On Visiting a Nazi Concentration Camp

Column by Bishop John Shelby Spong on November, 13 2014

In early October of this year, Christine and I had the opportunity to visit a concentration camp at a place called Theresienstadt in what is now the Czech Republic. …

Part XXXIV Matthew – The Transfiguration of Jesus, Part III

Column by Bishop John Shelby Spong on November, 6 2014

A Dedication-Hanukkah Story

How many of you have ever connected the story of Jesus’ transfiguration with the Jewish celebration of Dedication/Hanukkah? We may well have imagined …

Part XXXIII Matthew – Watching the Traditions of “Dedication/Hanukkah” Develop

Column by Bishop John Shelby Spong on October, 30 2014

Last week we traced the origins of the Jewish festival known as “Dedication,” but in our day popularly called “Hanukkah.”. It celebrated the moment when a guerilla army of …

Part XXXII Matthew – Dedication and Transfiguration, Part I

Column by Bishop John Shelby Spong on October, 23 2014

Matthew, having provided Jesus stories for the Sabbaths between Sukkoth and the final major Jewish festival of the liturgical year, is now ready to relate Jesus to this last …

The Emerging Church in Northern Michigan

Column by Bishop John Shelby Spong on October, 16 2014

Marquette, Michigan, sits on Lake Superior about 300 miles south and slightly east of Thunder Bay, Canada. While we were there, Christine and I were made honorary “Yoopers,” a name …

Part XXXI Matthew – Peter: A Symbol – The Wobbling Rock at Caesarea Philippi

Column by Bishop John Shelby Spong on October, 9 2014

In this episode Jesus asks: “Can one read the signs correctly? Does a clear sunset today anticipate fair weather tomorrow? Do dark clouds announce the presence of a storm? …

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 XXVI Matthew: Sukkoth – The Harvest Festival

Column by Bishop John Shelby Spong on September, 4 2014

Labor Day is over. Little children, carrying new book satchels and wearing new clothes, have found their way back to their schools. University students have returned to their campuses …

Chautauqua Institution – 2014

Column by Bishop John Shelby Spong on August, 14 2014

It has many elements of a fantasy land. Once one enters the guarded gates, the world seems to fall away quickly. A person living in this community does not …