Born of a Woman [Paperback]

"A marvelous combination of scholarly, speculative, and imaginative reflection written in language accessible to the theologically unsophisticated. Highly recommended."--Library Journal

A fascinating exploration that reveals the role of the church and Scripture in the oppression of women. Bishop Spong exposes and expunges the negativity toward women created by the literal Bible in general and the literalized birth narrative in particular. He challenges the doctrine of the virgin birth, tracing its development in the early Christian church and revealing its legacy in our contemporary attitudes toward women and female sexuality. 'The only hope for the survival of the virgin Mary as a viable symbol is her redefinition by new consciousness when that occurs, the Church of Jesus Christ will be more whole, more inclusive, and more reflective of the reality for which the word of God is a symbol' - from "Born of a Woman".

John Shelby Spong was the Episcopal bishop of Newark before his retirement in 2000. As a leading spokesperson for an open, scholarly and progressive Christianity, Bishop Spong has taught at Harvard and at the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, California. He has also lectured at universities, conference centers and churches in North America, Europe, Asia and the South Pacific.. His books include A New Christianity for a New World, Rescuing the Bible from Fundamentalism, Resurrection: Myth or Reality?, Why Christianity Must Change or Die, and his autobiography, Here I Stand.