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Review Summary: a sin to love? |
Date: 2004-08-26 |
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Details: A God that we can love today is a God that asks us to embrace and celebrate - not just tolerate - difference.
John Shelby Spong makes it clear that Christianity's ideas of morality must be brought up to date. In many ways the teachings of Jesus, and the portrayal of him in the gospels, have never (or rarely) been taken by modern orthodox believers to their logical, radical conclusion.
The early Christians took Jesus to heart and followed his precepts according to their own pre-scientific understanding of human nature. They celebrated 'difference' as long as it did not threaten their male-dominated, female-subordinated view of the world. We now know this is wrong. Today everyone is free to be who they really are, and all sexual behaviour is recognised as equally valid provided it is between consenting adults, no-one is exploited, and no harm is done.
The modern Christian, if he is truly following Jesus, as the early Christians did, is honour-bound to live in the radical life-affirming way exemplified by the founder of his faith. There is no excuse anymore. Either God loves everyone, and we do mean everyone - not just believers - or he is not a loving God. Everyone is a beloved child of God - no favourites - or God is not a good father.
The Christian of today has to be leading the cause of sexual liberation for all. He has to be fighting for the sexually, socially, religiously, and economically marginalised. John Shelby Spong has taken to heart what Jesus meant when he said: "Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me." - Matthew 25:40. |
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Review Summary: Controversial? Of course! Spong wrote it. |
Date: 2001-05-24 |
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Details: In order to understand Spong, one must understand two things. First, the inertia of the Church, and secondly, Spong's chosen role as change agent. Mix these two liberally (no pun intended) and his life and work become explicable. Spong lives what many suspect - it takes quite a load of hyperbole to move the Church! "Living in Sin" was among my first exposures to Spong, and I found him persuasive and entertaining. He clearly has a knack for seeing Scriptural truth through a lense that my fundamentalist-trained yes tend to neglect. For example, he opens with the story of Jonah. I have always seen Jonah as a story about call and obedience, but Spong sees a story about prejudice and inclusiveness. Read the other reviews posted and you'll find much reference to "sex." Spong considers "Living in Sin" to be about prejudice, not sex. It is about the prejudice of the Church against sexual minorities, that is, the divorced, the homosexual, and the unmarried. In part two of the book Spong faces the Goliath of defenses for the Church's historical stance - the Bible itself. I remember the tinge of fear that swept through me the first time I said that "Paul wrote (that), but Paul was wrong." Spong has spent a long career squarely facing the over-literalized authority many ascribe to Scripture, and he does so again here, challenging the literal interpreters, the traditional anti-women teachings of the Bible, and the traditional anti-gay interpretations of the Church. One need not agree with every jot and tittle of Spong's text to agree that the foundations of the traditional positions are quite weak. In part three Spong is at his finest, arguing for a consistent spiritually-based morality that honors the essence of Biblical truth without erecting standards inimical to human dignity and psychological health. Another example may be in order. What seems most reasonable to you, to endure a loveless marriage or to pursue wholeness alone? To applaud committed coupling that is outside the legal strictures of marriage, or to applaud lifeless unions? Spong, correctly in my view, errs on the side of wholeness and life-sustaining partnerships as indicative of the relationships God hopes for us all. Read this book. Enjoy the "ride" Spong offers, then let it sink in for a few weeks or months. Believe me, inside his hyperbole is a jewel of great worth. |
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Review Summary: Five stars for courage and compassion |
Date: 2002-07-08 |
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Details: Wow. Let me say that again: wow. I grew up Christian, and I know lots of people who fall under that designation. Some of them are judgemental and intolerant, many of them are compassionate, loving people -- and almost all of them fall short of the kind of tolerance and love for humanity that the bishop John Shelby Spong obviously possesses. I left the Christian church for many reasons, one of which was the outdated dogma attached to moral behavior. Bishop Spong in LIVING IN SIN addresses issues of sexual morality (pre-marital sex, homosexuality, post-married sex) with a voice that is open, unafraid, and firmly based in Christian teachings. His Biblical scholarship is very good, and his message opened my eyes and gave me hope for the future of Christianity, faith in general, and the place of organized faith systems in our society. |
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Review Summary: Bishop Spong has done it again! |
Date: 1998-11-03 |
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Details: In a time in history, when Fundamental Christianity tries repeatedly to force us back into the dark ages, Bishop Spong has tackled a subject that organized religion has tried to ignore. Regardless of religious background, this book removes the guilt and anxiety that organized religion has placed sex. I felt a sense of liberation after reading it. Thank you Bishop Spong |
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Review Summary: wonderful |
Date: 1999-10-14 |
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Details: I found the work in this book to be a wonderful example of what happens when the church rethinks it's position on the issues we deal with everyday. |
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out of 27 Reviews
