nakedpastor
Some Sundays ago after our service a woman who was visiting informed me that she was a minister. She said that my talk was very interesting, but that I reminded her of Bishop Spong. She asked if I knew who that was. Oh yes! I know who he is. Now… upon reflection, I’m not sure if it was a compliment or a criticism from her. I don’t agree with everything Spong says, but I do read his stuff and agree with much of it, especially his critique of Christianity, the church and its theology.
Here is a quote from Spong’s recent book, Jesus for the Non-Religious:
My devotion to Jesus, whom I increasingly viewed through a Jewish lens, and my need to reformulate all the traditional Christian symbols under the impact of new learning were the sources of a profound restlessness within me. No matter how deeply I loved the church, both its creeds and liturgies made assumptions I could no longer make. Increasingly, Jesus was real to me, but the theological language that I used to talk about him was not.
I identify with what Spong says here. It resonates with me. But I would even go further to ask him what “Jesus” means to him, because that for me has undergone a cataclysmic change. I’m sure I’ll learn more as I read further into the book.
So… in your opinion: Is being compared to Spong a compliment or a criticism?
The painting is a watercolor sketch I did some years ago. It represents one of the temptations of Jesus. Notice that the pen part of the drawing is all one line for the earth and Satan. Jesus, however, doesn’t quite touch the earth and is drawn with one line. I wouldn’t draw it the same way today. In fact, the opposite might be more theologically correct. (SOLD).
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