Part XLVII Matthew: The Meaning of the Passion opens into the Meaning of Resurrection

Column by Bishop John Shelby Spong on April, 9 2015

The drama of the cross races towards its conclusion. It is a story that runs counter to the cultural expectations. Shaped by the “Servant” figure, drawn from II Isaiah, …

Part XLIV Matthew: Judas Iscariot – Myth or Reality? Part I

Column by Bishop John Shelby Spong on March, 19 2015

Among the best known characters in the New Testament is the one who is sometimes called “The Anti-Christ.” He is always painted in dark colors, as slinking around corners, …

Part XLI Matthew – Entering the Passion Narratives

Column by Bishop John Shelby Spong on February, 19 2015

We looked last week at the passion narratives in the New Testament. We noted the additions, the deletions and the contradictions found in these central stories of our faith …

On Launching a Book in Paris

Column by Bishop John Shelby Spong on July, 17 2014

There is nothing quite like Paris in the springtime. The flowers of the season are in full bloom. The sidewalk cafes are filled with people drinking wine, sipping café …

Is the Jesus Story a Myth? Did a Man Named Jesus Ever Live?

Column by Bishop John Shelby Spong on March, 13 2014

Recently in my parish church, St. Peter’s in Morristown, New Jersey, I completed a seven week-lecture series on Matthew’s version of Jesus’ birth. In those lectures I pointed to …

Introducing the Gospel of Matthew. Part I: The Gospels are Jewish Books

Column by Bishop John Shelby Spong on September, 5 2013

The Bible is the Christian Church’s sacred text. We read from it at every worship service in almost every Christian tradition. It is apparently a rather popular volume for …

“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 Health Care Debate: Is It Possible to Reach Conclusions That Are Satisfactory?

Column by Bishop John Shelby Spong on April, 5 2012

The 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 …

Why I Wrote “Re-Claiming the Bible for a Non-Religious World”

Column by Bishop John Shelby Spong on October, 27 2011

Several years ago, while in England, I was invited to participate on a two-hour television program hosted by Melvin Bragg, now Sir Melvin Bragg, on the UK’s ITV channel. …

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