Best things Quote by John Shelby Spong
“I treasure the Bible. I live in it and work on it all the time. But it is not the word of God. It's the tribal story of a particular people, and the best thing about that story is that the story keeps growing and evolving.”
About This Quote
Source Book: The New Testament: A Historical Introduction, 1995
The author values the Bible as a cultural text, not a divine revelation, emphasizing its evolving nature.
In simple terms: Bible is a living cultural story, not divine.
Key Takeaway
Respect its cultural impact, question its authority.
Themes
religion
history
interpretation
Mood
contemplative
critical
Type
analytical
theoretical
When to use this quote
- academic study
- interfaith dialogue
- personal reflection
Key Concepts
theology
mythology
evolutionary narrative
Questions to Reflect On
- How does viewing the Bible as a story change its influence?
- What responsibilities arise from treating sacred texts as evolving narratives?
