Here I Stand: My Struggle for a Christianity of Integrity, Love, and Equality

Here I Stand - My Struggle for Christianity of Integrity, Love & Equality [John Shelby Spong] on leondumoulin.nl *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers.
Table of contents

To join his online audience, go to www. He lives with his wife, Christine, in New Jersey. HarperCollins Publishers Bolero Ozon. Beginnings in the Segregated South. Rejection at School Acceptance at Church.

Philosophy St Marks and Wedding Bells. Priestly Formation on the Holy Hill. My Pastoral Education in Durham. Racial Issues and Leadership Lessons in Tarboro.

8 editions of this work

Professional Highs Personal Lows. JewishChristian Dialogue and Christpower. Transition to the Episcopate. The Heart Cannot Worship What.

Here I Stand: My Struggle for a Christianity of Integrity, Love, and Equality

Rising from the Ashes. The Battle Lines Form. Marriage and the Year of Years. The Koinonia Statement Victory.

See a Problem?

These are genuinely impressive, but I wanted more shadow, more doubt. A couple of decorous references to a bad temper remain unexplored. By the end of the book, his description of the courtship with his second wife is almost absent. The narrative travels from work colleagues to life partners in a uncomfortably hasty amount of time. If this was a whirlwind realisation of true love, fine, but I was left wanting. To be fair, autobiography is not my favourite genre, so my standards may be unrealistic.

In all, an interseting portrait of what seemed to me a partially examined life. Jul 03, Gwen rated it liked it Shelves: Much less theology than I was expecting, honestly--I was hoping for more. But I guess that's what the rest of Spong's books are for! I could have done without the chapters after chapters on Episcopalian bureaucracy and inside baseball, although the bureaucracy aspect of Spong's work is critical to understanding how he didn't always fit in with the status quo.

But could we have trimmed the minutiae down a bit? While this book dipped too far and too often into self-aggrandizement, I was amazed Much less theology than I was expecting, honestly--I was hoping for more. While this book dipped too far and too often into self-aggrandizement, I was amazed that Spong recognized his white, male, and heterosexual privileges--it's not often that you see someone of his generation so aware of their privilege. I wish, though, that Spong addressed doubt. Surely, in his decades of ministry, he experienced doubt and frustration about Christianity.

And if he didn't, I wish he would have addressed why and how that was possible. Rather, it gives to me and others the capacity to embrace the radical insecurity of life as free, whole, and mature persons. May 27, Shishir rated it liked it. Meaning and origin of life Life and Life Sciences examined with integrity genetics and nurture Earth existence and formation explained well in Science Luck and chance formed life natural selection - evolution Life after death NOT essential This life is enough!!

Older you get the better you are able to experience life Fascinating to be alive Live life fully wring every moment out of life. This life is everything — do not sell people into looking forward to a better life afterlife What comes after dy Meaning and origin of life Life and Life Sciences examined with integrity genetics and nurture Earth existence and formation explained well in Science Luck and chance formed life natural selection - evolution Life after death NOT essential This life is enough!! This life is everything — do not sell people into looking forward to a better life afterlife What comes after dying?

A denial Death is a natural part of life You taste death when you lose your loved ones Bury a wife, father son … Case and cause for Religion Ultimate mystery - Death Eternal Life — A new vision Religion — telescopes looking for God outside But look for God inwards Footprints of eternity Oct 21, Joe rated it it was amazing.

Bishop Spong is just plain awesome. He has been one of the leading voices in US Christianity for the full inclusion of LGBTQ individuals in the life of the church, against fundamentalism interpretations of the bible and, lately, for a total rethinking of Christianity away from theism. I didn't know much about his history, and this was a neat look at how he went from a young man in North Carolina to a radical bishop in Newark. I particularly enjoyed reading about how this theological thinking evo Bishop Spong is just plain awesome. I particularly enjoyed reading about how this theological thinking evolved, the way he sought to change the communities he worked in around various social issues, and his personal struggles and in his family.

A great look at a great leader. Spong's autobiography is simultaneously a view of one man's spiritual journey and an insider's look at the culture wars that have gripped America's religious life over the last half century or so. I was drawn to this book because of Spong's other writing and came to appreciate more deeply the crucible in which those works were formed - as he suggests with his subtitle, the challenge of maintaining a church life without sacrificing one's sense of integrity, love and commitment to equality which Spong's autobiography is simultaneously a view of one man's spiritual journey and an insider's look at the culture wars that have gripped America's religious life over the last half century or so.

I was drawn to this book because of Spong's other writing and came to appreciate more deeply the crucible in which those works were formed - as he suggests with his subtitle, the challenge of maintaining a church life without sacrificing one's sense of integrity, love and commitment to equality which emerges more strongly from his honest portrayal of his own ignorance and prejudice.

May 12, Ellen Johnson rated it really liked it Shelves: Bishop James Spong is a very courageous man who loves the church but who does not believe we can keep asserting supernatural happenings in the Bible are true anymore, except as metaphor. This has lots of details about the church hierarchy that only Episcopal clergy would enjoy. I enjoyed the frank discussions of civil rights era.

Here I Stand: My Struggle for a Christianity of Integrity, Love, and Equality by John Shelby Spong

Apr 13, Zac rated it it was amazing. A friend of mine introduced me to this author who is also a Episcopal Bishop. It was intresting read; he has some very challenging ideas in the way we think of God, the Church and today's most pressing social issues. A good read for anyone praying that there is more to religion than just what we currently have. Jan 30, Craig rated it it was amazing.

This books is my favorite from Bishop Spong. He writes about his early life and life as an Episcopal priest. Thought as controversial Bishop Spong never sought about to be, but he's stance for racial justice, women rights and LGBT rights upset many even within his own church. Jul 20, Mary rated it liked it.

What to Look for in a Pastor (Selected Scriptures)

Enjoyed learning about his childhood and young adulthood. Too much detail given about how he became a bishop which wasn't interesting to me. Read the first half of the book closely and skimmed the second half. May 05, Dennis rated it really liked it Shelves: Kept attention 5 Well written 5 Must read 3 Important 3 Accessible 5. Nov 17, Willa Powell rated it really liked it.


  1. .
  2. .
  3. !
  4. Refine your editions:.
  5. ;

I read my fathers copy. Jun 12, Frank Ogden rated it liked it. A very detailed and long autobiography.


  • Innocence, Knowledge, and Wonder: What Happened to the Sense of Wonder I Felt as a Child? (Osho Life.
  • !
  • .
  • .
  • Parábolas Divinas (Spanish Edition).

    • One needs endurance to get through this lengthy personal history. Jun 02, Len Knighton rated it it was ok. I have enjoyed Spong's columns for years but I found this boom a bit dry and long. Jul 11, Barbara Kramer rated it really liked it. Bishop Spong is an oustanding voice in religious thought for our time. This book gives significant insight into the man and what he stands for.

    Linda Mulford rated it liked it Mar 09, William Westmoreland rated it really liked it Jun 19, Gene Moore rated it really liked it Oct 12, Kyle Critchett rated it it was amazing Mar 11, Landon Earps rated it it was amazing Mar 03, Amy rated it liked it Jul 30, Denise rated it liked it Oct 26,