The Retirement of Rowan Williams – The Archbishop of Canterbury
Column by Bishop John Shelby Spong on April, 19 2012The Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Reverend and Right Honorable Dr. Rowan Williams, has recently announced his plans to retire at year’s end. This announcement was greeted with …
On Being Honored by the Jesus Seminar
Column by Bishop John Shelby Spong on April, 12 2012In the early spring of this year the Jesus Seminar paid me a special tribute at its meeting held in Salem, Oregon. First, I was invited to give two …
The Health Care Debate: Is It Possible to Reach Conclusions That Are Satisfactory?
Column by Bishop John Shelby Spong on April, 5 2012The argument before the Supreme Court as to whether the Federal government can mandate health insurance for all citizens represents a fascinating dance around shifting realities. It is an …
“Think Different – Accept Uncertainty” Part VIII: Deconstructing the Story of the Fall
Column by Bishop John Shelby Spong on March, 29 2012The way Christians have told the Christ story, beginning with Augustine in the fourth century and continuing through Anselm in the twelfth century, is to postulate an original and …
“Think Different – Accept Uncertainty” Part VII: The Corruption of Human Life According to the Bible
Column by Bishop John Shelby Spong on March, 22 2012In the beginning all was good, said the oldest biblical story of creation (Gen. 2:4b-3:24). That goodness was symbolized by the portrait of life in …
“Think Different – Accept Uncertainty” Part VI: Understanding the Source of Evil
Column by Bishop John Shelby Spong on March, 15 2012Note: See the Announcements section for a clarification on the order of the entries in this series.
Bad …
The Contraception Debate: Is Misogyny on the Rise?
Column by Bishop John Shelby Spong on March, 8 2012Here is some of the evidence.
In Virginia, the State Legislature was poised to pass and Republican Governor Bob McDonnell to sign a bill requiring a vaginally-invasive medical procedure …
“Think Different – Accept Uncertainty” Part V: The Traditional Religious Definition of Human Life
Column by Bishop John Shelby Spong on March, 1 2012In this series we have looked at the changing understanding of God throughout human history. We have tried to separate the God experience of transcendence, wonder and awe from …
The Roman Catholic Bishops: Are They Killing Their Church?
Column by Bishop John Shelby Spong on February, 23 2012I never thought I would live long enough to see birth control become a major political issue. Nor did I think I would ever hear the desire to provide …
“Think Different – Accept Uncertainty” Part IV: Expanding the Bankruptcy of Theism
Column by Bishop John Shelby Spong on February, 16 2012Before proceeding with this series, I want to return to my theme of last week and examine the concept of theism more closely. In so doing, I run the …
“Think Different – Accept Uncertainty” Part III: A Call to Re-Image God and All Religious Symbols
Column by Bishop John Shelby Spong on February, 9 2012Defining the human experience that we call God is not just a modern activity, human beings have engaged in this task since the dawn of civilization. The factor driving …
Should a Competent Newspaper Publish Uninformed Prejudice?
Column by Bishop John Shelby Spong on February, 2 2012An article on homosexuality, which appeared recently on the Op-Ed page of the Star-Tribune of Minneapolis, calls into question the decision on the part of that paper’s editors …
“Think Different – Accept Uncertainty” Part II
Column by Bishop John Shelby Spong on January, 26 2012A recent letter from an Anglican priest in Canada revealed what this priest believes to be the dire straits into which Christianity has fallen in that gentle land to our north.
“Think Different – Accept Uncertainty”
Column by Bishop John Shelby Spong on January, 19 2012I recently read Walter Isaacson’s provocative and fascinating biography of Steve Jobs, the founder of the Apple Corporation. He was innovative, iconoclastic, weird and a genius. He built …
My Second Great Mentor: David Watt Yates (1904-1967)
Column by Bishop John Shelby Spong on January, 12 2012His name was David Watt Yates. As an Episcopal priest he fought for the integration of the races in North Carolina in the 1940’s! He was a conscientious objector …
The Monolithic Conservatism of the American Heartland Is Not So Monolithic!
Column by Bishop John Shelby Spong on January, 5 2012There are times when one’s perceptions are challenged and one’s stereotypical prejudices are shattered. This happened to me in recent days when I fulfilled invitations to speak …
An Open Letter to a Political Leader Newt Gingrich and to a Religious Leader Pat Robertson
Column by Bishop John Shelby Spong on December, 29 2011A note to my readers: This column ran first in the fall of 2010 or about 15 months ago in this exact form. It was not regarded as controversial. The …
Christpower
Column by Bishop John Shelby Spong on December, 22 2011A Note to my Readers:
Many years ago, in 1974 to be specific, for the sermon at the Christmas Eve Midnight service at St. Paul’s …
Harrisena Community Church in Lake George New York: A Story Worth Telling
Column by Bishop John Shelby Spong on December, 15 2011This church was built in 1866 by John J. Harris to be used as an Episcopal summer chapel serving vacationers in the Lake George, New York area. In 1869 it was …
A Walk Down Memory Lane in England with My Wife
Column by Bishop John Shelby Spong on December, 8 2011It was a nostalgic trip down memory lane for my wife Christine. It turned out to be a moment of insight into life itself. For that reason alone I …
What Do Christian Symbols Mean in a Land Where Christianity is No Longer Practiced?
Column by Bishop John Shelby Spong on December, 1 2011Italy is a Roman Catholic country! That was stated time after time as we journeyed through Florence, Tuscany and the Cinque Terre. The signs of this faith tradition were …
The Super Committee Fails – Disgust is Rampant!
Column by Bishop John Shelby Spong on November, 24 2011There was a sense of disgust, followed by feelings of despair when the super committee formed to deal with the budget deficit failed to accomplish anything. This committee had …
Studying Christian Art in Florence Italy
Column by Bishop John Shelby Spong on November, 17 2011The Florence Museum, known in Italy as the Musei Firenze, is best known for the massive marble statue of the youthful King David sculpted by Michelangelo. Housed in the …
Facing the Political Realities of Institutional Church Life in the Launch of Re-Claiming the Bible for a Non-Religious World
Column by Bishop John Shelby Spong on November, 10 2011On November 8, 2011, my publisher, Harper-Collins, released my newest book under the title Re-Claiming the Bible for a Non-Religious World. The date of a book’s release is …
The European Economy and Germany’s Role in Re-Shaping it in the 21st Century
Column by Bishop John Shelby Spong on November, 3 2011One of the signs of our radically interdependent world is that the economic problems of Europe have become the primary catalyst in the American stock market fluctuations over the …