For centuries, scholars have been debating, analyzing and exploring perhaps the most influential book ever written—the Bible—and overturning much of what we know about this sacred text. However, a large group of people who actually use this book, mainly lay Christians, aren’t aware of this larger, deeper conversation. It is for these people that Spong, drawing on a lifetime of experience, writes Re-Claiming the Bible for a Non-Religious World, a primer on the history and significance of the Bible. In this informal and accessible survey, Spong will move book by book through the Scriptures, introducing their themes and messages by examining the sweep of history in which these books were originally written. What has history taught us? How should we read these stories today? What does it mean for how we live our lives? And why do people tenaciously hold on to so many myths associated with the Bible? For the vast audience of people eager for a meaningful journey into the Bible, Spong leads the way.
Re-Claiming the Bible for a Non-Religious World
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“A masterful reading of these texts that have shaped the Western world. This book is filled with insights from a lifetime of deep engagement with Scripture. Highly commended!” --Gregory C. Jenks, author of The Once and Future Bible
From the Back Cover
For two hundred years, scholars have been analyzing one of the most important books ever written—the Bible—and overturning much of what we once thought we knew. Everyday Christians, however, are not privy to this deeper conversation. It is for these people that renowned bishop and author John Shelby Spong presents Re-Claiming the Bible for a Non-Religious World, a book designed to take readers into the contemporary academic debate about the Bible.
A definitive voice for progressive Christianity, Spong frees readers from a literal view of the Bible. He opens the possibility that some of the characters in the New Testament are imaginary composites or even literary creations—such as Joseph, the earthly father of Jesus; Judas Iscariot; Nicodemus; the Samaritan woman by the well; and Lazarus who was raised from the dead. He presents the Bible as an ever-changing and always growing story. He demonstrates that it is possible to be both a deeply committed Christian and an informed twenty-first-century citizen.
In this thorough, substantive guide, Spong explores the origin and essential meaning of each of the individual books in the Bible, examining the background, the context, the level of authenticity and even the trustworthiness of the messages found there. He explains why these particular books, written between two and three thousand years ago, came to be regarded as authoritative and preserved as sacred; he traces the pathway that biblical religion has traveled as it evolved through the centuries, and he shows how people have misused many of these texts in the service of their prejudices.
Reaching far beyond the familiar Sunday-school stories that have provided the content of most people’s biblical knowledge, Spong’s journey into the heart of the Bible is his attempt to call his readers into their own journeys into the mystery of God. “One does not,” he asserts, “have to twist one’s brain into a first-century pretzel in order to take the Bible seriously in this increasingly non-religious world.”
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Most helpful customer reviews
By Edward Stang
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
I havn't read John Shelby Spong for quite a few years. Although I do not agree with everything Bishop Spong says, he is an educator and puts biblical texts in their proper time and place. I enjoyed this work. The title says it all.
1 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
A commentary on how various sections of the bible were put together and what the contents are. The book of Ruth, for example is in the first part of the bible but was written at the time of return from exile in Babylon, about 450 BCE. It is a story written to suggest the exclusive and anti-mixed marriage, pure Jewish propaganda of the time did not take into account the actual origen of King David from a Moabite grandmother, Ruth. Similar treatment for other sections of the bible.
You will like this book if you have an open mind. You will not care for it if you insist that the bible is literally true. If you focus on individual verses rather than the big picture, this is not for you. But is is a great book for anyone who wishes to understand how Jews and Christians have come to be what they are.
I usually give religious books to the church, but am going to hang on to this one as a reference and read at least parts of it more than once.
You will like this book if you have an open mind. You will not care for it if you insist that the bible is literally true. If you focus on individual verses rather than the big picture, this is not for you. But is is a great book for anyone who wishes to understand how Jews and Christians have come to be what they are.
I usually give religious books to the church, but am going to hang on to this one as a reference and read at least parts of it more than once.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
4.2 out of 5 stars
57 reviews
70 of 77 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Dubious Disciple Book Review
Dec 14 2011
By Dubious Disciple
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Hardcover
Could this be Spong's best yet? Perhaps not, his books are all so powerful, but it's definitely my new favorite. I've actually been looking for precisely this sort of book, so I was really excited to find it--authored by one of my favorite writers, no less!
Spong goes book-by-book in pretty much chronological order through the Bible, explaining scholars' best guesses at each book's origin (place, time, authorship) and the historical atmosphere out of which they were written. The idea for this collection sprang from a series of lectures Spong was invited to give, beginning in the summer of 2006, about how various Biblical books came to be written and regarded as scripture. Much of the information here was known to me already, but there was a host of new insights as well. I've got yellow highlighter marks all over the book! Here are some of the more interesting discussions you'll find:
[1] The formation of the Torah, the first five books of the Bible. You'll learn more about the Documentary Hypothesis, and how scholars believe these five books came together, from the four primary sources. Not the most complete explanation, but surely the easiest to understand I've ever read.
[2] The "prophetic principle" (you'll find out you had no idea what a "prophet" is) and the historic background behind the three "books" of Isaiah. Scholars are coming to the conclusion that Isaiah had not just two authors, but at least three.
[3] The "protest" literature within the Bible, and what stimulated its writing.
[4] The "national mythmakers" who preserved Israel's history.
[5] The evolution of the Apostle Paul's beliefs, and how he grew over time from a fiery, apocalyptic preacher into a mellow, thoughtful philosopher.
Of course, you'll read about the Gospel story, the pastoral influence, the Johannine corpus, it's all there and it's all very readable. Highly recommended!
Spong goes book-by-book in pretty much chronological order through the Bible, explaining scholars' best guesses at each book's origin (place, time, authorship) and the historical atmosphere out of which they were written. The idea for this collection sprang from a series of lectures Spong was invited to give, beginning in the summer of 2006, about how various Biblical books came to be written and regarded as scripture. Much of the information here was known to me already, but there was a host of new insights as well. I've got yellow highlighter marks all over the book! Here are some of the more interesting discussions you'll find:
[1] The formation of the Torah, the first five books of the Bible. You'll learn more about the Documentary Hypothesis, and how scholars believe these five books came together, from the four primary sources. Not the most complete explanation, but surely the easiest to understand I've ever read.
[2] The "prophetic principle" (you'll find out you had no idea what a "prophet" is) and the historic background behind the three "books" of Isaiah. Scholars are coming to the conclusion that Isaiah had not just two authors, but at least three.
[3] The "protest" literature within the Bible, and what stimulated its writing.
[4] The "national mythmakers" who preserved Israel's history.
[5] The evolution of the Apostle Paul's beliefs, and how he grew over time from a fiery, apocalyptic preacher into a mellow, thoughtful philosopher.
Of course, you'll read about the Gospel story, the pastoral influence, the Johannine corpus, it's all there and it's all very readable. Highly recommended!
11 of 12 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
an excellent introduction to a progressive approach to biblical interopretation
Feb 28 2012
By Dr. Greg Smith (aka sowhatfaith)
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
According to Gallup's latest research, only 3 out of every 10 Americans interpret the Bible literally. Spong's Re-Claiming the Bible is an introductory survey text for the 70% who acknowledge the Bible is something far richer, more complex, and more human. If you are a mainline Christian who will never attend seminary and have never participated in an extended parish based course designed to explore the 66 books of the Bible in-depth, then you simply must read this book (and, ideally, gather together with others to discuss it as well).
Spong introduces modern biblical scholarship to a general audience as he explores the creation and content of the books that are now included in the Christian canon. His explanations are written in plain English, avoiding unnecessarily complex theological vocabulary unfamiliar to the uninitiated. Further, he is careful to construct his own view (e.g. dating specific books) only after sharing the historic perspective and that of modern scholarship. In short, Re-Claiming the Bible provides a helpful, practical, and engaging look at what the Bible really is and includes.
Spong introduces modern biblical scholarship to a general audience as he explores the creation and content of the books that are now included in the Christian canon. His explanations are written in plain English, avoiding unnecessarily complex theological vocabulary unfamiliar to the uninitiated. Further, he is careful to construct his own view (e.g. dating specific books) only after sharing the historic perspective and that of modern scholarship. In short, Re-Claiming the Bible provides a helpful, practical, and engaging look at what the Bible really is and includes.
20 of 25 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Well researched and thoughtful commentaries
Dec 7 2011
By William W. Crump
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
The Reverend Jack Spong has dedicated his life to probing the underpinnings of theology, especially Christianity. His books, published over a thirty-five year period, exemplify his moving through stages of personal discovery and maturity. This book, his latest, but probably not his last, presents the times of origin and the cultural environments of all of the Old Testament books and the Gospels and letters of the New Testament. It is a full Bible survey course in one easy to read volume.
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4.2 out of 5 stars
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