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RESCUING THE BIBLE FROM FUNDAMENTALISM
In this provocative best-seller, the outspoken and controversial Bishop John Shelby Spong reveals how literal interpretations of Scripture have been used to justify slavery, ban textbooks, deny the rights of gays and lesbians, subordinate women, and justify war and revenge. Spong combines current biblical scholarship, modern science, and, most of all, his deep love and respect for Scripture, to lift the Bible out of the prejudices and cultural biases of bygone eras. Eloquent, forthright and compassionate, Spong liberates the Bible’s message of hope for all people.
“I hold the Bible before my readers seeking boldly to free it from the clutches of a mindless liberalism and, at the same time, presenting it as a dramatic and exciting document whose relevance for our day is both mighty and real.”
John Shelby Spong
John Shelby Spong is the Episcopal Bishop of Newark and is also the author of 'Living in Sin?', 'This Hebrew Lord, Beyond Moralism', and other books.
“Throughout his career as an Episcopal priest and bishop, John Shelby Spong has been surrounded by controversy as he has laboured on the leading edge of movements to bring blacks, women and homosexuals into the full life of his church.”
'The New York Times'
“[Spong] is striving to revive the imaginative possibilities of ancient Scripture for the women and men of today.”
'Mirabella'
“[Spong] wants to bring [the Bible] into the twentieth century by focusing on its eternal truths rather than the historical, philosophical, and scientific aberrations that have caused some to discount it entirely … Spong offers interesting, well thought-out ideas that should do what he intends – get people thinking about the Bible.”
'Booklist'
Sex drove me to the Bible! Read the first page
Concordance
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
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Customer Reviews
Believing in the inerrancy of the Bible has always presented special problems according to Spong. For instance, Biblical writers did not posses any idea of the grand sweep of history. They also had no knowledge of distant lands, oceans or continents. In addition, they were very dependent on oral tradition.
The Bible does contain much truth and it is our challenge now to lift that truthfulness out of the confining structure of the ancient world.
Beneath the literalistic framework of the Bible lie some powerful messages. In the Old Testament stories of the prophets we can see attempts to remedy human problems of injustice and the later influence of the prophets on secular social reforms in Western countries. The gospels of the New Testament tell about the love of God visible in the life of Jesus who is able to break all human barriers of race, sex and nationality. The main message of Christ seems to be in fact all about destroying the barriers of our prejudices and becoming truly inclusive Christians.
Conversely if you are on the fundamentalist spectrum, or if you call yourself a Bilical/catholic/Orthodox traditionalist have a look at the arguments in contra to your own worldview. That's very healthy and I don't think you'll get punished for it, not if God is a true pedagogue anyway!
Why the reference to fundamentalism in the title? The whole intent of Spong's book is to answer the question: "How can Christians have a relevant, faith-filled approach to the bible if they can no longer accept the bible as literally true?"
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