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August 31, 2010 UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST AFFAIR CRISIS
DEEPENS The announcement by the United Church of
Christ Leadership that former UCC President and General Minister
John Thomas is divorcing his wife to "live in a committed
relationship" with a former co-worker has created a deepening crisis
of confidence in the denomination. While it has since come to light
that Thomas has had a long standing affair with UCC Ecumenical
Officer Lydia Veliko, the UCC Collegium has indicated that it will
make no further statement or reveal additional facts. Dr. Thomas traveled with
August 27, 2010 UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST THEOLOGIAN DONALD
BLOESCH - A FATHER OF MAINLINE RENEWAL PASSES TO GLORY Theologian and friend, Dr. Donald Bloesch
died Tuesday, August 24th in Dubuque, Iowa, where he taught and was
professor emeritus at the University of Dubuque Theological
Seminary. Dr. Bloesch inspired and informed the
passion of an entire generation of renewal leaders, not only in his
own denomination, the United Church of Christ, but throughout the
Mainline Church. His earlier work such as “The Reform of the
Church,” “Evangelical Renaissance,” “Wellsprings of Renewal,” and
“The Invaded Church,” were the battle cry and blueprint for those
calling their drifting churches back to authentic ecumenical
orthodoxy. His later “Christian Foundations Series” will remain a
part of classical theological education for years to come. Dr.
Bloesch largely authored the founding document of the Biblical
Witness Fellowship, the confessing movement in the UCC, known as the
Dubuque Declaration. BWF Executive Director, David
Runnion-Bareford gives him tribute, saying, "Donald Bloesch was
the major theological force in shaping our radical vision for church
renewal in the 1970's and 1980's. He gave us not only an
understanding of the deep perversity in the mainline church, but
theological skills to be effective witnesses in a difficult time. He
was my inspiration in the early years, and when I found myself in
leadership, Dr. Bloesch became an invaluable mentor and friend. It
is ironic that this evangelical was the most widely read and
respected UCC theologian of his generation. He will be received into
glory with great joy! Thank you Dr. Bloesch.”
FORMER UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST PRESIDENT
CHOOSES ADULTEROUS RELATIONSHIP, DIVORCE, CREATES CRISIS Dr. John Thomas, who completed his final term as President of the United Church of Christ in September 2009, recently announced that he is living in an adulterous relationship with a fellow national UCC staff member and is consequently separated from and divorcing his wife. The duration of the adulterous relationship with his co-worker, engaged in while he served as President of the UCC in Cleveland, or whether she was a subordinate has not been revealed. Biblical Witness Fellowship, a confessing
movement in the United Church of Christ has issued the following
statement in reaction to this news. “It is a great sadness for all of us
that our former President John Thomas has broken his covenant
commitment to marriage in exchange for an adulterous relationship.
His action deepens the crisis of integrity in the UCC with
consequences well beyond the tragic dissolution of his own family.
During his administration Dr. Thomas was a champion for the
religious legitimization of sexual license and the redefinition of
marriage. It now appears that his agenda may have been driven by
personal justification of his own behavior rather than by any
authentic conviction. The whole church is deeply hurt when our
leaders fail to keep their vows and engage in this form of
duplicity. It compromises the witness of all of us in the body
of Christ. We understand that all of us sin and fall short of the
glory of God, and call on our brother John Thomas to repent and seek
restoration.”
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