Bishop Spong Goes to Stetson

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Bishop Spong Goes to Stetson

“Bishop Spong is the leading voice within modern progressive Christianity, attempting to make Christianity relevant to today’s world,” said Dixon Sutherland, director of Stetson University’s Institute for Christian Ethics He went on to declare, “The exposure of students to probably the most formative leader of progressive thinking within Christianity today is an important part of our educational mission ”

Wednesday,February2,2005

“BishopSpongistheleadingvoicewithinmodernprogressiveChristianity,attemptingtomakeChristianityrelevantto today’sworld,”saidDixonSutherland,directorofStetsonUniversity’sInstituteforChristianEthics Hewentonto declare,“TheexposureofstudentstoprobablythemostformativeleaderofprogressivethinkingwithinChristianitytoday isanimportantpartofoureducationalmission.”

ThatfascinatinglittlepieceofadvertisingisfoundatthewebsiteofStetsonUniversity,aprivateuniversitylocatedin DeLand,Florida.

Ofcourse,thatintroductionofretiredEpiscopalBishopJohnShelbySpongisabitunderstated,sincethebishopis knownthroughouttheworldforhavingdeniedvirtuallyeverymajordoctrineoftheChristianfaith,andhasbecome somethingofaparodyoftheologicalliberalism.

WhatmakestheStetsonUniversityannouncementallthemoreinterestingisthefactthatBishopSpongwasinvitedtothe universityinordertodeliveralectureonhumansexualityandthentoserveasthemajorspeakerfortheuniversity’s “TwentiethAnnualFloridaWinterPastors’School.”Accordingtotheon-lineregistrationformfortheconference,the eventsoldout

Thebishop’svisittoFloridacaughttheattentionoftheOrlandoSentinel.InanarticlewrittenbyreporterLoraine O’Connell,Spongisquotedasstating:“Sexwithoutanysortoflovingrelationshipisalwayswrong It’sappropriateonly insidecommitment What’sthelevelofcommitment?Forme,it’smarriage”Thereporterwasfullyawarethatthismight soundlikeBishopSpongwasabandoninghisendorsementofpre-maritalsex,soshequicklycorrectedany misunderstanding.“Spong’sfansneedn’tfearthathe’sbackpedaling.Althoughmarriageishispreferredlevelof commitment,hesays,expectingyoungpeopletoremaincelibateuntilmarriageisn’trealistic Teachingthemtotreat sexualitywithrespectis”

Overthelasttwentyyearsorso,theRightReverendJohnShelbySponghasservedasaminstrelforpostmodern Christianity Afterservingfrom1976to2000asbishopoftheEpiscopalDioceseofNewark,NewJersey,Sponghitthe lecturecircuitandhasbecomeamediapersonalityandprovocateur Hisbooksgarnerimmediatemediaattention,though hismethodologyoftheologicalsensationalismisrunningoutofsteam.Nowthathehasdeniedvirtuallyeveryimaginable doctrinerevealedintheBible,theremustbeverylittleroomforfurtherdenial

Insuccessivebooks,Sponghasdeniedtheincarnation,themiraclesasrecordedinScripture,thevirginbirthofChrist, asalvificpurposeforthecrucifixion,thebodilyresurrection,andanentireseriesoftruthslongcherishedbythechurch. HeseestheBibleasanessentiallyhumanbookthatisfilledwithfoiblesandfaults,andthusarguesthatitisnottobe takenseriouslyasGod’sauthoritativemessagetothechurch

“TheGodIknowisnotconcreteorspecific,”Sponghaswritten.“ThisGodisrathershroudedinmystery,wonder, andawe ThedeeperIjourneyintothisdivinepresence,thelessanyliteralizedphrases,includingthephrasesofthe Christiancreed,seemrelevant TheGodIknowcanonlybepointedto;thisGodcanneverbeenclosedbypropositional statements.”

Thus,SpongdeniestheauthorityandtruthfulnessofthehistoricChristiancreedsandhasbeenaboutthetaskof revising,remodeling,andtransformingChristianityintoanentirelynewsystemoffaithandmeaning

BiblicalChristianitysimplymakesnosensetoBishopSpong.“ThebiblicalaccountofJesus’returntoheavenwas basedupontheancientideathattheskywastheabodeofGodandthatitwas‘up’Aliteralascensionmakesnosenseto thoseofuswholiveonthissideofCopernicus,Galileo,andthespaceage Indeed,theverywordupisameaningless conceptinourtime”

InSpong’sview,Godislargelyahumanconstruct Hehasabandonedtheism–thebasicbeliefinapersonalGod–and hasmoved“beyondtheism”toembrace“newGodimages”InWhyChristianityMustChangeorDie,thebishop explained:“ThereisnoGodexternaltolife.God,rather,istheinescapabledepthandcenterofallthatis.Godisnota beingsuperiortoallotherbeings GodistheGroundofBeingitself Andmuchflowsfromthisstartingplace The artifactsofthefaithofthepastmustbeunderstoodinanewwayiftheyaretoaccompanyusbeyondtheexile,andthose thatcannotbeunderstooddifferentlywillhavetobelaidaside Timewillinformusastowhichiswhich”

Justbeforetheendoflastyear,IdebatedBishopSpongonLeeStrobel’sprogram,“FaithUnderFire,”broadcaston PAXtelevision Inthatcontext,BishopSpongpresentedhisunderstandingclearly “Thereisnohumanbeingthatcan knowtherealityofGod ThereisnoinerrantBible ThereisnotrueChurch Thereisnocorneronthemarketof salvation.Thereisnofaithoncedeliveredtothesaints.Thoseareallhumanattemptstoministertothehumansecurityneedtobelievethatwepossessthetruth It’sonlythosepeoplewhobelievetheypossessthetruththatwanttohave inquisitionsordoheresyhuntsorstartreligiouswarsorpersecutepeoplewhodisagreewiththem Ithinkthat’sthedark anddemonicsideofreligion,andIthinkwewoulddowelltoberidofthat.”

MostAmericansareprobablyawareofBishopSpongasanadvocateforsexualrevolution His1988book,Livingin Sin?:ABishopRethinksSexuality,wasadeclarationofwaruponthechurch’shistoricunderstandingofhumansexuality Spongpullednopunches,rejectingtheBibleasanadequateguidetohumansexualityandinsistingthattheancient Scripturesaresimplytoooutofdatetoberelevantintoday’sworld Thebishopsimplytakesthesexualrevolutionasa factandinsiststhatChristianitymustchangeitssexualethicorbeconsignedtothedustbinofculturalhistory

Furthermore,heinsiststhatthechurch’ssoleconcerninthistimeofrevolutionarysexualityisto“witnessthe expansionofthatgrayareaboundedbypromiscuityontheonesideandsexonlyinsidemarriageontheother”Ashe expanded,“Mostpeoplewillliveinsidethisareaofrelativity,ofuncertainty,ofvariouslevelsofcommitmentandvarious kindsofsexualpractices.Itwillbeinthegrayareathatnewvalueswillneedtobeformulated.”

Accordingly,thebishoparguedforthefullacceptanceandnormalizationofhomosexualbehavior “Contemporary researchistodayuncoveringnewfactsthatareproducingarisingconvictionthathomosexuality,farfrombeinga sickness,sin,perversion,orunnaturalact,isahealthy,natural,andaffirmingformofhumansexualityforsomepeople.”

WhatabouttheBible’sclearstatementsaboutthesinfulnessofhomosexuality?“Certainlytherearebiblicalpassages thatseemquitespecificintheircondemnationofhomosexualactivity,”thebishopconceded Nevertheless,heemployeda postmodernrelativizingofthetexttogetaroundthatawkwardreality.WhenPaulcondemnedhomosexualityinRomans chapterone,“Itwasanunnaturalactforaheterosexualpersontoengageinhomosexualbehavior,he[Paul]argued He didnotorperhapscouldnotimaginealifeinwhichtheaffectionsofamalemightbenaturallydirectedtoanothermale”

HadtheApostlePaulbeen“enlightened”bymodernnotionsofsexualorientation,Spongimpliesthathecertainly wouldhavechangedhisposition Ontheotherhand,SpongelsewherehasarguedthattheApostlePaul’sclear condemnationofhomosexualityindicatesthathemayindeedhavebeenaclosetedhomosexualhimself

OnceSpongarguedthattheBible’scondemnationofhomosexualitycouldbeovercome,itwasashortjumptoargue thathomosexualsshouldbeeagerlywelcomedintothechurchanditsministry,andthatliturgicalritesfortheblessingof samesexunionsshouldbedevelopedandembraced “Oncethenaturalnessofmajorityandminorityorientationsis established,andtheexpectationofcelibacyforgayandlesbianpeopleisremoved,thequestionofthemomentwillthen become,”Sponginsists,“Howdoesagayorlesbianpersonleadaresponsiblesexuallife?”Celibacy,heargues,issimply toomuchtoask

Spongclearlyrevelsinhisroleasprovocateurandlightningrodforcontroversy.“Iamnotlikelytobeburnedatthe stake,”hehascommented,insistingthatheisconfidentthechurchwillinevitablymoveinhisdirection

Meanwhile,thisdirectsevengreaterattentiontothefactthatStetsonUniversityinvitedSpongtobeamajorspeakerat aneventthatwaspresumablyintendedtoequipandinspireChristianpastors Theschool’sContinuingEducation departmentacknowledgedthefactthatthebishophadbothadmirersanddetractors “Hisadmirersacclaimhislegacyasa teachingbishopwhomakescontemporarytheologyaccessibletotheordinarylayperson–he’sconsideredachampionof aninclusivefaithbymanybothinsideandoutsidetheChristianchurch.”Ontheotherhand,“Hischallengestothe churchhavealsomadeBishopSpongthemostvilifiedofmodernclergymen Thetargetofhostility,fear,anddeath threats,hehasbeencalledanti-Christ,hypocriteandthedevilincarnate”

Nevertheless,theuniversityobviouslythoughtthatBishopSpongwouldbeanabsolutelyappropriatespeakerforits Pastors’School,alongwithMarcusJ Borg,amemberoftheinfamous“JesusSeminar,”whohasdeniedthebodily resurrection,miracles,andthehistoricityoftheNewTestament

Accordingtotheuniversity’swebsite,“Abrightmindisneverhappyonthesidelines Abrightmindismeanttobe wideopentoalltheintellectualadventuresandencounters”ParticipantsinStetsonUniversity’sPastors’Schoolare certaintoencounteranintellectualadventure–butitwillbeanadventureinsubvertingandunderminingtheChristian faith.

TheironyandtragedyinallthisbecomesapparentwhenitisrealizedthatStetsonUniversitywasfoundedand nurturedbyBaptistsinthestateofFlorida,andchampionedatonetimeas“thestateinstitutionoftheFloridaBaptists”

But,astheysay,thatwasthenandthisisnow Now,Stetsonissimplyanotherprivateuniversitythatsellsitselfas“a comprehensiveuniversitycommittedtoacademicexcellenceanddistinctive,values-centeredprograms”Elsewhereatthe samesite,theschooldescribesitselfas“anon-sectarian,comprehensive,privateuniversity.”

Thatislightyearsawayfromtheuniversity’smotto,“ProDeoetVeritate”["ForGodandTruth"]

ThebottomlineinallthisisthatStetsonUniversity–formerlyrelatedtotheFloridaBaptistConvention–hasinviteda retiredEpiscopalbishop–nowknownforhisnotoriousdenialsofChristiantruth–tobethespeakerataneventintendedto equipChristianpastors Thisisalldoneinthenameofacademicinquiry,nodoubt Butwhospeaksfororthodox Christianity?

Oddlyenough,thebestresponsetoBishopSpong’svisitcamefromalocalEpiscopalrectorwhodeclinedtoattend thelectures Spongis“onthefringeofthetradition,”saidtheReverendDonLyon,rectorofSt BarnabasEpiscopal ChurchinDeLand.“He’sbasicallyaneasternmysticalpantheist.”

AsLyontoldtheOrlandoSentinel,“I’vebeenaparishpriestfor25years,andfor25yearshehassoughtto deconstructthehistoricfaithinwaysthathavebeenprofoundlydamagingtothechurch”

ReverendLyonisright,ofcourse Themosttragicaspectofthisentireepisodeisthedamagethatisdonetothechurch oftheLordJesusChrist

ThestateofliberalProtestantism,ofStetsonUniversityandsimilarinstitutions,andtheworldofincreasinglypostChristianspirituality,ismadereadilyapparentoncewerecognizewhatitmeansthatBishopSpong,ratherthanReverend Lyon,wasaskedtoaddresstheattendingpastors Butthen,BishopSpongmusthaveofferedthekindof“intellectual adventure”thosepastorswouldprefer.Let’sjustleaveitatthat.

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