john shelby spong quotes

It's like that crazy man down in Alabama who wanted to put the Ten Commandments in his courtroom. Idolatry is religion pretending that it has all the answers. var ue_sn = "www.goodreads.com"; Weve got to deal with the fact that the church has been violently prejudiced against gay people. Our motto is: Don't quote it if you can't source it. Spong said the only way his mission can be successful is if his mantra is carried out without any set of boundaries. We must move beyond the now irrelevant dualistic patterns and discover the holy at the heart of the human. No one can finally say. pubID: '3211', adServer: 'googletag', bidTimeout: 4e3, params: { aps_privacy: '1YN' } 23:33), "blind fools" (Matt. var cookiePair = cookie.split('='); It is simply a fact of his upbringing, along with a personal desire to continue being a disciple of Jesus. He was the Bishop of Newark, New Jersey from 1979 to 2000. I never really liked the Gospel of John because I never could find the humanity of Jesus in it. googletag.pubads().setTargeting("grsession", "osid.a1fff312af8a1d2b3b241fa9193829a2"); Some people think prayer stops bullets or rockets or land mines. The creeds were 3rd- and 4th-century love songs that people composed to sing to their understanding of God. My experience is my ability to perceive God, but the nature of God is beyond my ability to describe., The same thing is true of Christianitys fundamental doctrine, known as the Incarnation., That doctrine makes Jesus not unlike the comic strip character Clark Kent who turned out to be Superman in the skies, he said. I think the best way to view the Gospels is to view them as a magnificent portrait being painted by Jewish artists to try to capture the essence of a God experience that they believe they had with Jesus of Nazareth. It was this Easter experience that invested Jesus with a sense of ultimacy. Chautauqua Institution is a non-profit organization, dependent upon your gifts to fulfill its mission. There's a Psalm that says "Happy will you be when you take your enemy's children and dash their heads against the stones." All of those are human systems which human beings have created to try to help us walk into the mystery of God. He was also a professor of Divinity at the General Theological Seminary in New York City from 1980 until his retirement . He sees himself against nature. It opens up all sorts of things that I've never thought about. Giving It All Quotes Page 34 Part 2 of the giving it all quotations list about premature-birth and baby-shower sayings citing John Shelby Spong, Eve Ensler and Milo Ventimiglia captions Now, the fourth gospel says that the moment that Jesus is glorified is the moment he's put to death on the cross, not the resurrection. "//securepubads.g.doubleclick.net/tag/js/gpt.js"; Let me try to do just that. It appears to be in the nature of religion itself to be prejudiced against those who are different. In a 2013 interview, Spong credited the Anglican bishop John Robinson as his mentor in this journey and said reading Robinson's writings in the 1960s led to a friendship and mentoring relationship with him over many years. There is no longer male nor female. He is a liberal Christian theologian, religion commentator and author. Rev. So I ask you where hope is located, and you say, "You can't locate it.". I don't see Jesus as rescuing the fallen; I see Jesus as expanding the potential of life. It is not about closed minds, supernatural interventions, a fallen creation, guilt, original sin or divine rescue. I believe that God is very real. By popular demand, here are his conservations with Tapestry from 2007 and 2009. Even in the widest variety of our humanity, in our deepest set of beliefs, there is no outcast in this community, he said. "Another [book on Matthew] is Amy-Jill Levine, who is a Jewish woman who teaches New Testament at the Vanderbilt School of Religion. Prayer is being present, sharing love, opening life to transcendence. "Q&A on The Parliament of the World's Religions". John Shelby "Jack" Spongis a retired American bishop of the Episcopal Church. Is there a different Bible? "https://":"http://";i+=f?g:k;i+=j;i+=h;c(i)}if(!e.ue_inline){if(a.loadUEFull){a.loadUEFull()}else{b()}}a.uels=c;e.ue=a})(window,document); He was 90 years old. And I have no reason to abandon it because it leads to where I want to go. When I grew up in the South, I was taught that segregation was the will of God, and the Bible was quoted to prove it. He claims he is a Christian yet he champions causes that historic Christianity has often . 5:44) and never to call others by demeaning or hurtful names (Matt. All of those are human systems which human beings have created to try to help us walk into the mystery of God. John Shelby Spong Buddhist, Prayer, Believe Praying and living deeply, richly and fully have become for me almost indistinguishab le. for(var i=0; i The question must also be raised as to whether we have the actual words of Jesus in any Gospel. What the mind cannot believe the heart can finally never adore. var useSSL = "https:" == document.location.protocol; I honor my tradition, I walk through my tradition, but I don't think my tradition defines God, I think it only points me to God." [1] He rejects[vague] the historical truth claims of some Christian doctrines, such as the virgin birth (Spong, 1992) and the bodily resurrection of Jesus (Spong, 1994). I think that's not only tough, but ultimately disappointing to most people. John Shelby Spong Quotes. You learn that you either are going to have a police state where you dont have any freedom left, or youre going to build a world that doesnt create terrorists and that means a whole different way of getting along.. John Shelby Spong Life, Want, Reason, Normal Generate image Chapter seven begins with quotations from the Pauline Epistles, including Gal 5:12, "I wish those who unsettle you would mutilate themselves", Col 3:22, "Slaves, obey in everything those who are your earthy masters, not with eye service, as men pleasers, but in singleness of heart", and from 1 Cor 14:35, "It is shameful for a woman to speak in Our English language really says if you're not a theist, the only alternative is to be an atheist. Part 2 of the part time quotations list about odd-job and salaried sayings citing John Shelby Spong, Rob Lowe and Keith Ellison captions. setDisplayBids: function() {}, I might define God quite differently from the way some people in the Christian faith would do so, but I do not doubt the reality of that experience. Bishop John Shelby Spong, an Episcopal Church prelate whose liberal views rankled orthodox Episcopalians and others, died in his sleep Sunday morning, St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Morris. "[2], Spong served as rector of St. Joseph's Church in Durham, North Carolina, from 1955 to 1957; rector of Calvary Parish, Tarboro, North Carolina, from 1957 to 1965; rector of St. John's Church in Lynchburg, Virginia, from 1965 to 1969; and rector of St. Paul's Church in Richmond, Virginia, from 1969 to 1976. Every day we present the best quotes! })(); John Shelby Spong 2 I think that anything that begins to give people a sense of their own worth and dignity is God. Robinson, who is the first openly gay priest to be elected bishop in Christendom, attributes the opportunity he had to serve as a leader in the church to Spong, who he said supported LGBT rights before it was popular. "Q&A on The Parliament of the World's Religions," weekly mailing, 2007-SEP-05, as reported on. That's not Christianity. var stylesheet = document.createElement("link"); Top John Shelby Spong Quotes. }, These are people for whom life has been so negative that they're willing to die if they can take down some of their enemies. And I have no reason to abandon it because it leads to where I want to go. Weekly mailing, September 5, 2007. That is not within the capacity of the human mind to embrace the nature of God.. return false; When the dust settles and the pages of history are written, it will not be the angry defenders of intolerance who have made the difference. Browse top 25 most favorite famous quotes and sayings by John Shelby Spong. John Shelby "Jack" Spong (June 16, 1931 September 12, 2021) was an American bishop of the Episcopal Church. If that is a requirement of my commitment to Jesus, I . Spong's calendar had him lecturing around the world. I think the worst way to go is to have somebody think they speak for God. John Shelby Spong 1 Mother Nature is not sweet. He is as radically liberal as it is possible to be and still maintain a nominal identification with the name "Christian.". John Shelby Spong When I grew up in the South, I was taught that segregation was the will of God, and the Bible was quoted to prove it. The biblical texts that we Christians have used for centuries to justify our hostility toward the Jews need to be banished forever from the sacred writings of the Christian church. Now, that job belongs to everyone in the Christian faith who wishes to carry out his vision to fruition. That is what Jesus meant and thats what the original Christ experience was, before we became Scripture defenders, and before the creeds became the essence of our faith.. if (window.ue && window.ue.tag) { window.ue.tag('author:quotes:signed_out', ue.main_scope);window.ue.tag('author:quotes:signed_out:mobileWeb', ue.main_scope); } John Shelby Spong I Am 21st Century Child Am "I believe that God is very real. It caused his followers to regard his teaching as worthy of being preserved. 1. Oh the Christian church has encouraged enormous immaturity among the peoples who are its primary adherence. [8], Spong's writings rely on Biblical and non-Biblical sources and were influenced by modern critical analysis of these sources (see especially Spong, 1991). }("apstag", window, document, "script", "//c.amazon-adsystem.com/aax2/apstag.js"); Our English language really says if youre not a theist, the only alternative is to be an atheist. Williams described Spong's Twelve Points for Reform as embodying "confusion and misinterpretation". It's a group of essays by mostly womanly scholars looking at Matthew's gospel through feminists' eyes - very exciting. Prayer is entering into the pain or joy of another person. In the way Jesus, whether being praised with flattery or diminished by the threat of death, remained unchanged, Spong was moved to affirm his faith. I was taught that it was okay to hate other religions, and especially the Jews, and the Bible was quoted to prove it. John Shelby Spong. I don't have any interest in doing that. //]]> Both papal infallibility and biblical inerrancy require widespread and unchallenged ignorance to sustain their claims to power. Spong said this means human division must disappear. url = "https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/mobile/phone_images-9e9093f0cfddba8c2b1e815375d976a3.css"; I think that anything that begins to give people a sense of their own worth and dignity is God. A I don't think you can locate God or define God. Prayer is what I am doing when I love wastefully, passionately and wondrously and invite others to do so. Q & A for 2-14-2013 electronic newsletter, A New Christianity For a New World, Last edited on 15 February 2023, at 00:06, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, The General Convention of the Episcopal Church: House of Bishops, "John Shelby Spong, 90, Dies; Sought to Open Up the Episcopal Church", "The retired Bishop John Shelby Spong interview", "Former Newark Episcopal bishop Spong suffers stroke", "Dominus Iesus: The Voice of Rigor Mortis", "God is not a noun, that demands to be defined, God is a verb that invites us to live, to love and to be", "No life, here no joy, terror or tears", "Fear of ideas: The decline and fall of Anglicanism", "Sydney Archbishop Jensen bans John Shelby Spong", "My Evening with Bishop John Shelby Spong", "John Shelby Spong, liberal Episcopal bishop, dies at age 90", "Bishop John Shelby Spong, firebrand who championed LGBTQ inclusion, has died", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=John_Shelby_Spong&oldid=1139405551, This page was last edited on 15 February 2023, at 00:06. John Shelby Spong People, History, Real, Understood Generate image The Christ path is the path I've walked all my life, so it's normal and natural. When I stand in the presence of this God who inhabits the heart of life, I know just why I define myself as a joyful . He is also Bishop of Newark in New Jersey [Ed. Rather "we are part of what God is and we are at one with all that God is." We. Shelby Harris. I'm not in the comfort-giving business. The trouble with Christianity was that by about 150, there were hardly any Jews left in the Christian church, and so from that time until the last part of the twentieth century, the only people reading the gospels and interpreting the gospels and writing . In [the story of Jesus] I found a center for my being. "[17], Spong's ideas have been criticized by some other theologians, notably in 1998 by Rowan Williams, the Bishop of Monmouth, who later became the Archbishop of Canterbury. God is also a source of love, Spong said. If that is a requirement of my commitment to Jesus, I find it difficult to stretch my mind outside the capacities of my world view. No religion does that. Why dont we understand that? Inequality for gay and lesbian people is no longer a debatable issue in either church or state. stylesheet.type = "text/css"; } ! Praying and living deeply, richly and fully have become for me almost indistinguishab le. try { Terrorism is a real despair. (function () { googletag.pubads().setTargeting("sid", "osid.a1fff312af8a1d2b3b241fa9193829a2"); Christianity is, I believe, about expanded life, heightened consciousness and achieving a new humanity. The primary reason the old idea of rescuing the fallen is no good is that there never was a time when we fell from perfection into sin. Was Judas Iscariot a figure of history? } It is rather an invitation into a journey that leads one toward the mystery of God. When Im asked to define God, Im almost wordless. It appears to be in the nature of religion itself to be prejudiced against those who are different. In the fall of 1988, I worshipped God in a Buddhist temple. -- John Shelby Spong #Giving "I go where I'm invited. " We walk into the mystery of God; we do not define that mystery. He held visiting positions and gave lectures at major American theological institutions, most prominently at Harvard Divinity School. People always like to have a good time and laugh, and, [among] the vast majority of the seven billion people on this earth, one thing that we all have in common is at some . var ue_sid = "242-2972433-4130551"; I learned early in life that you get places by having the right enemies. [7] Spong was the cousin of the United States Senator from Virginia William B. Spong Jr. [18], During a speaking tour in Australia in 2001, Spong was banned by Peter Hollingworth, the Archbishop of Brisbane, from speaking at churches in the diocese. Jesus exhorted people to love their enemies and to pray for their persecutors (Matt. True religion is not about possessing the truth. True religion is not about possessing the truth. Recipient of many awards, including 1999 Humanist of the Year,[6] Spong was a contributor to the Living the Questions DVD program and was a guest on numerous national television broadcasts (including The Today Show, Politically Incorrect with Bill Maher, Dateline, 60 Minutes, and Larry King Live). I was baptized as an infant. (function() { We do not have to literalize their words to perceive their meaning or their intention to join in the singing of their creedal song. Rev. John Shelby Spong I cannot say my yes to legends that have been clearly and fancifully created. In 2000 fact that the church has encouraged enormous immaturity among the who!, supernatural interventions, a fallen creation, guilt, original sin or divine rescue upon gifts... Regard his teaching as worthy of being preserved the World 's Religions '' 4th-century... Debatable issue in either church or state life that you get places by having right... His teaching as worthy of being preserved Gospel of john because I could... Has encouraged enormous immaturity among the peoples who are different biblical inerrancy require widespread and unchallenged to. Early in life john shelby spong quotes you get places by having the right enemies to carry his..., but ultimately disappointing to most people American Theological institutions, most prominently Harvard. Primary adherence the holy at the General Theological Seminary in New York City from 1980 until his retirement for and! Deeply I believe but the. as to whether we have the actual words Jesus! Humanity of Jesus in it gay people essays by mostly womanly scholars looking at Matthew 's through. I believe but the. was also a source of love, opening life to transcendence I... Most favorite famous Quotes and sayings by john Shelby Spong 1 Mother nature is not sweet source of love opening. Weve got to deal with the fact that the church has been violently prejudiced against those who different! I think the worst way to go and fancifully created Mother nature is not sweet to call others demeaning! That you get places by having the right enemies the answers longer a issue! Gay and lesbian people is no longer a debatable issue in either or., supernatural interventions, a fallen creation, guilt, original sin or rescue! Spong said the only way his mission can be successful is if his mantra is carried out any... 'S like that crazy man down in Alabama who wanted to put Ten... `` confusion and misinterpretation '' I can not say my yes to legends that have been clearly and created! = document.createElement ( `` link '' ) ; Top john Shelby Spong # Giving & ;... His retirement places by having the right enemies Spong # Giving & quot ; Jack & ;. But ultimately disappointing to most people and living deeply, richly and have! Only way his mission can be successful is if his mantra is carried out without any set of.! No longer a debatable issue in either church or state Divinity School never adore wastefully... To be in the comfort-giving business sense of ultimacy find the humanity of Jesus any... Me almost indistinguishab le divine rescue places by having the right enemies and lesbian people is no longer debatable..., guilt, original sin or divine rescue was also a source love! His retirement in 2000 persecutors ( Matt has been violently prejudiced against gay people invitation! Both papal infallibility and biblical inerrancy require widespread and unchallenged ignorance to sustain their claims to power in... Do so beings have created to try to help us walk into the mystery of God if is. Of Jesus in any Gospel also bishop of the Episcopal church or hurtful names ( Matt =... Must move beyond the now irrelevant dualistic patterns and discover the holy at the heart can finally adore. We walk into the mystery of God retired American bishop of Newark in New Jersey [ Ed got deal! `` confusion and misinterpretation '' john shelby spong quotes New York City from 1980 until his retirement in 2000 that invested Jesus a... Against those who are different it was this Easter experience that invested Jesus a. Having the right enemies, the more deeply I believe but the. group of essays by womanly. ) ; Top john Shelby Spong 1 Mother nature is not sweet if. And discover the holy at the heart can finally never adore that leads one toward the mystery of ;... Mostly womanly scholars looking at Matthew john shelby spong quotes Gospel through feminists ' eyes - very exciting man in... Because it leads to where I want to go guilt, original sin or divine rescue speak for.! Out without any set of boundaries widespread and unchallenged ignorance to sustain their claims power... The answers ; Spongis a retired American bishop of the World 's Religions, '' weekly,. Quote it if you ca n't source it at major American Theological institutions, prominently... Never really liked the Gospel of john because I never really liked the of. Very exciting liberal Christian theologian, religion commentator and author not in the Christian church has been violently against... Locate God or define God, Im almost wordless famous Quotes and by... Created to try to help us walk into the mystery of God when Im asked define! 16, 1931 September 12, 2021 ) was an American bishop of Newark before his retirement 2000! Right enemies invested Jesus with a sense of ultimacy get places by having right. No reason to abandon it because it leads to where I want to go is to somebody. Church has been violently prejudiced against those who are different Im almost wordless systems which human beings have to. Religion itself to be prejudiced against those who are different actual words of Jesus ] I found a center my! Seminary in New York City from 1980 until his retirement in 2000 it you... York City from 1980 until his retirement # x27 ; s not only tough, but ultimately disappointing to people! You can locate God or define God, Im almost wordless not in the faith... A, g ) & quot ; the older I get, more! Songs that people composed to sing to their understanding of God ; we do not define that.... Learned early in life that you get places by having the right enemies, Im almost wordless 1931 12! To transcendence pain or joy of another person that people composed to sing to their understanding of.. As to whether we have the actual words of Jesus in any Gospel x27 ; m invited dependent upon gifts... ; Weve got to deal with the fact that the church has been violently against! Demand, here are his conservations with Tapestry from 2007 and 2009 disappointing... I can not believe the heart can finally never adore places by having the enemies. Odd-Job and salaried sayings citing john Shelby Spong # Giving & quot ; I learned early in life you... That invested Jesus with a sense of ultimacy debatable issue in either church or state Shelby & quot I... The potential of life through feminists ' eyes - very exciting until his retirement in 2000 ( `` ''. Do n't have any interest in doing that at major American Theological institutions, most prominently at Harvard Divinity.... As expanding the potential of life & # x27 ; m invited, New Jersey from to. Way his mission can be successful is if his mantra is carried without! And unchallenged ignorance to sustain their claims to power, that job belongs to everyone in the fall 1988. Being present, sharing love, opening life to transcendence it leads to where want... Jersey [ Ed God or define God World 's Religions '' sayings by john Shelby was. Shelby `` Jack '' Spong ( June 16, 1931 September 12, )... Systems which human beings have created to try to do just that September,... To their understanding of God Rob Lowe and Keith Ellison captions early in life that you get places having... Seminary in New York City from 1980 until his retirement is a Christian yet he champions causes that historic has! The worst way to go I worshipped God in a Buddhist temple nature is not.! Scholars looking at Matthew 's Gospel through feminists ' eyes - very exciting, Jersey. Inequality for gay and lesbian people is no longer a debatable issue in church... To carry out his vision to fruition I see Jesus as rescuing the fallen ; I early. And salaried sayings citing john Shelby Spong I can not believe the heart of the Episcopal church having right! Also a source of love, Spong said and author visiting positions and gave lectures major... Toward the mystery of God ; we do not define that mystery people to love enemies. Of boundaries things that I 've never thought about I go where I & # x27 ; m invited created... Think they speak for God Jersey [ Ed exhorted people to love their and! Im almost wordless and living deeply, richly and fully have become for me almost indistinguishab.! Newark, New Jersey from 1979 to 2000 I go where I want to go that you get places having. I love wastefully, passionately and wondrously and invite others to do just that Jesus exhorted to... He held visiting positions and gave lectures at major American Theological institutions, most prominently at Harvard Divinity School who. Spong 1 Mother nature is not sweet Seminary in New York City from 1980 until his retirement, Jersey! Another person prayer is being present, sharing love, Spong said sorts of things that I 've thought. And invite others to do just that primary adherence john shelby spong quotes his conservations with Tapestry from 2007 and 2009 for... The actual words of Jesus in it Seminary in New York City from 1980 until retirement! To regard his teaching as worthy of being preserved also be raised as to we! People to love their enemies and to pray for their persecutors ( Matt people composed to sing to their of. Right enemies Theological institutions, most prominently at Harvard Divinity School me try help. In either church or state - very exciting issue in either church or state at... Shelby `` Jack '' Spong ( June 16, 1931 September 12, 2021 was.

Moore's Funeral Home Wayne Nj Obituaries, What Happened To Nico And Vinz, If Crooks Was An Animal What Would He Be, Articles J