Bishop John Shelby Spong

During his tenure as Episcopal Bishop of Newark, John Shelby Spong was regarded as a fearless advocate for church reform--a hero to some, a heretic to others. Spong, who retired from professional ministry in 2000, was the first to ordain an openly gay priest, and he called for Christians worldwide to leave behind "premodern" religion in favor of liberal faith.

Spong holds degrees from the University of North Carolina and the Protestant Episcopal Theolgical Seminary. Saint Paul's College conferred an honorary Doctor of Divinity degree on Spong. He has served as a visiting lecturer at many institutions, including Harvard Divinity School. Spong has published several best-selling boooks, including "Why Christianity Must Change or Die" and "Rescuing the Bible from Fundamentalism."

Visit his archive of Beliefnet columns

	Jesus for the Non-Religious By John Shelby Spong
	Rescuing the Bible from Fundamentalism By John Shelby Spong
	A New Christianity for a New World By John Shelby Spong
	Why Christianity Must Change or Die By John Shelby Spong
	The Sins of Scripture By John Shelby Spong