Should Baptist Seminaries include Bishop Spong's books in their Library's?

Retired Episcopal Bishop from New Jersery. Leader among liberal ministers.

 

Liberal doesn't even begin to describe Spong's theology.

I prefer LIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIBERAL!

 

Liberal is not the word. Heretic is. We need to distinguish between the two.

He denies many essentials of the Christian faith. He also is a supporter of gay rights, both in and outside the church.

I voted "no" because his books could mislead new believers or it could confuse believers. There is no reason to read his books. If someone wants to know about him, they can get his books at the library, a bookstore, Amazon, etc. Putting his books in a church library sends a message that the church is promoting his views and it's a slap in God's face, imo.

If you want to know more about his views, see "What's Wrong with Bishop Spong?" (article reprinted at this site)
http://www.answersingenesis.org/docs/1119.asp

 

The OP was asking whether or not Spong's books should be in seminary libraries, not church libraries.

They should DEFINITELY not be in church libraries, but I think a seminary should have them.

 

Ooops!

Thanks for pointing that out. That's why I should not be doing this late at night like I was last night.

Well, guess I voted wrong. I do think Spong's books should be in seminary libraries, but maybe under a special section for books that students should be aware of and know how to respond to.

 

Pretty expensive barbie lighters....

 

...along with those of Marcus Borg, Robert Funk and others in the Jesus seminar.

Disagreement on doctrine and practice of Christianity isn't a good reason to censor books on the subject.

If a seminary has done its job, and taught its students critical thinking skills, given them sound Christian instruction, and taught them how to listen and respond to the Holy Spirit, then it should not be fearful of what those students choose to read, or what the outcome of the reading will be. Only indoctrination centers, which are not seminaries IMHO, fear that.

 

Never heard of him.

 

</font>[/QUOTE]Me too.

 

His books should be in the library listed under cults.

Joseph Botwinick

 

At the college I'm attending, the church history class uses a secular church history resource as the main text (Chidester, Christianity: a Global History, and the professor presents the Christian perspective in lecture. I think this is wonderful, and I definitely enjoy seeing two dramatically different perspectives. Chidester is wrong. . . WAAAAAAAAY wrong, but it is nice to be able to engage critically with secular scholarship on the issues.

 

Also, I think Spong's books should be placed in the library where the classifcation system (LOC, Dewey, etc.) calls for it, not under some special section.

For ease of research, of course, I say this.

 

I think Cults would be the perfect place for this garbage. I would have no problem finding it there. That is the first place I would look.

Joseph Botwinick

 

NO, The man should not be rewarded financially for his waste of God's oxygen ...