Age Quote by John Shelby Spong
“When we unravel the theological tomes of the ages, the makeup of God becomes quite clear. God is a human being without human limitations who is read into the heavens. We disguised this process by suggesting that the reason God was so much like a human being was that the human beings were in fact created in God's image. However, we now recognize that if was the other way around. The God of theism came into being as a human creation. As such, this God, too, was mortal and is now dying.”
About This Quote
Source Book: The New Testament: A Historical Introduction, 1995
The quote argues that the concept of God is a human construct, projecting human traits onto a divine figure and then reversing the image‑creation relationship.
In simple terms: God is seen as a human‑made idea, not a supernatural being.
Key Takeaway
Recognize religious ideas as human creations.
Themes
theology
humanism
philosophy
religion
constructionism
Mood
thoughtful
critical
inquisitive
Type
analytical
philosophical
When to use this quote
- Academic debate
- personal belief
- interfaith dialogue
- education
- public policy
Key Concepts
Divine anthropomorphism
image theory
secularism
Questions to Reflect On
- How does viewing God as a human creation affect moral authority?
- Can religious narratives coexist with this perspective?
A Different Perspective
The argument may oversimplify complex faith traditions and ignore experiential aspects of spirituality.
![“I know Jerry [Falwell] fairly well, and he's probably not bright enough to recognize all of the implications of what he said.” quote by John Shelby Spong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/654/john-shelby-spong-1488_enough_i-know-jerry-falwell-fairly-well-and-he_109485.jpg)
![“I find it fascinating that Paul [the apostol], writing to the Galatians, responds to the question, "What does it mean to live in Christ?" by saying, "There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus."” quote by John Shelby Spong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/48e/john-shelby-spong-1488_christ_i-find-it-fascinating-that-paul-the-apos_119928.jpg)
