The Birth of Jesus, Part VII. The Role of Ruth: The Seductress

Column by Bishop John Shelby Spong on January, 10 2013

The third woman mentioned in Matthew’s genealogy of Jesus is also unique in a number of ways. Her name is Ruth and she, like Rahab, is a foreigner. …

On Speaking at the Athenaeum in Madrid

Column by Bishop John Shelby Spong on December, 20 2012

It was a uniquely Spanish event held in the beautifully ornate Athenaeum in downtown Madrid. It followed the format of a carefully orchestrated, intellectual and cultural pattern. The audience …

The Birth of Jesus, Part V. Matthew’s Original Story. The Prologue and Tamar, the Incestuous One

Column by Bishop John Shelby Spong on December, 13 2012

Matthew is the gospel writer (82-85) who first introduced the story of Jesus’ miraculous or virgin birth into the tradition. He did so with the seventeen most boring verses …

The Birth of Jesus, Part III. The Testimony of Mark, the Earliest Gospel

Column by Bishop John Shelby Spong on November, 29 2012

The first gospel to be written, the one we call Mark, was composed in the early years of the 8th decade (70-72). It contains no story of and no …

You Are Profoundly Wrong! A Response to the Archbishop of Newark and Other Catholic Leaders

Column by Bishop John Shelby Spong on October, 25 2012

The Roman Catholic Archbishop of Newark, the Most Reverend John J. Myers, has recently issued “A Pastoral Teaching on the Definition, Purpose and Sanctity of Marriage.”  In this document, …

“Think Different–Accept Uncertainty” Part XIX: The Dawning of Resurrection

Column by Bishop John Shelby Spong on October, 18 2012

Behind the narratives of Easter contained in the gospel tradition was an experience that was undeniable, powerful and true to the followers of Jesus.  That experience exploded upon them …

“Think Different–Accept Uncertainty” Part XVIII: The Resurrection of Jesus

Column by Bishop John Shelby Spong on October, 4 2012

The literal details are familiar: the third day, the empty tomb, the experience of seeing the risen Christ.  These details stand at the heart of the Christian story, forming …

An Open Letter to Ross Douthat, New York Times Columnist

Column by Bishop John Shelby Spong on September, 27 2012

Dear Ross,

A few weeks ago in an op-ed piece of the Sunday New York Times, you began your regular column with these words, “In 1998, John Shelby Spong, …

“Think Different–Accept Uncertainty” Part XVII: The Story of the Crucifixion, Part Two

Column by Bishop John Shelby Spong on September, 20 2012

It is certainly a fact of history that a man named Jesus of Nazareth was crucified by the Romans somewhere around the year 30 CE.  This crucifixion came during the …

The Race is On: The Theological and Human Issues in the 2012 Election

Column by Bishop John Shelby Spong on September, 13 2012

The nominating conventions for both parties are visible now only through the rearview window. The banners have been taken down, the balloons have fallen, the local bars are back …