious theological reflection on issues of Christology, biblical authority and the mission of the church; and that the complainants offer a public apology for disregarding the spirit of confidentiality intended in the supervisory process.

In response to the decision, the Rev. Thomas Lambrecht, spokesman for the complainants, said, "The signers of the complaint against Bishop C. Joseph Sprague are deeply disappointed in the decision by the supervisory team to dismiss the complaint. Upon first reading, it appears the rationale of the complaint did not objectively consider our perspective, but was heavily weighted against our point of view. …

"This decision appears to give official sanction to the personal interpretation of our doctrinal standards in a way that diminishes their unifying and binding force. Sadly, this approach to theology within the United Methodist Church will only deepen our divisions and weaken the mission and ministry of our church."