The Sins of Scripture: Exposing the Bible's Texts of Hate to Reveal the God of Love - Hardcover

Spong, John Shelby

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0060762055 ISBN 13: 9780060762056

Publisher: Harper San Francisco, 2005

Synopsis

A controversial exploration of biblical passages that are used to justify discrimination, oppression, and violence against women, homosexuals, members of other faiths, children, and the environment seeks to reveal and recover the texts' ultimate depth and purpose, counseling Christians on how to embrace a new vision of how to use the Bible for genuine good and peace. 50,000 first printing.

About this title

Review

“Spong shares his extraordinary gift of conveying the Bible’s spiritual and ethical authority...” (Jack D. Spiro, Harry Lyons Distinguished Chair of Judaic Culture, Virginia Commonwealth University)

“Spong demonstrates the prophetic vocation that prefers truth to lies, honesty to hypocrisy, common sense to sick religious ideologies.” (Matthew Fox, president, University of Creation Spirituality, author of Original Blessing, Creativity: Where the Divine and the Human Meet, and One River, Many Wells)

“Another brilliant chapter in Spong’s quest to rescue the Bible from fundamentalism.” (Robert W. Funk, Jesus Seminar, author of Honest to Jesus)

“Spong lifts the myths surrounding scripture, stripping away the superfluous so the kernal of truth becomes reality.” (Reverend R. Robert Kimes, Director Religious Activities, Bay View, MI)

“Remarkably insightful and honest, John Shelby Spong explores some of the most compelling issues of our time.” (Reverend Jarmo Tarkki, Ph.D.)

“The Sins of Scripture challenges Christians to look beyond the myths of their faith into the heart of the matter.” (Bill O'Reilly, Anchor, Fox News Channel)

“This absorbing book has much to offer readers of all persuasions.” (Publishers Weekly)

“With prophetic vigor, Spong lays bare the evil done...in the name of God...[and] calls the Christian community to accountability....” (Spirituality and Health magazine)

“This book is long overdue...” (New York Times)

“A valuable modernist manifesto for progressive readers seeking a response to the conservative theology dominating the news these days.” (Boston Globe)

About the Author

John Shelby Spong, the Episcopal Bishop of Newark before his retirement in 2000, has been a visiting lecturer at Harvard and at more than 500 other universities all over the world. His books, which have sold well over a million copies, include Biblical Literalism: A Gentile Heresy; The Fourth Gospel: Tales of a Jewish Mystic; Re-Claiming the Bible for a Non-Religious World; Eternal Life: A New Vision; Jesus for the Non-Religious, The Sins of Scripture, Resurrection: Myth or Reality?; Why Christianity Must Change or Die; and his autobiography, Here I Stand. He writes a weekly column on the web that reaches thousands of people all over the world. To join his online audience, go to www.JohnShelbySpong.com. He lives with his wife, Christine, in New Jersey.

Edition details

• Publisher: Harper San Francisco
• Publication date: 2005
• ISBN 10: 0060762055
• ISBN 13: 9780060762056
• Binding: Hardcover
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 315