Stranger in a Strange Land: Bishop Spong in Cobb County
Last month I went to a book-reading and signing by John Shelby Spong, the controversial Episcopal bishop whose new book is titled The Sins of Scripture: Exposing the Bible's Texts of Hate to Reveal the God of Love. I've written about my experience of Bishop Spong, along with some of my thoughts about his new book, in the July/August 2005 issue of Whosoever, the online magazine for gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender Christians.
Stranger in a Strange Land: Bishop Spong in Cobb County
Darrell
www.WildFaith.com
Stranger in a Strange Land: Bishop Spong in Cobb County
Based on my readings of Spong's earlier books, I went to the reading expecting to hear an intellectual attack on the "terrible texts." What I experienced, though, was a look into the soul and spirit of a man who passionately loves the Bible and sincerely wishes to rescue it from those who would use it as a weapon to oppress others.This article is the first entry of a column called "Bear's Notebook: an ongoing series of reports on current events and ideas," which will appear in each issue of Whosoever. The theme of the current issue is "Gracious Christianity."
Darrell
www.WildFaith.com
posted by Darrell Grizzle | 10:14 AM
3 Comments:
Darrell-
I've read some of the Bishop's books. While I appreciate much of what he has to say, is it not true that he is completely opposed to any mysticsm? His Christianity, while more refreshing than most, seems to be devoid of anything supernatural, mystical or miraculous.
Thoughts?
Trev, you're right. Spong's Christianity is indeed "devoid of anything supernatural, mystical or miraculous" -- that's why I was so surprised to experience him as a deeply spiritual person. But even those parts of his faith that he calls "mystical" are still grounded in rational thought: i.e., using the terminology of biologist Rupert Sheldrake to describe prayer as a "morphic field." Spong's antipathy to real mysticism may be one reason he rejects Matthew Fox's concept of "original blessing."
I for one am very grateful for Bishop Spong's writing and I enjoyed his latest book very much. I'm not sure trev why supernatural, mystical and miraculous are essential ingredients? I may "hear' the sea and the moon and they may heal me but how can this be supernatural, where is the mystery? To me "supernatural" is an oxymoron.
I think Spong acknowledges the mysticism in the writings of scripture, his task in the book as I see it was to dismantle the illogical and pernicious use of scriptures. A task he tackled logically and with great passion.
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