[Oe List ...] 8/05/10, Spong: The Origins of the New Testament, Part XXXII: Introducing the Johannine Material

[John C. Montgomery]

I'm not sure that Spong's work with scripture is very far outside of the mainstream - but he channels the flow of what has been going on in the academy through congregations and I respect him for that. At the same time, he tends to be "in people's face" in ways that keep him from being heard by many in the pews. 



Both Spong and Borg are driven by their rape by fundamentalism, both Biblical in Borg's case growing up in the Missouri Synod church and in Spong's case, an ecclesastical fundamentalism, i.e the infallibility of the hie rarchy. I've often found myself reflecting on the fact that as I grew up in the church, I never was tempted to superimpose literalism on the narratives. I was never expected to believe that Jonah was really swallowed by a whale. My passion comes from different places. 



Where I part company with Spong has to do with his "a-theism." His theological hero i s Tillich, and in some ways Sp ong simp ly takes Tillich to his natural conclusion, going beyond theism - God is not a being, but being itself - the problem is that unless one wants to completely write off our scriptural tradition, God  is a being. Now there are theological models out there where God may be understood in  both fashions  without falling into the trap of supernaturalism on the one hand and pantheism on the other. For me, theologians like John Cobb, Marjorie Suchocki and others are able to give me permission to affirm a creative partnership between myself and not simply creation, but a creator, one who is still creating.  

John C. Montgomery 
(c) 678-468-4913 
www.notesfromthebalcony.com 

Charity depends on the vicissitudes of whim and personal wealth; 
justice depends on commitment instead of circumstance. 
Faith-based charity provides crumbs from the table; 
faith-based justice offers a place at the table. 

- Bill Moyers, television journalist and social commentator. 

----- Original Message ----- 
From: elliestock at aol.com 
To: oe at wedgeblade.net 
Sent: Thursday, August 5, 2010 3:54:30 PM 
Subject: Re: [Oe List ...] 8/05/10, Spong: The Origins of the New Testament, Part XXXII: Introducing the Johannine Material 


sorry folks--thought I was sending the previous email to Herman.  But if it was helpful, so be it; if not, please ignore... 
Ellie 





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