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96 of 105 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Worth a Close Look, December 20, 2001
It's easy to see why Bishop Spong remains not only one of the most articulate and controversial theologians of the day, but the bane of orthodox Christianity the world over. Within the first three chapters of this book he manages to dispel almost every tenant of the faith from the Virgin Birth to the Resurrection to the Ascension, all the while vigorously insisting he is still a Christian, a claim which seems tantamount to claiming to be a great lumberjack while living in a land devoid of forests. I know he believes he is a Christian and in the respect he considers himself a follower of Christ, he probably is. What he espouses in this book, however, has absolutely no resemblance to any Christianity I've ever encountered. What he does provide, however, is a refreshing breath of air into a world of stagnate faith. Unlike most liberal theologians, instead of merely demonstrating why the old stories no longer have any relevance in our modern age, he provides a viable blueprint to understanding Christ (and, by default, God) in a newer, fuller way. No longer seeing God in purely theistic terms (by which, I assume, he means transcendent) he outlines a theology that has more in common with New Age thought or eastern philosophy than western religion. Though nothing in his book is entirely new or particularly revolutionary in and of itself, his effort to merge an eastern concept of God within the framework of Christianity is nothing if not unique. While I found myself agreeing with much of what he had to say, however, I wasn't convinced his efforts to "reform" Christianity had any chance of being successful. The traditions are too deeply imbedded in the western psyche to respond to his message; the dogmas too entrenched to be moved by even his most reasoned and passionate pleas for reform. Even so, I can't help but admire his courage for at least trying. What I wonder about is why he even bothers to try and reform Christianity at all. Since he maintains that all paths ultimately lead to God (although I would question that) then what is the point of reforming any of those paths at all? Why not let traditionalists find God through the well worn path of orthodox Christianity and let those who no longer find that path useful leave it and find another? Both the Unitarians and the Bahais, for example, maintain inclusive theological traditions very similar to those expressed by Bishop Spong. In fact, in much of this book Spong comes across sounding like a Unitarian who just doesn't realize he is one. The book also suffers a few other flaws as well, though none of them fatal. For example, he deftly glosses over Jesus' miracles instead of dealing with them directly, dismissing all of them as decades later efforts to mythologize Jesus of Nazareth. I personally find such an attitude disingenuous. Not everything Jesus is reported to have done and said in the Gospels can be written off as mere mythologizing! If we are to take the good Bishop's word for it, the gospels are nothing more than a record of the many things Jesus never really said or did making them, as far as I can see, irrelevent to any discussion of the man. Yet at the same time, Spong seems to take the Gospels as an accurate record of Jesus' teachings when they suit his needs. For example, he uses the flawed liberal tactic of having Jesus endorse his own political/social agenda based upon what he doesn't say. As an ardent gay rights activist he correctly notes that Jesus nowhere condemns homosexuality in the Gospel texts, and uses that to imply that he therefore endorsed such practices. This is the classic argument from silence tactic which finally proves nothing. Jesus also never directly addresses the issues of sado/masochism, cross-dressing, or body piercing for that matter; to assume that he endorses any particular behavior or lifestyle based upon what he doesn't say is just that: an assumption. Yet if these are the biggest problems with Bishop Spong's book, we should be thankful. Overall, he has given us an excellent, thought-provoking,, and usually well-articulated piece of work that should give every free-thinking man and woman much to consider. For them, this book will help many who are sitting on the fence find relief from the stifling air of orthodoxy and bring them into a world of new possibilities. For the traditionalists, however, I'm afraid John Shelby Spong will remain a crazed heretic who threathens the very foundations of western civilization. And they would be correct, of coure: Bishop Spong is a threat-a threat to every closed mind that claims exclusive rights to and knowledge of God, and for that everyone should be grateful.
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131 of 152 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Spong deserves accolades., October 19, 2002
This review is from: A New Christianity for a New World: Why Traditional Faith is Dying & How a New Faith is Being Born (Paperback)
John Shelby Spong does not believe in a Theistic God and he states so forcefully; "Theism is dead, I joyfully proclaim." THEISM as Bishop Spong defines it, is "a being, supernatural in power, dwelling outside this world and invading the world periodically to accomplish the divine will". Yet, Spong admits, "Christianity postulates a theistic God who does supernatural things". Christianity is about God invading the world through Jesus Christ. Christianity is, and has been for 2000 years (give or take), "Emmanuel" - God with us, visibly and dramatically. "Christianity is a THEISTIC religion" said Dr. Sally McFague (Professor of Theology -Vanderbilt Divinity School - author of the pensive and provocative book, 'Life Abundant' - envisioning Christianity for the new century - see my review). Therein lies the rub. Allow me to digress. A man had a Honda Civic that needed the engine overhauled. He decided to 'radically' change the car and make it a quarter-mile race car. He pulled out the engine and transmission, threw out the brakes, replaced the tires and the suspension. He gutted the interior completely (graciously keeping the windshield and wipers). He then cut away parts of the body to accommodate the new parts and welded the doors shut. He put in a high performance, 400 horsepower engine and modified what was left of the car so that it could reach speeds in excess of 110 mph in 9 seconds. Now, with a great stretch of the imagination you could say this man still had a Honda Civic, but, in reality, he had created a new vehicle. This book is not a "radically, reformed" car, so to speak, it is a completely different car. Bishop Spong has taken a blow torch and sliced out the parts of Christianity that he no longer believes in or adheres to. He has not "radically reformed Christianity" he has created a new belief system. For Spong; God is not a supernatural being, Jesus is not the earthly incarnation of God, the Bible is not the "Word of God", the supernatural miracles of Jesus did not happen and Jesus was not resurrected, nor did he return to God. God, incarnation, atonement, Trinity, miracles, 'Christian' morals, and the Church as it exists today are all replaced. What the title of this book should be, is, "A New Religion for a New World", for that is what Bishop Spong is giving us. T\ This is not to say that he does not have something to say. He does and he says it well. Bishops Spong radically questions the basic assumptions of conventional Christian theology and attacks the paradigms that ecclesiastical hierarchy find convenient. He rejects: Theism's tribal theology, bibliolatry, Jesusolatry, and Christianity as an exclusive pathway to God. His "beyond theism" theology demands that we stand and embrace our own humanity, not with shame or the stigma of sin, but recognizing that we are unique and full of potential. That we can, without an "eternal and omnipotent protector" and live fully, love fully and be all that we can be. The God that Spong embraces is "not a being but BEING itself. This God is the source of life, the source of love, the Ground of Being." For Spong God is beyond any limits of our religious systems. God is no longer a being 'external' to life, but the very BEING of life itself. He says, "I have walked beyond theism, but not beyond God". He forewarns that to separate yourself from the belief of a theistic God is painful. Those that do will have to stand without magic or miracles. He writes, "we make no attempt to suggest that life is fair or to defend the theistic deity when life is harsh. We do not cultivate a false security." Bishop Spong deserves the accolade given to those who push out the boundaries of any rigid system. Especially in religion, those that hold controversial opinions and especially dissenters like Spong, who publicly depart from the officially accepted dogma, are marginalized and labeled. Spong has paid the price of apostasy in his search for truth, life, love and God. This book is required reading for all those searching for the same. Highly recommended
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106 of 123 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
In Go(o)d we Trust, December 27, 2001
This review reflects the point of view of one who was raised in the Roman Catholic tradition and is now a Unitarian Universalist minister. I appreciate the insights that John Spong has shared in this latest book -- no surprise there, I suppose. In the course of my studies & a lifetime of wrestling with "meaning", I am one who has come to appreciate "god" as a description of an ongoing process at work in the universe. Bishop Spong's views remind me of some of the early 19th century "Unitarian" representatives -- William E. Channing, Ralph Waldo Emerson, and Theodore Parker in particular. Like those individuals, he understood that the truth and beauty of Christianity is not tied to "transient" facts & understandings which are more indicative of one generation's perceptions. There is much that has been added to Christianity that is not essential to it. One can remove the transient and still regard oneself as a good, albeit "liberal" Christian. Sure, literalists will fume, but righteous indignation is not a convincing response for a faith rooted in intelligence and reverence. I liked this book. Spong writes sensible, reverent prose. I share his faith that Christians will respond to the challenges of the present in a mature manner. Theism is passe. Those who profess to love and honor Jesus would do well to heed John Spong's insights. By the way, I read some of the other responses. Don't worry - this kind of sparring has been going on for several centuries in this country ... I salute a fellow traveller on the path; we subscribe to the view that one must understand to have faith; others require faith first, that they might understand. Let one give witness to one's faith -- by either path -- with a dose of charity & humor.
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