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. 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. He is a liberal christian theologian, biblical scholar, religion commentator and author. The author examines the history and context of the ten commandments, and suggests their relevance in todays world. Founded in 1991, bishop john shelby spong began offering a subscriptionbased publication to a growing audience of those who sought out his lecturers and his bestselling books. John shelby spong born 16 june 1931 in charlotte, north carolina, u. Rescuing the gospel from bishop spong probe ministries. John shelby spong is one of the most prolific authors on what has become known as progressive christianity. Hosted by the department of religion, this event is part 2 of 5 and was held on june 24, 2014. If one or more works are by a distinct, homonymous authors, go ahead and split the author.
Having concluded on monday the virgin mary was something less than a virgin, and on tuesday eliminating joseph from the christian narrative altogether, john shelby spong turned his sights on the messiah himself wednesday afternoon in the hall of philosophy. He freely admits in the book that his greek is rusty but that he took 5 years to research everything he could find by scholars to write this book and admits that he avoided john as much as possible in his pastoral role but decided to deal. This hebrew lord by john shelby spong published by the seabury press, new york, 1974. Jun 30, 2018 discover book depositorys huge selection of john shelby spong books online. 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. Reading the bible with jewish eyes di spong, john shelby e una grande selezione di libri, arte e articoli da collezione disponibile su abebooks. Thats why, says retired episcopal bishop john shelby spong, despite his bestselling controversial books and popular speeches, his position on jesus and the christian church will never be the majority opinion, because he believes jesus is not the savior of the world and that the bible cannot be read literally. A teaching bishop and best selling author who makes contemporary theology accessible to the ordinary layperson hes considered the champion of an inclusive. Bishop john shelby spong boldly approaches those texts that have. It strikes me that the god of the bible, and most religions, is a changeable god. Bishop john shelby spong boldly approaches those texts that have been used through. His twelve points for reform were originally published in the voice, the newsletter of the diocese of newark, in 1998.
For those seeking to experience christianity in a new and vibrant way, bishop john shelby spong offers fresh spiritual ideas. A bishop rethinks human sexuality, john shelby spong, feb 2, 1990, religion, 256 pages. John shelby spong s last book unbelievable is a dud. John shelby spong books list of books by author john shelby. Buy john shelby spong ebooks to read online or download in pdf or epub on your pc, tablet or mobile device. Spong contends not simply that conservative interpretations of the. He argues that while liberal, mainline churches have abandoned the bible, which he claims to love, fundamentalists have made an idol of it. A bishop rethinks the virgin birth and the treatment of women by a maledominated church by john shelby spong and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. John shelby spong bio, wife, kids, career, 12 theses. Spong was the episcopal bishop of newark before his retirement in 2000, and he is the author of several books to include why christianity must change or.
John shelby spong is currently considered a single author. In third lecture, john shelby spong turns his attention to. This hebrew lord, john shelby spong, jul 8, 2014, religion, 208 pages. John shelby spong primary author only author division. Spong reveals to us the real message of the bible in his best selling book, rescuing. Browse gift certificates drmfree books my ebooks my account. Bishop john shelby spong 9am from a tribal god to a universal presence. 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. This approach to christianity essentially allegorizes the biblical accounts both old and new testaments and distills them to symbolic and universal truths rather than historical or literal events. A liberal christian theologian, religion commentator and author, he calls for a fundamental rethinking of christian belief away from theism and traditional doctrines. Rescuing the gospel from bishop spong who is bishop spong. 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.
John shelby jack spong born june 16, 1931 is a retired bishop of the episcopal church. John shelby spong fourth gospel warns against literal. In the history of the western world, the bible has been a perpetual source of inspiration and guidance for countless christians. John shelby spong is an american retired bishop of the episcopal church. Shop the latest titles by john shelby spong, bishop at alibris including hardcovers, paperbacks, 1st editions, and audiobooks from thousands of sellers worldwide.
From 1979 to 2000, he was the bishop of newark, new jersey. John shelby spong some who read spong s comments may come to the mistaken conclusion that the christmas stories are not true. This hebrew lord isbn 9780060675202 pdf epub john shelby. John shelby spong, the episcopal bishop of newark before his retirement in 2000, has been a visiting lecturer at harvard and at more than 500 other universities all over the world. John shelby spong s original groundbreaking classic, now newly revised, reveals the jesus behind the. 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. Spong, the measure of all things christianity today. From the bestselling author of rescuing the bible from fundamentalism. He is out to save christianity from the fundamentalists. The sins of scripture by john shelby spong pdf, ebook read. Oct, 2009 the sins of scripture exposing the bibles texts of hate to reveal the god of love. Discover book depositorys huge selection of john shelby spong books online.
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 book is based on the william belden noble lectures spong delivered at harvard. Jesus for the nonreligious by john shelby spong goodreads. Mar 01, 2006 christians who have come to expect stiff opposition from outsiders may be surprised when criticism comes from withinunless, of course, it originates in the study of john shelby spong. 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. John shelby spong wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. John shelby spong has 30 books on goodreads with 23630 ratings. Bishop spong is the author, or coauthor, of twentyone books. Spong, the retired episcopal bishop of newark whos been banned from churches across the world, gave his first of. An examination of the theology of bishop john shelby spong.
As i engaged these issues as a bishop and a committed christian, i became. Over the past four decades, he has become one of the definitive. Jesus never gave the sermon on the mount nor traveled in the desert for. At the beginning of the sixteenth century, christianity was in crisisa state of. 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. John shelby spong was the episcopal bishop of newark, new jersey for twentyfour years before his retirement in 2000. Bishop john shelby spong join bishop spong as he takes us on a journey to the times of jesus birth, focusing on lukes account. John shelby spong some who read spongs comments may come to the mistaken conclusion that the christmas stories are not true. In january 2011, took over the management and publishing of the bishop spong newsletter a new christianity for a new world. The living commandments return to religiononline the living commandments by john shelby spong this book was published by seabury press, new york, in 1977. 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.
John shelby spong ebooks epub and pdf downloads ebookmall. At the beginning of the sixteenth century, christianity was in crisisa state of conflict that. The reason for this conclusion is our modern mindset that equates truth with factuality, which arose during the scientific and industrial revolution and which is so very prevalent in our technocratic age. Rescuing the bible from fundamentalism book by john.
John shelby spong was the episcopal bishop of newark for twentyfour years prior to his retirement in 2000. This book was published by seabury press, new york. John shelby spong was the episcopal bishop of newark before his retirement in 2000. A bishop speaks to believers in exile, and more on. Retired episcopal bishop john shelby spong is a man with a mission.
Jun 28, 2016 in the first five minutes of the 2016 seasons first interfaith lecture, john shelby spong declared that jesuss virgin birth is most likely fictional, and the question of whether its true or not is largely irrelevant. A teaching bishop and best selling author who makes contemporary theology accessible to the ordinary layperson. He was the bishop of newark, new jersey from 1979 to 2000. In this book, john shelby spong puts flesh onto the bare bones of bonhoeffers radical thought. 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. A journey into a new christianity through the doorway of matthews gospel. Since then he has taught at harvard university, the university of the pacific and drew university and he has been a visiting lecturer at universities and churches throughout north america and the englishspeaking world.
Episcopalian bishop and prolific writer spong biblical literalism. Shop amongst our popular books, including 36, the bishops voice, unbelievable and more from john shelby spong. We havent heard much from former bishop of newark john shelby spong in a long time. John shelby spong books list of books by author john. 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. 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. This weeks penpoints focuses upon some of spong s theological aberrations. As a leading spokesperson for an open, scholarly, and progressive christianity, bishop spong has taught at harvard and at the graduate theological union in berkeley, california. In the first five minutes of the 2016 seasons first interfaith lecture, john shelby spong declared that jesuss virgin birth is most likely fictional, and the question of whether its true or not is largely irrelevant.
I tried to articulate this challenge in a book entitled. See all books authored by john shelby spong, including rescuing the bible from fundamentalism. He freely admits in the book that his greek is rusty but that he took 5 years to research everything he could find by scholars to write this book and admits that he avoided john as much as possible in his pastoral role but decided to deal with. In this provocative bestseller, the outspoken and controversial bishop john shelby spong reveals how literal interpretations of scripture have been used to justify slavery ban textbooks deny the rights of gays and lesbians subordinate women and justify war and revenge. 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. This book is the story of a struggle that was both personal and theological in which bishop spong proposes to translate the power in jesus of nazareth into the categories of our day. Join bishop spong as he takes us on a journey to the times of jesus birth, focusing on lukes account.
Wed love you to buy this book, and hope you find this page convenient in locating a place of purchase. 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 ebooks epub and pdf format john shelby spong ebooks. John shelby spong librarything catalog your books online. Candid, personal, and soundly argued, this is spong s spiritual and intellectual pilgrimage to the christ he discovered in jesus of nazareth. Free shipping and pickup in store on eligible orders. Books by john shelby spong author of why christianity. In his previous two books spong the fourth gospel, retired episcopal bishop of the diocese of newark, instructed that to understand the gospels readers must follow directions to their jewish origins. His outrageous ideology has been an embarrassment to many of his anglican kinsmen. 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 elaborates on them in his book a new christianity for a new world. His books, which have sold well over a million copies, include biblical literalism. It is undeniable that the bible is not always used for good.
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