Part XI Matthew: Proof Texting the Birth Narratives

Column by Bishop John Shelby Spong on January, 16 2014

Matthew never allows us to forget that he is a learned scribe in charge of a synagogue made up of Jewish people who are the followers of Jesus. He …

Part X Matthew: The Story of the Magi and Their Gifts

Column by Bishop John Shelby Spong on December, 25 2013

The wise men from Matthew’s birth story have been deeply attached to our Christmas celebration, stretching all the way back to the time that Matthew introduced them in the …

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 …

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 …

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 …

The Presidential Campaign and the Book of Judges

Column by Bishop John Shelby Spong on October, 11 2012

A major debate in this year’s presidential election eliciting great emotion and spirited rhetoric relates to “the size and role of the federal government.”  A study of American …

Remembering My Mentors Part III: Janet Robinson, Bible Teacher

Column by Bishop John Shelby Spong on May, 31 2012

Her name was Janet Robinson and I met her shortly after my 12th birthday.  She was a member of my church and active as a Sunday school teacher.  She …

Examining the Meaning of the Cross, Part IV: The Symbols of the Hebrew Scriptures in the Crucifixion

Column by Bishop John Shelby Spong on March, 24 2011

The first narrative account of Jesus’ crucifixion in the Bible is found in the gospel of Mark written some 40-43 years, or approximately two generations, after the events it …

Examining the Story of the Cross, Part III: There Never Were “Seven Last Words” From the Cross

Column by Bishop John Shelby Spong on March, 17 2011

One of the most dramatic services of Holy Week for me has always been the Good Friday “Three Hour Service.”  It was designed to enable Christian worshipers in some …

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