Thank, you +Jack Spong.

                     The late, great retired Episcopal bishop John Spong. Photo by Dick Snyder. 

 Yesterday I learned that John Shelby " Jack" Spong, retired bishop and author of many " controversial" books on faith, died. 

 I first " met + Spong during a 12 week class at my local Presbyterian church Living The Questions. He, among other contemporary progressive Christian writers, were part of a course aimed at getting we modern Christians to " think outside the box."

 Throughout the years I've read several of Spong's books, and when I do not agree with a lot of his theological concepts, I am emboldened to both claim my interfaith upbringing as valid and beautiful. I'd always felt that the Mother Creator God is much bigger than our small human intellect, and felt comfortable sitting with the parts of Spong's theology that surely does not 'gel' with mine. 

  As I've matured in my own faith I realized that yes--- the sacred stories in Scripture are alive and contain the basic elements of Jewish { OT} and Christian { OT and NT} faiths. But there are other ways to show love & devotion to Creator God-- some found in established religious traditions and some as simple as placing flowers & sea shells on one's home altar. 

  Let me make that clear: I am a Christian. I affirm bot the Nicene   and Apostle's Creeds as my Christian identity.  However, I've come to understand that my own devotional practice does-- and should-- make room for the more Nature-centered Celtic version of Christianity One look at my home altar and one would be surprised { or even scandalized} by the elements from Nature that I  place on my altar along with the crosses, prayer card , and rosary beads. 

  As an interfaith child, Nature-- not church-- is where I first encountered The Divine. To me, God does not stay in a Church -shaped box, God is everywhere and leaves evidence of Their Creativity everywhere. 

  While I look to Jesus--- God-with-Us-- as The Incarnate Word **** and**** the Teacher of Humans, I respect that my Jewish kin & Muslim neighbors do not see Him as I do. In the Gospels I see an instruction book on how to be a good human-- stories of how this one Person's life  and teachings change the world. Some people I know who claim to be agnostic at best  are some of the most faithful followers of Christ The Teacher { the title of a favorite icon of mine} than some Christians who sit in pews on Sundays. 

 I am blessed to be in a church community who are intentional in not only worshipping Jesus, but being mindful of  living a Gospel-centered life. We are imperfect people wo do our best to follow the teachings of our Savior and Brother, Jesus. 

  In my lifetime, I've known people who see Spong as a " heretic"  I see a man wo spent his life doing his best to live according to The Way Of Love. Spong also showed me how to peacefully come to the Table every Sunday with folks who probably think I am a heretic. There is room for everyone at Christ's table and in God's world. 

If you think I am a heretic, I love you anyway! 

Thank you, Bishop Spong.  

Pax Christos....

~Sarah McCarren

September 13 2021