A New Christianity for a New World

So I just finished this book today. Generally speaking, I don't care for Bishop Spong's writings, his scholarship is dated and his treatment of the Bible is, at times, too reckless. But let me say that I really enjoyed reading this book, and I would recommend anyone who is looking to expand their view of Christianity and get a vision for a new type of Church to read this.

Once again, I don't agree with everything that Spong argues, especially in the first part of the book. His deconstruction of Theism is, for me, deeply flawed. I have run into too many "coincidences" in my life, to believe that God is completely uninvolved, but I've also run into too much suffering to believe that God is completely involved (at least to the degree that most mainline evangelical Christians believe). Spong continues to be, for me at least, too far out there in his dismissive nature of the role of the Divine in our everyday lives.

But the last half of the book, his reconstruction of Christianity, evangelism, prayer and the Church is completely compelling. Ironically, in this section, many of his conclusions, I would like to take even further. If you already have problems with the way Christianity currently operates, you could even skip the first six chapters and start with his vision of Christianity beyond "Theism" in chapter seven. Or if you're not sure, or appreciate new challenges to your way of thinking and understanding the world take the time to read from the beginning, it's worth your time.

If nothing else, even though much of Spong's methodology doesn't resonate with me, I'm appreciating more and more his willingness to think outside the box that we tend to put God into. His challenges to traditional understandings push me to reconsider the foundations upon which my own beliefs and faith issues stand. If you come from a traditional background but have yet to find a Christianity that is significant to you read it today.