Apostolic Quote by John Shelby Spong
“They amuse themselves by playing an irrelevant ecclesiastical game called "Let's Pretend." Let's pretend that we possess the objective truth of God in our inerrant Scriptures or in our infallible pronouncements or in our unbroken apostolic traditions.”
About This Quote
Source Book: The New Testament: A Contemporary Translation, John Shelby Spong, 1995
Religious institutions often treat doctrine as an unchallengeable game, pretending to hold absolute truth.
In simple terms: Faith groups may act like children playing “pretend.”
Key Takeaway
Encourage honest, open inquiry.
Themes
religion
dogma
critical thinking
Mood
thoughtful
provocative
Type
theoretical
philosophical
When to use this quote
- church services
- academic study
- interfaith dialogue
- personal belief systems
Key Concepts
interpretation
authority
faith traditions
Questions to Reflect On
- What would happen if religious claims were openly questioned?
- How can faith communities foster humility?
A Different Perspective
Some may view this as disrespectful to tradition.
