The audience that I try to reach are members of what I call the church alumni association. Now they are people who have not found in institutional religion a God big enough to be God for their world. John Shelby Spong alumnusassociationaudience Change image and share on social
Apologetic explanations do not develop unless there is a reality that has to be explained and defended. Jesus was undeniably a figure of history. John Shelby Spong apologeticdefenddevelop Change image and share on social
God is a presence that I can never define but I could never deny. John Shelby Spong definedenygod Change image and share on social
Was Judas Iscariot a figure of history? I do not think so. There is no mention of him in any source before the 8th decade. John Shelby Spong 8thdecadefigure Change image and share on social
I was baptized as an infant. I was confirmed as an adolescent; I was active in my church's youth group and in my university student group. I was married before the church's altar; trained at the church's seminaries, ordained deacon and priest at age 24. John Shelby Spong activeadolescentage share on social
Our English language really says if you're not a theist, the only alternative is to be an atheist. What I'm trying to do is develop a language that will enable us to talk about God beyond the, what I think, are sterile categories of theism and atheism. John Shelby Spong alternativeatheismatheist share on social
I believe that is what the God experience does for us. It calls us beyond our limits into the fullness of life - into a capacity to love people we are not taught to love - and into an ability to be who we are. John Shelby Spong abilitycallcapacity share on social
I think one of the things we've got to look out for is human beings claiming that they know how God operates. John Shelby Spong beingclaimgod Change image and share on social
The God of the Hebrews is a God that human language, we're not even supposed to speak the holy name. We were told in the Second Commandment we could make no images of this God, and I don't think that means just building idols, I think that means also trying to believe you've captured God in your words, in the Creeds, in the Scriptures. John Shelby Spong buildcapturecommandment share on social