July 2013 - Dialogue - lists.wedgeblade.net

7/25/13, Spong: On Teaching at Drew University’s Theological School
by Ellie Stock 25 Jul '13

25 Jul '13

HOMEPAGE MY PROFILE ESSAY ARCHIVE MESSAGE BOARDS CALENDAR On Teaching at Drew University’s Theological School Drew University is my neighborhood institution of higher learning. It offers to Morris County, New Jersey, the enrichment that only a university can bring. There is a magnificent library on this campus that has three constituent parts: The University Library, a Theological Library and the Methodist Archives, in which the history of American Methodism is preserved. Periodically Drew brings speakers of national and international interest to our community, such as the former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Judy and Dennis Shepard, the parents of Matthew Shepard, the young gay man who was murdered in Wyoming. In addition to this there is a theatre that each year presents several plays by William Shakespeare, including some of the less familiar works of the bard such as “The Winter’s Tale” and “Cymbeline.” The history of this university is unique in that it began as a theological seminary to train clergy for the Methodist Church and then the university grew out of the seminary. The Drew Theological School is thus, not just an adjunct to the university, but it is the parent of the university. This is symbolized by the fact that the Dean of the Theological School is an important part of the cabinet of the University President, which is the body responsible for the totality of the university’s life. I have found this university a treasure to me professionally and personally and I rejoice in my relationship with it. This summer this relationship deepened significantly when I was invited to teach two courses in the Theological School’s summer session. I had taught in this school once before five years ago. It was a one week course in the winter break between semesters, when students were offered a variety of short intensive courses led by local community leaders who were thought to possess gifts that would enrich a theological education. This second invitation was to teach two separate courses, each of which would last three to four hours a day, five days a week. The intensity of the schedule was necessary to qualify students to receive 1.5 credits for each week or 3 credits if they chose to attend both courses. The invitation came from the dean, Dr. Jeffrey Kuan, who prior to coming to Drew had been the Professor of Old Testament studies at the Pacific School of Religion in Berkeley, California. He has also just recently announced his resignation from Drew to become the President and Dean of the Claremont School of Theology in Claremont, California, one of the top ecumenical, graduate theological centers in the United States. Dr. Kuan is an enormously gifted scholar and administrator. A native of Malaysia, at Drew he became the first Asian dean of a Methodist Theological School in America and he brought both to Drew University and to the theological enterprise, a broad international vision that seemed to expand what Drew was already about. Also of note is the fact that the Dean of the Libraries at Drew is a theologically-trained scholar named Andrew Scrimgeour, who has not only been an active fellow in the Jesus Seminar, but Chairman of the Board of the Westar Institute, which created the Jesus Seminar. Andrew understands the theological issues facing the Christian Church today and is desirous of engaging those issues head on, something that church hierarchies and local congregations frequently seek to dodge, “lest the faithful be upset.” Needless to say, Andrew has not only been a significant friend to me, but he has also made the resources of the Drew Library available to me, granting me the same privileges that are accorded to the members of the Drew faculty. I have done research for many of my books in that library, but especially for my books on the Fourth Gospel and Eternal Life. I am given my own study carrel, long-time access to books on which I am working and to articles in the best theological journals in the world over the last century. In 2010, Drew University conferred on me an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree. I wear the Drew hood with pride whenever I am privileged to be in an academic procession. Given this background, I accepted the dean’s appointment as a “visiting Professor of New Testament” with joy and excitement and I taught these two classes over a period of two weeks at the Drew Summer School. It was also, I might add, the hardest work I have ever done! The format committed me to two lectures a day for the five days of each course. This means that I had to prepare 20 lectures over the course of the two consecutive weeks. I also needed to read and grade my students’ papers. When I added together the time it took to get from my house to Drew and back each day; the time meeting with students before and after the classes; the classroom time itself and the time required for preparation, I was spending 10 to 11 hours a day on my responsibilities to Drew. That is not a complaint; I loved every minute of it, but it is a reality. I would usually spend the afternoon each day in the Drew library preparing the material for the following day. The rest of my life did not go on hold to allow me to teach these two courses. I still had this column and its question and answer feature to prepare each week. On the Sunday between the two weeks at Drew, I was scheduled to do two presentations at a church in another part of New Jersey. I still had to deal with all the communications that my column engenders. To top the two weeks off, it was also during that time that my book, The Fourth Gospel: Tales of a Jewish Mystic hit the bookstores and I began to do interviews about it with radio, television and the print media across the United States and as far away as Australia. I normally cook dinner each night for my wife and me (one of my favorite relaxing things to do), but that became physically impossible during those two weeks. I came away from this assignment with a renewed appreciation for the demands of academic life, but I also came away with an enhanced sense of the opportunity one has to teach bright, imaginative young minds. Over the two weeks, I had between 31-40 different students. Some were there only for one of the two weeks, but the majority of them were there for both. The largest single group of my students was made up of those seeking a Master of Divinity degree from Drew. I was impressed with the diversity of age and ethnicity that they represented. The second largest group was made up of those who had graduated and been ordained in a variety of Christian traditions, who were returning to do “summer refresher work.” This group included Methodist clergy, Presbyterian clergy, Episcopal clergy and a captain in the Salvation Army. One of the Methodist clergy was a former Jesuit priest. They were male and female, clergy couples and gay persons. They were excited about learning, happy in their ministries or potential ministerial careers and open to new knowledge. The third group in this class consisted of members of the Morris County community to whom Drew opened this course. This group included interested lay people who saw the church as a center of learning. One was a church organist, who had recently lost his partner and who took this course as a way of dealing with his still quite open grief. So a variety of human experiences came together, as they always do, in the best of church life. The first week my topic was “The Influence of the Synagogue on the Formation of the Synoptic Gospels.” We probed the background of Mark, Matthew and Luke in the recognition that at least Mark and Matthew were written before the separation between the church and the synagogue occurred and Luke, to the degree that it is based on Mark, reflects the same connection with the synagogue. That is why the memory of Jesus in these gospels is wrapped inside the images of both the Jewish Scriptures and the patterns of the synagogues’ liturgical life. Surely we have noticed that the Passover is the setting against which the story of Jesus’ crucifixion is told. Less obvious, but still true, is the fact that the winter Festival of Dedication (later called Hanukkah) is the setting against which the story of Jesus’ transfiguration is told. The Jewish harvest festival called Sukkoth or Tabernacles is the setting against which the Parable of the Sower is told. The Jewish Day of Atonement, Yom Kippur, is the setting against which the call of Levi from the receipt of customs is told. The Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashanah, is the setting against which the story of John the Baptist is told. Finally, the Jewish celebration of Shavuot or Pentecost is the setting against which the account of the Sermon on the Mount is told. The conclusion becomes inevitable, namely that the Synoptic Gospels present us with a deeply Jewish Jesus and they are all quite clearly the products of the synagogue. It was fascinating to watch that realization and what it meant being born in the minds of my students. The second week was on the Fourth Gospel and was based on my just published book. The Gospel of John is so different from the earlier synoptics. In John, for example, there is no miraculous birth story and the mother of Jesus is never called Mary. In this book miracles have been turned into signs that point beyond themselves to new meanings. John also introduces us to a host of characters like Nicodemus, the Samaritan woman by the well and the unnamed “beloved disciple,” none of whom have been mentioned ever before in Christian writing. Their inclusion raises the possibility that they are literary creations, not people of history. In John’s gospel the parables of Jesus have disappeared and have been replaced by long discourses. The climax of this gospel strikingly is not the resurrection, but the crucifixion, and the second coming of Jesus is identified not with the end of the world, but in Jesus giving the Holy Spirit to his disciples on the evening of the first Easter. These things make this book unique and unusual My students engaged these ideas. Their papers were magnificent, revealing that they understood the concepts. It was an exciting two weeks. Perhaps in time the churches they serve will also be exciting places of worship. ~John Shelby Spong Read the essay online here. Question & Answer Chuck Fisher, Executive Leader for the Disciples of Christ Church in the High Plains of Texas writes: Question: My question has the background of Martin Luther King, Jr.'s "I have a dream" sermon. I believe the power of King's words lies not in poetry, emotion, nor logic, but from the moral core of all existence, the ground of our being that is love, what I call "God." I believe "I have a dream" is a modern example of prophetic speech, "Thus says the LORD." Is such a word to our culture possible today? With what authority could anyone speak such words? Answer: Dear Chuck, Thank you for your presence as well as your welcome and hospitality when we were recently in Amarillo, Texas. I plan to devote my column to that visit next week. Your question is an insightful one. No person can be accurately determined to be a prophet in his or her own generation. That is a judgment that history alone can make and it is history that has proclaimed Dr. King to be one of the great prophets of the 20th century. His impact on this nation was a powerful and moving one. He bore the pain and indignity that was heaped upon him with a calm dignity and an increased resolve. He interpreted such tragedies as the murder of those little girls in an Alabama church in such a way as never to minimize the pain or to reveal the slightest surrender to that killing violence. He captured the moral high ground and reduced the Bull Connors, the Lester Maddoxes and the George Wallaces of the world to the status of being petty bigots, a status which they had earned and from which George Wallace alone repented. He called national leaders like John F. Kennedy and most especially Lyndon B. Johnson to become spiritually larger and more compassionate than we had any reason to believe they could ever be. It was not just his “I have a dream” speech,” it was also his “Letter from a Birmingham jail,” that lifted him so visibly into the pantheon of charismatic leaders. The mark of a prophet is apparent when that figure moves the world, a nation or a people to a new consciousness. How a particular prophet does that is always subjective and debatable, but to do what Dr. King did means that he had a compelling vision that governed his life and that he was willing to pay any price to achieve that vision. In fact, he did pay the ultimate price, but his life and his words revealed that he was prepared to do that whether or not martyrdom was the price that such leadership required. Dr. King spoke with the authority of his own integrity, but it was clearly grounded in something or someone far beyond the limits of his humanity. I know him as a prophet and I am convinced that history will confirm for him that designation. If Dr. King could be a prophet in our generation then prophecy is still possible. Leaders force us to go beyond our comfort zones into new understandings of life. History may record others in that category, who are not as yet clearly defined in the public arena. Critical moments in history have a way of calling them forth. Thanks for raising the issue. John Shelby Spong Announcements A Joyful Path, Year Two is almost here! Have you heard about this new and incredible children's curriculum, A Joyful Path, that ProgressiveChristianity.org has created? Here is what Bishop Spong has to say about it: “The great need in the Christian church is for a Sunday school curriculum for children that does not equate faith with having a pre-modern mind. The Center for Progressive Christianity has produced just that. Teachers can now teach children in Sunday school without crossing their fingers. I endorse it wholeheartedly.” ~John Shelby Spong Now there are 2 full years for use in the home, intentional communities, churches, and other faith communities! That is 76 full lessons on inclusion, social justice, compassion, inner wisdom, the teachings of Jesus, history of the Bible, finding inner peace, and more! Click here for more information on A Joyful Path! Any questions or concerns, please contact us at support(a)johnshelbyspong.com or 503-236-3545. Copyright © 2013 ProgressiveChristianity.org, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email because you have a membership at our website. Our mailing address is: ProgressiveChristianity.org 3530 SE Hawthorne Blvd. Unit 1 Portland, OR 97214 Add us to your address book

1 0

Archives Fall Sojourn Invitation
by Timothy Wegner 24 Jul '13

24 Jul '13

Sent on behalf of Marge Philbrook Dear Friends and Colleagues of the ICA, The Archives Advisory Committee is pleased t[b]o announce the EI/ICA/OE Global Archives Fall Sojourn: Monday, September 9 - Friday, September 20. The sojourn will be held at the ICA GreenRise, 4750 N.Sheridan Road, Chicago. Your participation is welcome for any amount of time during the two weeks, or participate via the internet. Web pages currently being developed are Global Community Forum and Imaginal Education from Historical Archives, Accelerate 77 and Service Learning from the Living Archives. An example is the imaginal education web page: <http://wedgeblade.net/wordpress/imaginaleducation> The eight collections (in green) focus on the Fall Sojourn. To bring new life to these collections your participation is essential. Choose a collection and make plans to attend. For more information or sign-up please contact the Archives Advisory Committee at margephilbrook(a)gmail.com Marge Philbrook, Sally Fenton, Rosemary Albright, Frank Knutsen, Beret Griffith, Paul Noah, Jack Gilles, Jean Long and Steve Harrington

2 1

Summer Singing - Double CD set
by Timothy Wegner 22 Jul '13

22 Jul '13

Here at last. The Archive Team is pleased to announce that the two CD set of 31 songs, sung by OE/EI/ICA groups and Len Dressler, is now available for purchase. Enjoy the singing of Summer '72 with the opening ceremonies of the Congregations (where were you sitting). Experience a special selection of Joe Mathew's talk "The Peace of Christ in the Modern City". Go to ICA-USA.org. Click on the Bookstore and go to Books/DVD/CD. Place your order - $25.00 plus $6.00 p&h. You do not have to be a member to order and there is no "code". Purchase an additional one as a gift.

2 2

Completed Life of Ruth Reames
by Jim Slotta 20 Jul '13

20 Jul '13

(from Jim Slotta in Denver) Dear ICA Colleague Ruth Reames has died. I am forwarding to the ICA and OE listserves an email from Ruth's brother, Phil Nelson. ICA Denver Colleagues know Ruth Reames to have lived an authentic life, and to have been a cherished friend and valued colleague. She was a spiritual leader of leaders. May GOD bless her soul as it joins her husband Mark in this last phase of life. She and Mark were United Methodist missionaries to Japan for 25 years. Shared here are comments from Sherwood & Eunice Shankland, from Sunny Walker, and from Catherine Welch: === Phil, Seth, family and friends, We stand together as the world stops for a moment on Ruth's amazing journey... We hear the roaring sound of peaceful silence as time marches on... We grieve and celebrate a life well lived... We appreciate the love and care of family and friends... We dare to grasp the torch of care that Ruth has passed on to us... In Peace we are grateful for another day... Blessings all around, Sherwood and Eunice === === And another quite bright star shines in the Heavens. Ruth is laughing at my 2-story Universe remark and I'm pausing as she settles back comfortably in her chair on my meditative council. Grace and peace be to all who were blessed by her presence, Sunny === === Thank you for sending us word of Ruth's passing. I don't think I've ever known anyone personally who lived her convictions more than Ruth. For example, when Ruth came to believe that using resources like paper products was unsustainable, she would pack up 20 ceramic cups and bowls and carry them to an event where a meal was being served. She rode her bike all around town to meetings and events, stating that although she needed a knee replacement, which she eventually got, the exercise would benefit her rehab. She showed generous hospitality to people of many different cultures and backgrounds. In recent years as her memory failed for details, she nevertheless retained a gracious appreciation for the familiar faces of friends. Our lives are deeply enriched by having known her. Grace and Peace, Catherine Welch === Begin forwarded message: > From: philhnelson(a)aol.com > Date: July 20, 2013 11:46:59 AM MDT > To: kathryn.smith.560(a)gmail.com, sunwalker(a)comcast.net > Cc: emshankland(a)comcast.net, catherine(a)welchbox.com, cynthia.walker82(a)yahoo.com > , annepps(a)pd.jaring.my, bbsample(a)ix.netcom.com, dmdunn1(a)gmail.com, eric.n.smith.1(a)gmail.com > , jslotta(a)earthlink.net, jlepps39(a)gmail.com, mleesugg(a)msn.com, oslotta(a)earthlink.net > , sherwoodshankland(a)comcast.net, sjsnelling(a)comcast.net, wfepley(a)yahoo.com > , matthewr(a)uwalumni.com, sarjamin(a)tkg.att.ne.jp > Subject: Re: Update on Ruth from Seth > > All -- > > Ruth passed away around 6 pm last night (Friday, July 19). > She died peacefully in hospice care. > I was fortunate to be there as she breathed her last breath. > > My best to all of you, > > Phil Nelson > > ps. I suspect this email list is incomplete. Please forward as you > see fit. > >

1 0

Fw: [How to Stand in Solidarity with African Americans this weekend After Trayvon Martin
by Janice Ulangca 19 Jul '13

19 Jul '13

Forwarded by Janice Ulangca ----- Original Message ----- From: Rabbi Michael Lerner To: aulangca(a)stny.rr.com Sent: Friday, July 19, 2013 2:31 PM Subject: [How to Stand in Solidarity with African Americans this weekend After Trayvon Martin Tikkun to heal, repair and transform the world A note from Rabbi Michael Lerner Join or Donate Now! Janice, I just go off the phone with J. Alfred Smith, Sr. the senior pastor emeritus of the largest African American church in Oakland. He told me how this (Friday) morning, on a walk in a wooded area near his home and walking with a cane, he saw a white woman with a dog coming toward him, and momentarily he was filled with fear that the dog might attack him and if he lifted the cane to protect himself who knew if she might be carrying a gun or in some way put him in danger--a result of the Trayvon Martin murder.Finally, she smiled at him and he felt a relief of tensions. He told me he was crying when he heard from another pastor at his church that I had approached his church yesterday to ask if it would be o.k. for Jews and other spiritual progressives (of every ethnic, racial, religious or secular identity) to come to his church this Sunday so that we could show solidarity with the African American community. He said that he was so overjoyed with this gesture at a time when fears are so profound that he cried, and was still, at the moment he was talking to me, on the verge of tears. Yes, he said, do come, and do spread the word to others, "though just your presence, Rabbi Lerner, will speak volumes to Oakland's African American community about the solidarity of the Jewish community with our Black community." So that is why I'm writing to YOU to urge you to either come with me on Sunday or go to a nearer African American church this Sunday and let the African American community in your neighborhood or town know that they are not alone, that we understand their fear and stand in solidarity with them. No matter where you came out on the Zimmerman trial, you can still stand in solidarity with African Americans, support them in their grief, and signal to them that they are not alone. This weekend there will be at least a hundred demonstrations calling for justice in the murder of Trayvon Martin. You can call your local NAACP or go on line to find the one closest to you. We hope you will attend one. But I'm also asking you to try this other way to express solidarity with ordinary African Americans who are once again reminded of how pervasive and frightening the racism is that surrounds and for many defines the lives of African Americans in this country. We at Tikkun and the interfaith and secular-humanist-welcoming (i.e. you dont have to believe in God to join us) Network of Spiritual Progressives urge you to show up at your local African American churches in your town, and just be with people as they grieve and express their fears. You will encounter there a different section of the African American community than you'll find at the demonstrations. And those church-goers are actually likely to be very appreciative if you are coming. If you have time, you could draw up a short leaflet explaining why you are there.Or contact your local AfricanAmerican church and ask the pastor for his/her advice about the best way you can show solidarity. But J Alfred Smith Sr. made clear to me that people would welcome your presence even without alerting the pastors in advance.(Of course, if you are already part of an integrated church community and you believe that this issue is going to be discussed there this Sunday, then you don't need to go elsewhere to find solidarity with Africna Americans--just go to that community) If you are going to be in the S.F. Bay Area this weekend, how about coming with me to the Allen Temple Baptist Church, 8501 International Blvd, Oakland, Ca.? It would be great to be there with some other spiritual progressives. Lets meet there at 10:45 a.m. and try to sit together? Give yourself time to find parking in the area. Love and Blessings to you! Michael Rabbi Michael Lerner RabbiLerner.Tikkun(a)gmail.com ****************************** Below is an example of the way the murder of Trayvon Martin has been received by many African Americans. My heart and head ache this evening. My son Israel turned 15 last week and he's having a belated birthday party tonight. He asked me if he and his friends could go outside this evening and play "Cops and Robbers" with his Nerf guns. My stomach lurched and cold fingers of fear grasped at my throat when I imagined my dark son, dressed in a sweatshirt, running through the streets of our neighborhood. With a dry mouth and wet eyes, I angrily told him that he could not go outside and play a simple childhood game. I hope he knows that I am not angry with him, but I'm infuriated with the world we're raising him in. I'm angry at myself for limiting my son and denying him his youth because I'm petrified of what may happen to him for LWB (living while brown). I'm angry that black and brown boys are always seen as a threat, and never the joyful kids I know them to be. The verdict in the Trayvon Martin case has caused so much pain for so many, and our family grieves tonight. We mourn not just Trayvon and his family, but for the loss of innocence and freedom every brown and black kid endures with this verdict. -------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------------------------------

1 0

7/17/13, Spong: Scandal in the Roman Catholic Church: The Charade Goes On!
by Ellie Stock 19 Jul '13

19 Jul '13

HOMEPAGE MY PROFILE ESSAY ARCHIVE MESSAGE BOARDS CALENDAR Scandal in the Roman Catholic Church: The Charade Goes On! The Roman Catholic Cardinal Archbishop of Sydney, Australia, is the Most Reverend George Pell. He is a tall, impressive-looking man, whose career in his church has followed the traditional path of those who become significant Catholic leaders. He, like most upwardly mobile priests, received at least part of his training in the Pontifical College of Rome, where he came to the attention of Vatican leaders. Promotion came rapidly until he found himself the Archbishop of Melbourne in the Australian province of Victoria. Here he developed a leadership style that included a group of priestly advisers that stood somewhat outside the traditional lines of the church’s authority system. Their existence was not unknown to the wider public and they began to be referred to as the “Archbishop’s kitchen cabinet.” The membership of the group was certainly known to those who cared to know. This group even had a nickname. In some critical circles they were referred to as “the girls.” During this time, the Australian Catholic Church was reeling with stories of the priestly abuse of minors. There was a public cry for a “thorough investigation.” Some even wanted that investigation to be conducted by some authority outside the church, fearing that a church-led investigation would be little more than a cover up. That has been a common experience in other countries. It is quite difficult for any institution to investigate its own sins and shortcomings with any degree of objectivity. For that same reason in the world of politics, when corruption or misbehavior is suspected, there is always a cry from the party not in power for an “independent” prosecutor or investigator. The Roman Church, which has always shrouded many of its activities and operations in mystery and secrecy, resisted that call and announced that this investigation of the misbehavior of Catholic priests would be undertaken and directed by a much respected bishop, who was also a rising star in the Australian Catholic Church. His name was the Most Reverend Geoffrey Robinson. He and his investigating commission were appointed amid all the usual promises of thoroughness and the express commitment to “to get to the bottom” of this embarrassing episode. It was said by Bishop Robinson, upon his appointment to this crucial work, that he would not hesitate to recommend the purging and the punishment of those who were found to be guilty. Because of Bishop Robinson’s sterling reputation for integrity, the appointment of this committee under his leadership was accepted in good faith and its existence served to quiet the wolves who were howling around the structures of Australia’s Catholic Church. Revelation after revelation continued to find public outlet and each one served to rock this church to its core, eroding both its reputation for honesty and its presumed integrity. This Australian commission had to get beyond the usual defenses in which this church has traditionally dodged its responsibility by suggesting that the abuse was the result of “a few bad apples in the priesthood.” To support this point of view the argument of mathematics has usually been applied. It goes something like this: “Out of the thousands of Catholic priests around the world, the number accused of misbehavior is miniscule. When these few violating individuals have been dealt with and purged from the church, order will be restored and the dignity of the Church and its priesthood will also be re-established.” The church also offered the threadbare excuse that at that time this church did not have the proper protocols in place. They seemed not to recognize that it should not take protocols to recognize that child abuse is a crime. So also is the covering up of that abuse a crime. Three things were wrong with these smokescreens. First, the records indicated that the clerical abuse of minors had been well known to the hierarchy of this church for decades and it had not been dealt with. Secondly, it was discovered that offending clergy had not been purged, but had rather been transferred to another jurisdiction where the pattern of abuse could and did continue. Thirdly, it was discovered that the silence of victims had been purchased and apparently achieved to guarantee that the reputation of the church not be damaged! The leaders of this Church were far more interested in protecting their facade of righteousness than they were with rooting out the problem and dealing with it. A massive cover up was orchestrated from the very top, which serves very well to broadcast guilt, but does little else. Ultimately, it began to be clear that the clergy abuse of minors was a universal reality in this church all over the world. There is hardly a diocese in the Catholic Church in America that has not faced lawsuits and public accusations. There is hardly a prelate who has not been tainted with the charge of cover up. A problem this widespread cannot be dismissed as the result of “a few bad priests!” It was also then revealed to be a world wide phenomenon. Ireland, Canada, Germany, Scotland, Italy, England, Latin America, Africa, Australia, New Zealand and many other nations and regions of the world reported a veritable epidemic of priestly abuse. “A few bad apples” could not account for the world wide dimensions of this scandal. That was little more than a face-saving delusion. Every time this church proclaimed that the problem had been addressed and the wound cauterized, another public charge appeared. Some of the highest ranking cardinals in this church, including those in major Catholic areas like Boston, Los Angeles, New York and Chicago had their reputations soiled and their guilt exposed. Among the most guilty was Bernard Law of Boston. He was forced to resign, but in an act which cast doubt on whether “the old boys club” of the Catholic Church would ever deal honestly with this issue, he was immediately appointed to a prestigious position in the Vatican, where he had the “honor” of presiding over one of the funeral masses when Pope John Paul II died. That is a long distance from the prison cell that his behavior merited. Systemic revelations reveal not an individual, but a systemic problem. Systemic cover ups reveal both systemic knowledge and systemic guilt. The scandal even approached the office of the former Cardinal Archbishop of Munich, Joseph Ratzinger, who was at that time ruling over this church as Pope Benedict XVI. Meanwhile in Australia, Geoffrey Robinson’s committee began to ruffle feathers with the thoroughness of its investigation. No one in the hierarchy expected him to be this zealous, this willing to expose corruption in high places. When the report was issued, it was welcomed by everyone in Australia except the hierarchy of his church. He had violated a governing principle of that church, which had been incorporated into the vows of everyone chosen to be one of its bishops, namely that they would always protect the public reputation of the church. They never quite understood that one of the clearest ways to protect the public reputation of the church is to root out scandal publicly and to purge the church of offending priests and those hierarchical figures, who were guilty of covering up these crimes. The result of Bishop Robinson’s investigation was that his own faith and integrity began to be challenged and attacked by his colleagues. He was quickly marginalized. His report was received and, in effect, filed. His promising ecclesiastical career was derailed. There were many who believed that he might have been appointed the Archbishop of Sydney, a position in Australia like that of New York in America, where such an appointment is seen as almost always the preliminary to be given the Red Hat of a Cardinal. That, however, was not to be. His report gathered dust in the files of Rome and Sydney and his career was effectively ended. When the appointment of the new archbishop of Sydney was announced, George Pell, the Archbishop of Melbourne, was the choice. Pell himself was then accused of molesting a 12 year old boy when he was a seminarian, so he stood down while an investigation was conducted led by a committee of the church that finally cleared him not on the basis of established innocence, but on the basis of “insufficient evidence.” It was hardly a ringing exoneration. When he was chosen for the position in Sydney, he made public comments that were considered quite derogatory to homosexual people. When he was installed, his first message to the people of Australia was not some grand vision of the Australian Catholic and Christian future, it was an announcement that “unrepentant” homosexuals and those who “supported homosexual acceptance” and who worked for homosexual justice through an Australian organization know as “The Sash” were not to be welcomed to receive the Eucharist. He even said upon his appointment to Sydney that he hoped there were “no homosexuals” there. In despair over this appointment, Bishop Robinson offered his resignation as a bishop to the Pope, indicating that he could not in good conscience pledge his loyally to the new Archbishop of Sydney. In time, the Cardinal’s hat was placed on the head of George Pell. Recently, the scandal of priestly abuse and hierarchical cover up in the Australian Church broke out again publicly with seemingly incontrovertible evidence. In the ensuing trial Cardinal Pell formally admitted that a cover up had gone on in the Australian Catholic Church, though he claimed not to have been a part of it. He attempted to excuse it with the tired and uninspiring statement that the cover up was initiated “out of concern for the reputation of the church.” Nothing has changed. The cover up of the cover up is now exposed. Bishop Robinson in retirement continues to write and to lecture. He will not be silenced. Francis, the new Pope, recently announced that he was forming Council of Cardinals to advise him on problems facing his church. One of those appointed advisers is George Pell of Sydney. Do they think we don’t remember? Do they think we don’t know? The charade remains intact. John Shelby Spong Read the essay online here. Question & Answer Scott Forsgren, via the Internet, writes: Question: Thank you for coming forward in your series on the birth of Jesus with the Christian story formation that has been withheld from lay people in our churches overt the past two centuries. I initially heard you speak when you were interviewed on national public radio this year. I was shocked, but delighted by your honesty and bravery. For, as much as I have tried for 40 years to become a good Christian, I have always felt guilt at the same time for all the non-Christians of the world who apparently were not going to make it into heaven and for having to consider setting my science education aside to accommodate the Garden of Eden story. Before this I did read one helpful book and took a class by the same name, When Science Meets Religion by theologian and nuclear physicist, Ian Barbour. This was the first time I had heard that Genesis doesn’t have to be taken literally. I have also, subsequently, been attending valuable classes on Buddhist psychology and learning to meditate. I devoured your book Re-Claiming the Bible for a Non-Religious World and am now reading Eternal Life: A New Vision as well as listening to your lectures on YouTube. I must say that I do feel betrayed by the Church. I’ve put so much energy into trying to have faith. Clearly, I’d have been better off hearing the truth as a boy. But, with your words, a load has come off my shoulders at the same time. At this point, I am very grateful to you for your hard work and for the clarity I have gained from it. I am also feeling the urgency, however, to learn as much as I can from you before you put your pen down. Please don’t ever do that. Answer: Dear Scott, If your education as a modern Christian began with Ian Barbour, you could not have chosen a better teacher. The problem with the church is that most of our clergy do not want to embrace new learning because they are not sure that their own faith will survive the process. Frequently, they blame their own reticence on what they presume are the fears of the lay people they serve. I see no reason why lay people cannot learn anything that I have learned. I think we clergy regularly insult the intelligence of the people we serve. I am also convinced that any God who can be killed by new knowledge or new insights ought to be killed, for clearly such a God is a human creation. Imagine the idiocy of anyone feeling that he or she must protect God from new human knowledge! Truth does not die in the confrontation with new knowledge but it dies when we act as if truth can be captured inside the time warped and time bound concepts of any human form. The human perception of truth is never the same as truth and that perception is never static. There is no such thing as an inerrant Bible or an infallible pope! A living religion must always be interacting with unfolding truth. Do not fear that there are not others who can, will and are capable of picking up my work and carrying it on. Their name is legion. As long as I am able, however, I do plan to continue this column. I have just agreed to continue through 2014 with the option of an annual renewal as each year comes to an end. This means that there will always be a two year notice to my publisher and my readers before I cease to write this column. Thank you for your good words. ~John Shelby Spong Announcements Free curriculum for Supporting Churches! At ProgressiveChristianity.org we have an exciting opportunity for your faith community, our Supporting Churches Program. The Supporting Churches Program has so many benefits already – Your listing in our directory helps people find you when they come to our site looking for a progressive Christian community in your area. Supporting Churches also receive access to special ad space on our website, and you will have an opportunity to be highlighted in one of our upcoming e-bulletins. You receive a Welcome poster, as well as a free copy of our newly expanded 8point study guide. And right now, through August 31st, Supporting Churches can elect to receive a FREE copy of A Joyful Path, Children's Curriculum, Year One or Year Two. If you would like to receive this amazing gift of over a $300 value, after you have completed your Supporting Church Donation, please simply email us at contact(a)progressivechristianity.org and let us know which Year of A Joyful Path you would like to receive. Supporting Churches will receive the Group Curriculum which comes with a full color handbook and a DVD for digital use and teacher training. Learn more about A Joyful Path today and then take that next step! If your organization has already purchased Year Two and you would like to become a supporting church, please contact us and we can set that up for you. Email us today at contact(a)progressivechristianity.org to take advantage of this special offer. Join this growing band of churches who are changing the world through a more compassionate Christianity! And receive – for free! -- the curriculum that is changing the world through more compassionate children! What could be more perfect? Talk with the leaders in your faith community about revolutionizing your church experience- at ProgressiveChristianity.org we offer progressive liturgies, study guides, books, articles, and curriculum- all of which can literally progress your church. Becoming a Supporting Church is the first jump in that direction, especially with the current offer of a free one year children's curriculum. Your donation as a Supporting Church helps us continue to offer resources like the Bishop Spong Newsletter and our thousands of free resources on ProgressiveChristianty.org. Thank you! Any questions or concerns, please contact us at support(a)johnshelbyspong.com or 503-236-3545. Copyright © 2013 ProgressiveChristianity.org, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email because you have a membership at our website. Our mailing address is: ProgressiveChristianity.org 3530 SE Hawthorne Blvd. Unit 1 Portland, OR 97214 Add us to your address book .

2 1

Give the Global Archives Some Input!
by steve har 16 Jul '13

16 Jul '13

The Global Archives is -starting 8 new Global Collections in September. -putting Collections online for easy access. Please help get the the Collections focused. click here: help new Collections start-up<https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1Xttq1NTtuzjFrUklchorjek70Kvorg5LNsIyZhLFZU…> Publications Team, Global Archives

1 0

Request for Prayers
by Wilson Priscilla 16 Jul '13

16 Jul '13

Our colleague, Joe Thomas has surgery scheduled this Tuesday to remove a tumor from his lung. Please pray for his recovery and good health. Priscilla H Wilson Prairie Village, KS Pris(a)TeamTechPress.com www.teamtechpress.com

10 9

Groundbreaking thinking
by Janice Ulangca 16 Jul '13

16 Jul '13

Colleagues, So much bubbling right now. And our "movement" needs to be part of it if we are to find the relevant niches/roles for our unique experiences going forward. I've been very interested in the list serv discussion of Charles Taylor's "The Secular Society" - along with Michael Dowd's "Thank God for Evolution". Some familiar names, along with some perhaps not so for all of us, are coming up on a phone call this Saturday. Ken Wilbur's ideas have been discussed by many of us - we read Riane Eisler's book "The Chalice and the Blade" - and I remember hearing Barbara Marx Hubbard at 4750 the summer we heard people like Jean Houston. Laszlo's book "The Chaos Point" we studied here in Binghamton the year it came out. For those interested in the deeps of current reality, including the role of consciousness, this phone call might be worth checking out. Janice Ulangca ------------------- Saturday, July 20, 2013 12pm US Pacific / 3pm US Eastern Sign up to listen live or receive the recording The evidence is mounting from every direction: the materialist paradigm of science is breaking down. Data that traditional scientists tried to ignore or dismiss has become more robust every day. What will replace the materialist paradigm? And how will that new paradigm change how we think about... everything? In this groundbreaking online event, some of the foremost thinkers of our day will look at the implications of startling evidence that materialistic science cannot explain, such as non-locality - that consciousness is connected at a distance, instantly - and what they are calling the Akashic Field - a kind of record-keeping function for the cosmos. They will look at how the cumulative body of evidence forces a major, even historic shift in how we see the nature of reality. Consciousness comes to the foreground, not as an evolutionary afterthought but a prime mover and causative factor. How might this reshape the paradigm at the very foundations of science? And how might it lead to the evolution of our culture and our consciousness? Join us for scintillating insights, powerful dialogue, and a spirit of adventure into the unknown. You'll hear powerful insights from pre-eminent panelists, including scientists, philosophers, and futurists who are in public dialogue for the first time: a.. Ervin Laszlo - Author of more than 80 books and one of the most prodigious, systemic thinkers of our day b.. Ken Wilber - Renowned integral philosopher who has bridged worlds from spiritual practice to complexity theory to create a comprehensive map of our Kosmos that includes our interiors c.. Barbara Marx Hubbard - Celebrated as a visionary and futurist for her ability to see future trends and possibilities d.. Riane Eisler - Bestselling author, social scientist, pioneer of the "partnership paradigm" e.. Duane Elgin - Futurist, social visionary, author of five books, former senior social scientist with Stanford Research Institute This teleseminar event is completely free. So invite your friends and allies and skeptics as well to join you for what is sure to be 60 minutes of brilliant and provocative insights that give you a powerful glimpse of what the science of the next millennium just may look like. Even if you can't make the call live, do sign up and you'll receive access to a recording.

2 1

A daughter takes stand, shaming father
by Robert A Griffin 16 Jul '13

16 Jul '13

Dear friends and family, Nancy's courage and clarity in writing what shows up now on her face-book makes me ashamed that I have taken so few stands which put me into ANY real threat or danger. Thank you, Nancy Bob Nancy Griffin says: It is not justice when a man gets off for killing another man. Self defense? Hard to believe. Allows a person to get off after provoking another person to violence. We can be sure things would have been different if the neighborhood watch guy had been black and the teenager had been white, holding everything else the same. If you don't believe that, pay attention. I am a white woman. Five other white women agreed on this verdict. I understand why they did, but it still is not justice. I place the blame on our society which continues to give unfair advantage to white people. If you don't agree with me, you can still engage about this. We need to be able to discuss difficult matters like this to exist together in this world.

2 1