Lectureship that Challenges What is, in the Name of What Can Be

Column by Bishop John Shelby Spong on May, 23 2013

The Third Annual John Shelby Spong Lecture was held at St. Peter’s Church, Morristown, New Jersey, near the end of April. A crowd of people, numbering around 400, according …

The Birth of Jesus, Part XIII. Introducing the Lucan Story

Column by Bishop John Shelby Spong on May, 9 2013

Somewhere six to ten years after the Gospel of Matthew was written, another gospel, the one we call Luke, makes its appearance. Both Matthew and Luke had Mark as …

The Birth of Jesus, Part XII. Making Sense of the Wise Men

Column by Bishop John Shelby Spong on May, 2 2013

Having now described the miraculous birth of Jesus in chapter one of his gospel, Matthew turns next to his account of how the birth of Jesus was divinely “rolled …

Making Sense of Violence and Terror in Boston

Column by Bishop John Shelby Spong on April, 25 2013

On Monday, April 15, Patriot’s Day in Boston, Massachusetts, the bomb blasts that occurred near the finish line of the Boston Marathon brought death, mutilation and injury to more than 200 …

The Birth of Jesus, Part XI. Matthew Weaves Together Proof Texts from Isaiah, Micah, Hosea and from an Unknown Source

Column by Bishop John Shelby Spong on April, 11 2013

Christianity was born in the synagogue and the original followers of Jesus were primarily observant Jews. They gathered in the synagogue regularly on the Sabbath for worship. A major …

Re-Living Holy Week and Easter as Part of a Community of Faith

Column by Bishop John Shelby Spong on April, 4 2013

Holy Week, including Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday and Good Friday were especially meaningful to me this year. So was the celebration of Easter. In this column today I would …

A Pope is Chosen – Hopes Rise for Change

Column by Bishop John Shelby Spong on March, 21 2013

His name is Jorge Mario Bergoglio, but the world will know him as Pope Francis I. He was a surprise selection by the Conclave of Cardinals voting in the …

A New Plan for Good Friday

Column by Bishop John Shelby Spong on March, 14 2013

Reclaiming Good Friday as a major focus of both Lent and the Christian story will be at the center of my life this year, when I spend that day …