John shelby spongs unbelievable is one of those books. The 12 theses of john shelby spong anglicanorum coetibus. This latest one is a take on the gospel of john called the fourth gospel. The bible is a good book, but god didnt write it bishop john. Bible scholar and episcopal bishop john shelby spong contends that there is mounting pressure among christians for a radically new kind of christianitya faith deeply connected to the human experience instead of. Reading the bible with jewish eyes harper, san francisco he reveals how. Spong looks beyond traditional boundaries to open new avenues and a new vocabulary into the holy, proposing a. Bishop spong has not shirked from making waves since the 1970s when he defended homosexuality to the church. John shelby spong, a retired bishop of the anglican church, has made a career of being a rogue priest who assaults almost everything that is sacred within the christian religion. Five hundred years after martin luther and his ninetyfive theses ushered in the reformation, bestselling author and controversial bishop and teacher john shelby spong delivers twelve forwardthinking theses to spark a new reformation to reinvigorate christianity and ensure its future. Why traditional faith is dying and how a new faith is being born is a theological book by episcopalian bishop john shelby spong. This book is based on the william belden noble lectures spong delivered at harvard. Retired bishop john spong on rediscovering matthews jewish roots. A liberal christian theologian, religion commentator and author, he calls for a fundamental rethinking of christian belief away from theism and traditional doctrines.
While lukes narrative, the most detailed account of the birth of jesus, is lyrical and inspiring, in the birth of jesus, spong persuasively demonstrates it is. A new vision, beyond religion, beyond theism, beyond heaven and hell by john shelby spong, harpercollins, 2009, 288 ff. John shelby jack spong born june 16, 1931 is a retired bishop of the episcopal church. Join us in explorations on theology, spirituality and the news at progressing spirit, a dynamic new online magazine offered to subscribers each week, with rotating authors, who are. A new vision, a remarkable spiritual journey about his lifelong struggle with the questions of god and death, he reveals how he came to a new. See all books authored by john shelby spong, including rescuing the bible from fundamentalism. Bishop spong has identified a problem for his church a symptom.
Im not southern baptist anymore, and would loosely call myself a christian. In the process, we discuss one of bishop spongs most recent books, biblical literalism. Over the past four decades, he has become one of the definitive. In 2010, spong published a book on life after death eternal life. Spong looks beyond traditional boundaries to open new avenues and a new vocabulary into the holy, proposing a christianity premised upon. Tales of a jewish mystic, the always provocative bishop john shelby spong takes on the gospel of john, opening new windows of insight and challenging the ways the fourth gospel has usually been understood. John shelby spong was the episcopal bishop of newark, new jersey for twentyfour years before his retirement in 2000. John shelby spong is the episcopal bishop of newark, new jersey, and has enjoyed a career filled with controversy, much of it thanks to his many bestselling books.
Bishop spong is the author of several bestselling books which have sold more than 650,000 copies combined, including. Explorations on theology, spirituality and the news. Best selling author, worldrenowned speaker and leader, inspiration and cofounder of progressing spirit. John shelby spong is the episcopal bishop of newark, new jersey, and has enjoyed a career filled with controversy, much of it thanks to his. This weeks penpoints focuses upon some of spongs theological aberrations. Bible scholar and episcopal bishop john shelby spong contends that the slow withering of the traditional church makes it imperative for christians to develop a radically new kind of christianitya faith deeply connected to the human experience instead of outdated dogma. A journey into a new christianity through the doorway. It looks like the judgement of time is going to leave spongs 12 theses in the dustbin of history. John shelby spong books list of books by author john. Over the past four decades, he has become one of the definitive voices for progressive christianity. At the direction of dr jensen, the current edition of the sydney dioceses newspaper, southern cross, has devoted two pages to an attack on bishop spong and his new book, jesus for the nonreligious.
This weeks penpoints focuses upon some of spong s theological aberrations. And today, while i still have an eclectic style and love of music, ive found that the power of words. In this boldest book since rescuing the bible from fundamentalism, bishop john shelby spong offers a compelling view of the gospels as thoroughly jewish tests. Bishop spong makes it quite clear that the words of the bible are not the words of god. See all books authored by john shelby spong, including rescuing the bible from. Jul 04, 2016 for those seeking to experience christianity in a new and vibrant way, bishop john shelby spong offers fresh spiritual ideas. He is one of the leading spokespersons for liberal christianity and has been featured on 60 minutes, good morning america, fox news live, and extra. Retired episcopal bishop john shelby sponghas been taking religious literalists to task for over 40 yearsspongs new book reclaiming. I think that one of my big issues with our absolutist friends is that they seem to think that there is only one truth and everyone has to agree on that one. For those seeking to experience christianity in a new and vibrant way, bishop john shelby spong offers fresh spiritual ideas. His outrageous ideology has been an embarrassment to many of his anglican kinsmen.
Although the bible is not propositional truth, the bishop claims to possess truth on many subjects, things that are. The book tells me that my thoughts of the past few years are felt by others and spong wrote these thoughts and much much more in this incredible new book unbelievable. Rescuing the gospel from bishop spong probe ministries. In his final climactic book, bishop spong provides us with a primer on his core ideas, a courageous agenda for the future of the jesus tradition, and some provocative proposals for pursuing that agenda. Bishop spong tried to answer this question posed by one of the listeners to his lecture. In this final book of his storied career, spong continues to integrate a rigorous scholarly tradition with the christian faith and so offers a new approach, one that challenges christians to explore their beliefs in new and meaningful ways. John shelby spong has 30 books on goodreads with 23792 ratings. The retired episcopal bishop of newark, new jersey, bishop spong will also give a public lecture at st aidans anglican girls school in brisbane.
Apr 03, 2016 first, look past the books titlethose words are a publishers way of reminding readers of the controversy retired bishop jack spong has sparked throughout most of his career. A new christianity for a new world has transitioned to. So i am surprised to find no mention of it in this book. Beyond religion, beyond theism, beyond heaven and hell, isbn 0060762063 in deutsch 2011. Peter francis, warden of gladstones library episcopalian bishop and prolific writer spong has penned what he declares to be his final book, encapsulating a lifetime of thinking and teaching in order to call upon christianity to undergo a transformation. The second part of your book focuses on a new christology. The bulk of spongs book attempts to separate the bible from any notion of truth, except where the bishop finds a saying or thought helpful to his gospel of tolerance. Feb, 2018 a call for a new reformation casting aside the beliefs of christianity. Spongs new book on john john shelby spong, former episcopal bishop of new jersey and highly controversial author because of his skeptical views about the new testament and traditional christian doctrine has just published a new book on the gospel of john, called the fourth gospel. Spong powerfully argues that many of the key gospel accounts of events in the life of jesusfrom the stories of his birth to his physical resurrectionare not literally true. First, look past the books titlethose words are a publishers way of reminding readers of the controversy retired bishop jack spong has sparked throughout most of his career. What is there, however, is a powerful message that runs counter to.
Apr 07, 2016 bookfilters michael giltz interviews retired episcopal bishop john shelby spong about his new book biblical literalism. John shelby spongs last book unbelievable is a dud. A call for a new reformation casting aside the beliefs of christianity. Feb, 2018 jesus new covenant may well have been the first lutherlike reformation even though it happened long before luther. A bishop rethinks the birth of jesus san francisco. Bishop john shelby spong first parish of norwell unitarian. The two of you dont agree on everything and thats the way it should be.
That listener wanted to know what difference it would make in the real life of our real world if we ceased to define god in theistic terms. Jesus new covenant may well have been the first lutherlike reformation even though it happened long before luther. Bishop spong has created just what we needed if we are going to save intelligent christianity from extinction. J ohn shelby spong, who was born in 1931 in charlotte, north carolina, u. Reading the bible with jewish eyes harper, san francisco he reveals how christians have misread the gospels, by ignoring. Bishop spong, the theological criminal the virtual atheism of john shelby spong a former bishop or not, this man stands outside of the community of the faithful. Bishop john shelby spong ahead of his time with church. Now he offers the antidote, calling christians everywhere into a new and radical reformation for a new age. As the subtitle suggests, spong reads the gospel through a. Books by john shelby spong meet your next favorite book. An aging maverick, episcopal bishop john shelby spong has. A bishop rethinks the meaning of scripture, and jesus for the nonreligious, and more on. Bishop john shelby spong has devoted his life to championing an authentic christianity based on love, not hatred.
A gentile heresy, spong dissects the gospel of matthew to uncover what the jewish writers were really trying to do in their gospel narrative, and oddly enough, building megachurches and promising safety and security in exchange for right belief isnt anywhere to be found. Echoing martin luther, he offers 12 theses upon which to build his argument. Unbelievable goodreads meet your next favorite book. Hes seen a whole lot of positive change in his lifetime, but hes impatient when he still witnesses the exclusion of people from the community of faithor finds old biases and bigotry resurfacing in new guises. Yes, this new book is a provocative reinterpretation of gospel stories and some christians will disagree with spong, as usual. At the beginning of the sixteenth century, christianity was in crisisa state of. John shelby spong, former episcopal bishop of new jersey and highly controversial author because of his skeptical views about the new testament and traditional christian doctrine has just published a new book on the gospel of john, called the fourth gospel. Top 25 quotes by john shelby spong of 202 az quotes. Why traditional faith is dying and how a new faith is being born is a theological book by episcopalian bishop john shelby spong, published in 2001, in which he outlines his ideas for doctrinal changes within christianity in the modern world. This book is an excellent critique by a new testament scholar of the three recent antichristian books. A new christianity for a new world john shelby spong. He claims he is a christian yet he champions causes that historic christianity has often fought tooth and nail against. R etired bishop john shelby spong is a man of great faith who is impatient with history and with his own mortality. In demand as a lecturer around the world, bishop spong just completed a tour to the u.
A gentile heresy and a lifetime of fighting for social justice. Curtice brings us a moving and vulnerable column this week at progressing spirit. John shelby spong is an influential public speaker, writer and media figure. In january 2011, took over the management and publishing of the bishop spong newsletter a new christianity for a new world. John shelby spong books list of books by author john shelby. An account of spirituality by a christian realist by howard jones john shelby spong was formerly the bishop of the episcopal church diocese of newark, new jersey.
Join bishop spong as he takes us on a journey to the times of jesus birth, focusing on lukes account. I thought your overview of bishop spong s new book was superbyou were honest, and, as always encouraging. Now the controversial champion of a more open and progressive christianity courageously. An aging maverick, episcopal bishop john shelby spong has no. Bookfilter interviews bishop john shelby spong youtube. It would appear spongs brand of far left universalist christianity is the brand of religion that is not going to survive. We havent heard much from former bishop of newark john shelby spong in a long time. Jun 14, 20 john shelby spong, former episcopal bishop of new jersey and highly controversial author because of his skeptical views about the new testament and traditional christian doctrine has just published a new book on the gospel of john, called the fourth gospel. Retired bishop john spong on rediscovering matthews. Controversial bishop spong, now 78, talks about eternal. Books by john shelby spong author of why christianity. Even in his late 70s, describing the afterlife was a struggle. A new vision that he had abandoned 25 years earlier because i clearly wasnt ready to write it.
Oct 20, 2009 r etired bishop john shelby spong is a man of great faith who is impatient with history and with his own mortality. While lukes narrative, the most detailed account of the birth of jesus, is lyrical and inspiring, in the birth of jesus, spong persuasively demonstrates it is allegory. Bishop spong retired from writing this column in september 2016. By the end of the book, were left with a radical new vision for christianity one. From 1979 to 2000, he was the bishop of newark, new jersey. Bookfilters michael giltz interviews retired episcopal bishop john shelby spong about his new book biblical literalism. He is 87 years old and questions linger about his health since he had a stroke in september 2016. Edmond browning of new york, presiding bishop of the episcopal church, said in an interview that he has not read spongs book, rescuing the bible from fundamentalism harper. Unical funded the fundamentalists in the early 1900s and they would mail out these pamphlets, about 350,000 of them every week to every christian worker in america. Bible scholar and episcopal bishop john shelby spong contends that there is mounting pressure among christians for a radically new kind of christianitya faith deeply connected to the human experience instead.