Assessing the Pontificate of John Paul II

Column by Bishop John Shelby Spong on April, 27 2005

We have just witnessed a moving transition in the best-known, most powerful office in the Christian world. In many ways the final days before this transition were painful …

Whose Money Is It? A Meditation on April 15th

Column by Bishop John Shelby Spong on April, 20 2005

Dear Friends,

The College of Cardinals of the Roman Catholic Church has made its decision in the election of Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger to the See of Rome. …

An Author’s Postpartum

Column by Bishop John Shelby Spong on April, 13 2005

I have obviously never had a baby. However, as a pastor for almost fifty years I have walked with young mothers from the joy of conception to the …

The Anglican Communion’s Orwellian Odyssey

Column by Bishop John Shelby Spong on April, 6 2005

To my readers:

I want to express my condolences through this column, especially to my Roman Catholic friends, at the passing of their leader John Paul II. …

The Debate Rages: Do We Have a Right to Determine How We Die?

Column by Bishop John Shelby Spong on March, 30 2005

{To my readers: As the national debate continues over Terri Schiavo, I use this column to answer a question I received from a reader on this subject. Next …

A Time to Die?

Column by Bishop John Shelby Spong on March, 23 2005

(To my readers: Dear Friends, I have for some time been on the lookout for other progressive Christian voices that I can present to you through this …

The Connection between the Crucifixion and the Passover, Part VII

Column by Bishop John Shelby Spong on March, 16 2005

The plaintive cry of traditional believers when they actually begin to delve into the scriptures from a critical, academic perspective is, “What then is left?” This cry comes …

The Connection between the Crucifixion and the Passover, Part VI

Column by Bishop John Shelby Spong on March, 9 2005

Today, as a way to round out this series on the biblical accounts of the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus, events which most scholars date around 30 CE, I …

The Connection between the Crucifixion and the Passover, Part V

Column by Bishop John Shelby Spong on March, 2 2005

Once the literal prison in which we have confined the Bible has been shattered then, far from being destroyed as traditional Christians seem to fear, our faith is …

The Connection between the Crucifixion and the Passover, Part IV

Column by Bishop John Shelby Spong on February, 23 2005

In this series of essays, I have tried to push our analysis of the Passover story that anchors the gospel accounts of Jesus, beyond that primitive literalism that …