200 years of biblical scholarship has been withheld from lay people, argues renowned bishop and social activist John Shelby Spong. In this brilliant follow-up to books like Eternal Life and Jesus for the Non-Religious, Spong reveals not only the crucial truths that have long been kept hidden from the public eye, but explores what the history of the Bible can teach us about reading its stories today and living our lives for tomorrow. Sarah Sentilles, author of Breaking Up with God: A Love Story, applauds Re-Claiming the Bible, writing that “pulsing beneath his brilliant, thought-provoking, passionate book is this question: Can Christianity survive the education of its believers? . . . A question Bishop Spong answers with a resounding yes.”
Re-Claiming the Bible for a Non-Religious World
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Editorial Reviews
Review
“Brings biblical scholarship to those who sit in church pews, but without getting bogged down in debates about biblical minutiae .... This book is well paced, the arguments are easy to follow, and Spong accomplishes exactly what he set out to do. A compelling and thought-provoking read.” (Library Journal )
“Spong tours Christianity’s sacred text, leaving little unexamined and [much] demythologized as he urges Christians to grow up and take the Bible seriously—just not literally. Spong . . . has the gift and motivation for making biblical scholarship accessible; he writes with charity and clarity.” (Publishers Weekly )
“Spong here achieves what may be his most reader friendly, helpful book . . . a wonderful, illuminating adjunct to anyone’s Bible study.” (Booklist )
“A masterful reading of these texts that have shaped the Western world. This book is filled with insights from a lifetime of deep engagement with Scripture. Highly recommended!” (Gregory C. Jenks, author of The Once and Future Bible )
“Bishop Spong has built a much-needed bridge between the academy and the pews. Pulsing beneath his brilliant, thought-provoking, passionate book is this question: Can Christianity survive the education of its believers?—a question he answers with a resounding yes.” (Sarah Sentilles, Author of Breaking Up with God: A Love Story )
“In Re-Claiming the Bible for a Non-Religious World, Spong offers a way for critical and curious readers to discover the exquisite and profound ways the Bible can, in fact, lead towards abundant life. After a decade of feeling banished by the Bible, I am now drawn back.” (Katie Ford, Author of Deposition and Colosseum )
“If your addiction is the shallow, narrow, literal interpretation of the Bible doled out by most churches, then you need an intervention. Re-Claiming the Bible for a Non-Religous World is like a treatment center in a box.” (Rev. David Felten & Rev. Jeff Procter-Murphy, creators of the Living the Questions series )
“A master teacher and story teller, Spong brings the best of current scholarship to free the books of the Bible from Sunday School naïveté and literalistic interpretations. The result is an introduction to the Bible that will engage readers who no longer sit in church pews.” (Andrew D. Scrimgeour, Drew University, editor of Just Call Me Bob: The Wit and Wisdom of Robert W. Funk )
“Bishop Spong’s newest book is not only for the ‘non-religious’ but it will find its way into churches, study groups, seminaries and the seekers. This book should renew a sincere interest in the biblical story that for too long has been lost in our corporate ignorance.” (Fred C. Plumer, President, ProgressiveChristianity.org )
“Spong tours Christianity’s sacred text, leaving little unexamined and [much] demythologized as he urges Christians to grow up and take the Bible seriously—just not literally. Spong . . . has the gift and motivation for making biblical scholarship accessible; he writes with charity and clarity.” (Publishers Weekly )
“Spong here achieves what may be his most reader friendly, helpful book . . . a wonderful, illuminating adjunct to anyone’s Bible study.” (Booklist )
“A masterful reading of these texts that have shaped the Western world. This book is filled with insights from a lifetime of deep engagement with Scripture. Highly recommended!” (Gregory C. Jenks, author of The Once and Future Bible )
“Bishop Spong has built a much-needed bridge between the academy and the pews. Pulsing beneath his brilliant, thought-provoking, passionate book is this question: Can Christianity survive the education of its believers?—a question he answers with a resounding yes.” (Sarah Sentilles, Author of Breaking Up with God: A Love Story )
“In Re-Claiming the Bible for a Non-Religious World, Spong offers a way for critical and curious readers to discover the exquisite and profound ways the Bible can, in fact, lead towards abundant life. After a decade of feeling banished by the Bible, I am now drawn back.” (Katie Ford, Author of Deposition and Colosseum )
“If your addiction is the shallow, narrow, literal interpretation of the Bible doled out by most churches, then you need an intervention. Re-Claiming the Bible for a Non-Religous World is like a treatment center in a box.” (Rev. David Felten & Rev. Jeff Procter-Murphy, creators of the Living the Questions series )
“A master teacher and story teller, Spong brings the best of current scholarship to free the books of the Bible from Sunday School naïveté and literalistic interpretations. The result is an introduction to the Bible that will engage readers who no longer sit in church pews.” (Andrew D. Scrimgeour, Drew University, editor of Just Call Me Bob: The Wit and Wisdom of Robert W. Funk )
“Bishop Spong’s newest book is not only for the ‘non-religious’ but it will find its way into churches, study groups, seminaries and the seekers. This book should renew a sincere interest in the biblical story that for too long has been lost in our corporate ignorance.” (Fred C. Plumer, President, ProgressiveChristianity.org )
From the Back Cover
For two hundred years, scholars have been analyzing one of the most important books ever written—the Bible—and overturning much of what we once thought we knew. Everyday Christians, however, are not privy to this deeper conversation. It is for these people that renowned bishop and author John Shelby Spong presents Re-Claiming the Bible for a Non-Religious World, a book designed to take readers into the contemporary academic debate about the Bible.
A definitive voice for progressive Christianity, Spong frees readers from a literal view of the Bible. He opens the possibility that some of the characters in the New Testament are imaginary composites or even literary creations—such as Joseph, the earthly father of Jesus; Judas Iscariot; Nicodemus; the Samaritan woman by the well; and Lazarus who was raised from the dead. He presents the Bible as an ever-changing and always growing story. He demonstrates that it is possible to be both a deeply committed Christian and an informed twenty-first-century citizen.
In this thorough, substantive guide, Spong explores the origin and essential meaning of each of the individual books in the Bible, examining the background, the context, the level of authenticity and even the trustworthiness of the messages found there. He explains why these particular books, written between two and three thousand years ago, came to be regarded as authoritative and preserved as sacred; he traces the pathway that biblical religion has traveled as it evolved through the centuries, and he shows how people have misused many of these texts in the service of their prejudices.
Reaching far beyond the familiar Sunday-school stories that have provided the content of most people’s biblical knowledge, Spong’s journey into the heart of the Bible is his attempt to call his readers into their own journeys into the mystery of God. “One does not,” he asserts, “have to twist one’s brain into a first-century pretzel in order to take the Bible seriously in this increasingly non-religious world.”
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
70 of 77 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Could this be Spong's best yet? Perhaps not, his books are all so powerful, but it's definitely my new favorite. I've actually been looking for precisely this sort of book, so I was really excited to find it--authored by one of my favorite writers, no less!
Spong goes book-by-book in pretty much chronological order through the Bible, explaining scholars' best guesses at each book's origin (place, time, authorship) and the historical atmosphere out of which they were written. The idea for this collection sprang from a series of lectures Spong was invited to give, beginning in the summer of 2006, about how various Biblical books came to be written and regarded as scripture. Much of the information here was known to me already, but there was a host of new insights as well. I've got yellow highlighter marks all over the book! Here are some of the more interesting discussions you'll find:
[1] The formation of the Torah, the first five books of the Bible. You'll learn more about the Documentary Hypothesis, and how scholars believe these five books came together, from the four primary sources. Not the most complete explanation, but surely the easiest to understand I've ever read.
[2] The "prophetic principle" (you'll find out you had no idea what a "prophet" is) and the historic background behind the three "books" of Isaiah. Scholars are coming to the conclusion that Isaiah had not just two authors, but at least three.
[3] The "protest" literature within the Bible, and what stimulated its writing.
[4] The "national mythmakers" who preserved Israel's history.
[5] The evolution of the Apostle Paul's beliefs, and how he grew over time from a fiery, apocalyptic preacher into a mellow, thoughtful philosopher.
Of course, you'll read about the Gospel story, the pastoral influence, the Johannine corpus, it's all there and it's all very readable. Highly recommended!
Spong goes book-by-book in pretty much chronological order through the Bible, explaining scholars' best guesses at each book's origin (place, time, authorship) and the historical atmosphere out of which they were written. The idea for this collection sprang from a series of lectures Spong was invited to give, beginning in the summer of 2006, about how various Biblical books came to be written and regarded as scripture. Much of the information here was known to me already, but there was a host of new insights as well. I've got yellow highlighter marks all over the book! Here are some of the more interesting discussions you'll find:
[1] The formation of the Torah, the first five books of the Bible. You'll learn more about the Documentary Hypothesis, and how scholars believe these five books came together, from the four primary sources. Not the most complete explanation, but surely the easiest to understand I've ever read.
[2] The "prophetic principle" (you'll find out you had no idea what a "prophet" is) and the historic background behind the three "books" of Isaiah. Scholars are coming to the conclusion that Isaiah had not just two authors, but at least three.
[3] The "protest" literature within the Bible, and what stimulated its writing.
[4] The "national mythmakers" who preserved Israel's history.
[5] The evolution of the Apostle Paul's beliefs, and how he grew over time from a fiery, apocalyptic preacher into a mellow, thoughtful philosopher.
Of course, you'll read about the Gospel story, the pastoral influence, the Johannine corpus, it's all there and it's all very readable. Highly recommended!
11 of 12 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
an excellent introduction to a progressive approach to biblical interopretation
February 28, 2012
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
According to Gallup's latest research, only 3 out of every 10 Americans interpret the Bible literally. Spong's Re-Claiming the Bible is an introductory survey text for the 70% who acknowledge the Bible is something far richer, more complex, and more human. If you are a mainline Christian who will never attend seminary and have never participated in an extended parish based course designed to explore the 66 books of the Bible in-depth, then you simply must read this book (and, ideally, gather together with others to discuss it as well).
Spong introduces modern biblical scholarship to a general audience as he explores the creation and content of the books that are now included in the Christian canon. His explanations are written in plain English, avoiding unnecessarily complex theological vocabulary unfamiliar to the uninitiated. Further, he is careful to construct his own view (e.g. dating specific books) only after sharing the historic perspective and that of modern scholarship. In short, Re-Claiming the Bible provides a helpful, practical, and engaging look at what the Bible really is and includes.
Spong introduces modern biblical scholarship to a general audience as he explores the creation and content of the books that are now included in the Christian canon. His explanations are written in plain English, avoiding unnecessarily complex theological vocabulary unfamiliar to the uninitiated. Further, he is careful to construct his own view (e.g. dating specific books) only after sharing the historic perspective and that of modern scholarship. In short, Re-Claiming the Bible provides a helpful, practical, and engaging look at what the Bible really is and includes.
20 of 25 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
The Reverend Jack Spong has dedicated his life to probing the underpinnings of theology, especially Christianity. His books, published over a thirty-five year period, exemplify his moving through stages of personal discovery and maturity. This book, his latest, but probably not his last, presents the times of origin and the cultural environments of all of the Old Testament books and the Gospels and letters of the New Testament. It is a full Bible survey course in one easy to read volume.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Reclaiming the Bible for a Non-Religious World
A very interesting book, one which everyone should read who has a problem with what the Bible has to say, and how it says it!
Published 1 day ago by Gordon Wright
3.0 out of 5 stars
Somewhat disappointing
The book itself presents a well defended argument about why a literal interpretation of the Bible makes no sense. Read more
Published 20 days ago by Xenia Coulter
5.0 out of 5 stars
Have to read
Enlightening! Wonderful explanation both historically and for new knowledge. Brought clarity to many ideas and understanding I have never understood.
Published 20 days ago by Dan Johnson
4.0 out of 5 stars
Good if interested in progressive liberal Christianity; not good if...
Bishop Spong writes of how the scriptures came to be from a scholarly and personal aspect. I like the new look at the scriptures. Read more
Published 26 days ago by Karen Mitchell
5.0 out of 5 stars
My favorite Christian author
I owe more to Bishop Spong than I can say. I own almost every thing he has written. He has made the mythic stories of the Bible clearer to me than any other author I have read. Read more
Published 1 month ago by G. E. Branthaver
5.0 out of 5 stars
Re-Claiming the Bible for a Non-Religious World
I heard the author discussing this book on a radio program recently and I wanted to read it for myself.
Published 1 month ago by Bonnie Morassini
4.0 out of 5 stars
This is for religious seekers
This book is not for the strongly religious because it will contradict most of everything that you were indoctrinated with. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Jerome J. C Perrin
5.0 out of 5 stars
Re-claiming the Bible for a non-religious World
Bishop Spong always brings new light and great understanding of what the Bible is and what is tells us about God and those writers who struggled to help the world understand what... Read more
Published 1 month ago by James Hisey II
1.0 out of 5 stars
Absolute trash
Trash is what Shelbey spews. Shelbey has no concept of Christ or his message, he is your typical lefty excuser of sickness
deviance and child killing, a pick and choose false... Read more
deviance and child killing, a pick and choose false... Read more
Published 1 month ago by Daniel Rush
5.0 out of 5 stars
Reclaiming the Bible for a Non-Religious Word
Bishop Spong writes with clarity and is easy to understand unlike many other "religion" writers. All of his books are great.
Published 1 month ago by Candy Cat
