[Oe List ...] Spong, heresy, RSI, etc.

[Elliestock at aol.com]

Hi folks--
 
I have been fascinated by the recent interchange re Spong, heresy, RSI,  
etc.  I don't remember such an exchange during the prior years when Dick  
Kroeger was forwarding these emails...
 
Frankly, I think RS I was ahead of Spong in many ways.  While  Spong is 
dogmatic in his own way and tends to occasionally jump to conclusions  re 
Mary's pregnancy, Paul's sexuality, and other matters, he jars Christians out  of 
their lazy thinking and complacency.  He doesn't try to build bridges as  
Borg and Crossan do.  Our adult classes in church have studied most of  his 
recent books (including his most recent one) as well as Borg's books and  
Borg's and Crossan's LTQ dvd series and have found them thought-provoking,  
challening, and even life-changing.  Like others, I have attended  several 
events with Borg and Crossan (including a 3-wk trip to Turkey) and with  Spong.
 
Personally, it was Whitehead and Chardin who were my  
philosophical/theological/scientific saints and who catalyzed a theological  turning for me in 
66-67.  Chardin was another theologian who was  called a heretic and banned 
from teaching, his writing only published after his  death.  While the Order 
quoted him, I don't know that we ever quite "got  it" re implications 
concerning the larger creation and process theology,  although we were moving in 
that direction.  I am grateful for Swimme, Fox,  Berry, Dowd, O Murchu, Newell 
(Celtic Christianity), Armstrong, and many  others who help move us towards 
realizing this less  human-centered, more religiously-inclusive (or 
transparent)  and creation-centered approach towards spirituality and  justice. 
 
For those still in the local church/Christian context, the season of Advent 
 proclaims Emmanuel--"G-O-D with (among, within, around, through) Us".  The 
 invitation is still to love the Mystery and build the earth  
incarnationally...
 
Grapes and peas be unto you...
Ellie :)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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