Resurrection – Myth or Reality, Part II: The Witness of Paul

Column by Bishop John Shelby Spong on April, 30 2015

The first writer of what later came to be called the New Testament was a well-educated Jew from Tarsus in Asia Minor. His name was Paul, although there is …

Part XLII Matthew – Identifying the Sources of the Passion Narrative

Column by Bishop John Shelby Spong on February, 26 2015

If we can demonstrate that Jesus never spoke the words, “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” from the cross, but that rather the earliest gospel writers, …

Part XXXIX Matthew – The Apocalypse and the End of the World

Column by Bishop John Shelby Spong on February, 5 2015

In Matthew’s narrative, the Jewish year came to an end with the month of Adar. The Passover would be the first celebration of the New Year which began …

Part XXIX Matthew: Did Jesus Really Walk on Water? Of Course Not!

Column by Bishop John Shelby Spong on September, 25 2014

Sandwiched between Matthew’s two stories of Jesus feeding the multitude is another popular tale in the gospels. It is the account of Jesus walking on the water. Interestingly …

Part XXVIII Matthew: The Parable of the Loaves and the Fish

Column by Bishop John Shelby Spong on September, 18 2014

Sukkoth is complete. There will be six to eight Sabbaths to engage the synagogue before the next celebration, the festival called Dedication, arrives. In Aramaic the word for “Dedication” …

Part XXVII Matthew: Sukkoth, Jewish Thanksgiving Day

Column by Bishop John Shelby Spong on September, 11 2014

Matthew Shifts the Emphasis from Crops to Converts; From Harvest to Judgment

Our study last week has helped to make it obvious, I hope, that Matthew borrowed …

Part XVII Matthew – The Story of Jesus from Shavuot to Rosh Hashanah

Column by Bishop John Shelby Spong on March, 27 2014

After a three-week hiatus to consider some pressing theological questions and political issues we return this week to our story of Matthew’s gospel. It was indeed a good …

Part XII Matthew: Matthew Introduces John the Baptist-The New Elijah

Column by Bishop John Shelby Spong on January, 30 2014

Matthew has thus far mined the Hebrew Scriptures for texts that will advance his thesis that Jesus has fulfilled the Jewish messianic expectations. In the opening genealogy, he has …

Part VIII Matthew: What is the Meaning of the Virgin Birth?

Column by Bishop John Shelby Spong on November, 21 2013

It is difficult for most Christians to imagine that the story of Jesus’ virgin birth was a late developing tradition in the Christian faith, yet it appears to have …

Part V Matthew: Isolating This Gospel from All the Others

Column by Bishop John Shelby Spong on October, 31 2013

Having now introduced you to a different way of reading the gospel of Matthew, and puncturing for you, I hope forever, the assumption that this book along with all …

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