Has anyone here read the new book, JESUS FOR THE NON-RELIGIOUS, by John

[Melchizedek]

Shelby Spong? What do you think of it? I find it a fascinating book. He is a compelling and persuasive writer. But his version of Jesus is not one that the Church would ever accept and grow with. He insists that this 'non-theistic' view of Christ is the only one, and that we need to dismiss the idea that Christ was who we have traditionally portrayed him. But from a secular perspective, a non-theistic version of Christ, if promoted by the Church, would more quickly lead to the demise of Christianity than even the most medieval of theologies.

Still, a good, sometimes exciting read.

Have you read it?

What do you think of it?.

 

[?evolvedkw?]

Never heard of it, and since there is still no empirical contemporary evidence to prove Jesus existed, it is no more factual than the bible.

 

[CommonSense]

No, I have not. It sure sound like the Jesus I am comfortable with. I will be looking out for that book - but as for dismissing His deity ..well I have to discard that as heresy! But I will reserved judgment until I finished reading the book. Until then, thanks for the info

 

[cristoiglesia]

Bishop Shelby Spong is about as non Christian as anyone I know wearing a collar. I suppose that would make him qualified to write a book with that title. I can not imagine why anyone would read one of his books and expect to get a better understanding of Christianity or Christ's teaching.

Your time would be better spent reading the works of St. John of the Cross, St. Augustin, St. Thomas Aquinas or St. Irenaeus.

In Christ
Fr. Joseph

 

[Sapere Aude]

No, I have never read it, nor have I heard of it.

Don't Jehovah's Witnesses see Jesus Christ as a man, who was a prophet of god?

 

[Ria L]

Not heard about it, but I have heard about: "atheists for Jesus".
It makes me slightly angry... just because you believe someone said some nice things, doesn't mean you should say you an "atheist for..." whoever... Gandalf says some pretty moral things in Lord of the Rings, should I be an atheist for him? My nan has a wonderful look on life, you couldn't meet a person with more compassion, but I am not an "atheist for my nan".
Besides, Jesus wasn't as great as people make out:

“Don’t imagine that I came to bring peace on earth! No, rather a sword lf you love your father, mother, sister, brother, more than me, you are not worthy of being mine.(Matthew 10:34)
"He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death.” (Matthew 15:4-7)
“Brother shall deliver up the brother to death, and the father the child: and the children shall rise up against their parents, and cause them to be put to death." Matthew 10:21
"And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother[a] or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life." (Matthew 19:29)
"He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. Out of his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. "He will rule them with an iron scepter." He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. (Revelations 19:13-15)
And so on.
Nah, I'd rather be just an atheist, to hell with the "for...".

 

[Mr. Wolf]

Bishop Spong is on the prophetic edge of how Christianity must grow if it is to survive the cultural shift into post-Christian post-modernism. The world will not buy into traditional Christianity in another thousand years or less.

 

[Mr. Wolf]

Bishop Spong is on the prophetic edge of how Christianity must grow if it is to survive the cultural shift into post-Christian post-modernism. The world will not buy into traditional Christianity in another thousand years or less.