John shelby spong fourth gospel warns against literal. Why neither ancient creeds nor the reformation can produce a living faith today by a parishioner. A man who has consciously and deliberately walked the path of christ, john shelby spong has lived his entire life inside the christian church. Best selling author, worldrenowned speaker and leader, inspiration and cofounder of progressing spirit. John shelby spongs last book unbelievable is a dud. In this profound and considered work, he offers a radical new way to look at the gospels today as he shows just how deeply jewish the christian gospels are and how much they reflect the jewish scriptures. A journey into a new christianity through the doorway. A bishop rethinks the meaning of scripture, and jesus for the nonreligious, and more on. Funk, john dominic crossan, karen king, lloyd geering, gerd luedemann, thomas sheehan, walter wink isbn 9780944344804 9780944344804 softcover, polebridge press, 2000.
John shelby spong, bestselling author and popular proponent of a modern, scholarly and authentic christianity, argues that this last gospel to be written was misinterpreted by the framers of the fourthcentury creeds to be a literal account of the life of jesus when in fact it is a literary, interpretive retelling of the events in jesus life through the medium of fictional characters, from. Yesterday i wrote a post in which i began to discuss the recent huffington post article by john shelby spong in which he discusses his new book on john. His twelve points for reform were originally published in the voice, the newsletter of the diocese of newark, in 1998. At the beginning of the sixteenth century, christianity was in crisisa state of conflict that. He is 87 years old and questions linger about his health since he had a stroke in september 2016. The result is a strikingly new and different portrait of jesus of. His outrageous ideology has been an embarrassment to many of his anglican kinsmen. In this remarkable spiritual autobiography about his lifelong struggle with the questions of god and death, he reveals how he ultimately came to believe in eternal life. John shelby spong was the episcopal bishop of newark, new jersey for twentyfour years before his retirement in 2000. Over the past four decades, he has become one of the definitive. Thoughts about and in unbelievable by john shelby spong. 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. John shelby spong, whose books have sold more than a million copies, was bishop of the episcopal diocese of newark for 24 years before his retirement in 2001.
John shelby spong books list of books by author john. John shelby jack spong born june 16, 1931 is a retired bishop of the episcopal church. Im not southern baptist anymore, and would loosely call myself a christian. 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. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Drawing on a lifetime of wisdom, new york times bestselling author and controversial religious leader john shelby spong continues to challenge traditional christian theology in eternal life. This is the second lecture in a series of four lectures bishop john shelby spong delivered at a progressive faith conference in springfield, mo over the weekend of august, 2014 on his latest. He was interviewing me on a book i had written on the new testament of the bible called rescuing the bible from fundamentalism, and we talked about the dating of the books of the new testament, and i said, well, the consensus is that the gospels were written some forty to seventy. Spong elaborates on them in his book a new christianity for a new world.
Episcopalian bishop and prolific writer spong biblical literalism. See all books authored by john shelby spong, including rescuing the bible from fundamentalism. From 1979 to 2000, he was the bishop of newark, new jersey. It is the book that is most often used at christian funerals. John shelby spong profiles lgbtq religious archives. John shelby spong is an american retired bishop of the episcopal church. In january 2011, took over the management and publishing of the bishop spong newsletter a new christianity for a new world. This book is based on the william belden noble lectures spong delivered at harvard. And today, while i still have an eclectic style and love of music, ive found that the power of words.
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. 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. Bible scholar and episcopal bishop john shelby spong contends that. One of my great experiences in life was to be interviewed on a latenight talk show by a guy named tom snyder. Books by john shelby spong author of why christianity. We havent heard much from former bishop of newark john shelby spong in a long time. Thoughts about and in unbelievable by john shelby spong posted on may 25, 2018 by timothy brown i was gifted bishop john shelby spong s latest, and reportedly last, book unbelievable.
John shelby jack spong was born in charlotte, north carolina, in 1931. A journey into a new christianity through the doorway of matthews gospel by john shelby spong. 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. His admirers acclaim him as a teaching bishop who makes contemporary theology accessible to the ordinary layperson hes considered the champion of an inclusive faith by many, both. Hosted by the department of religion, this event is part 2 of 5 and was held on june 24, 2014. For those seeking to experience christianity in a new and vibrant way, bishop john shelby spong offers fresh spiritual ideas. This weeks penpoints focuses upon some of spong s theological aberrations.
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. John shelby spong bio, wife, kids, career, 12 theses. 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. Praise 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. In this book, john shelby spong puts flesh onto the bare bones of bonhoeffers radical thought. John shelby spong delivers twelve forwardthinking theses to spark a new. Now he offers the antidote, calling christians everywhere into a new and radical reformation for a new age. 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.
John shelby spong audio books, best sellers, author bio. See all books authored by john shelby spong, including rescuing the bible from. John shelby spong is an influential public speaker, writer and media figure. His father passed away when he was twelve years old, and he turned to a local episcopal priest, robert crandall, as a role model and surrogate father. He offers convincing evidence that the gospels are a. John shelby spong explains the importance of reading the 4th gospel with out being a literal. Once in awhile, a book comes along that completely shatters your christian world view. He was the bishop of newark, new jersey from 1979 to 2000.
John shelby spong s last book unbelievable is a dud. Curtice brings us a moving and vulnerable column this week at progressing spirit. I thought your overview of bishop spong s new book was superbyou were honest, and, as always encouraging. If you choose just one book of john shelby spongs, then choose unbelievable. He claims he is a christian yet he champions causes that. 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. John shelby spongs unbelievable is one of those books. His admirers acclaim he is a teaching bishop who makes contemporary theology. John shelby spong has 30 books on goodreads with 23792 ratings. He was raised in a workingclass household in the segregated south. 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. By the end of the book, were left with a radical new vision for christianity one. 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 conviction about eternal. John shelby spong was bishop of the episcopal diocese of newark, new jersey for 24 years before his retirement in 2001.
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