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 …

Part IV Matthew – The Sermon on the Mount

Column by Bishop John Shelby Spong on October, 24 2013

Jesus never preached the Sermon on the Mount! Some of the content recorded in that well-known part of Matthew’s gospel may well stretch back to the literal words of …

On Teaching at Drew University’s Theological School

Column by Bishop John Shelby Spong on July, 25 2013

Drew University is my neighborhood institution of higher learning. It offers to Morris County, New Jersey, the enrichment that only a university can bring. There is a magnificent library …

The Birth of Jesus, Conclusions: Part XVI

Column by Bishop John Shelby Spong on June, 20 2013

Luke concludes his birth story with a series of episodes designed to point to the story of the adult Jesus. First, in Luke’s story, the shepherds depart, while …

The Birth of Jesus, Part XV. The Journey to Bethlehem

Column by Bishop John Shelby Spong on June, 13 2013

The creators of the birth narratives, Matthew and Luke, used two motifs in interpreting the life of Jesus of Nazareth. First, each was historically aware that Jesus hailed from …

Part II Introducing The Fourth Gospel: Tales of a Jewish Mystic

Column by Bishop John Shelby Spong on June, 6 2013

When writing the opening chapter of my soon-to-be released book, The Fourth Gospel: Tales of a Jewish Mystic, I felt the need to issue a warning to …

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 …

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 …

Cancel