Bishop Spong's Mission

In the past I would have dismissed Bishop Spong's opinions. I was immersed in a conservative tradition that saw him as the enemy of the faith, as an infidel within the walls of fortress Christianity trying to subvert and destroy the foundations of God's Kingdom.
Thankfully, my views have evolved over the past few years, mainly because of the dialogue I have entered into on web forums like those found on Beliefnet and through conversations I have had with people of integrity and intelligence in blogs like Romancing the Paradox, Grow Mercy, and Idle Rambling Thoughts of an Abstract Thinker. I have also learned a great deal from people hoping, praying and working for a transformation of the Church through the Emergent Church Conversation.
I recently found this video that explains Bishop Spong's Mission. I discovered that his mission (as explained in this video) is exactly what I have been thinking for the past couple of years.
http://www.beliefnet.com/av/preachersandteachers.aspx?v=a8d811a75fb688f9185ee7350b381d634638af4c
God and the Bible clip

I don't think I can remain in the stream of Christianity that counsels and approves prejudice. I don't believe that Jesus would be among those trying to tell people with a different way of being in the world that they are evil or wretchedly defective because of things obviously beyond their control or choice.

To stand with the outcast and the marginalized is the stand with Jesus....I don't believe that standing with the forces of conservative, biblicist Christianity is standing with Jesus Christ the Son of God.

Someday I hope that those who so proudly declare their present allegiance with the radicals of past eras who fought those who used Biblical justification to support Slavery and Segregation will now have their eyes open to the hateful things they have been saying about so many in the human family today.
Gays are condemned, women discounted, the weak and handicapped patronized, feared or ignored.....by these Pharisaical fruits conservative Christianity glorifies God?

I Think Not.

But, for now, I remain within a charismatic, Pentecostal church that still thinks that prejudice and condemnation are marks of faithful Christians. How long I can remain there is unclear. I had hoped to be an agent of change within this stream of the faith but the longer I stay the more I feel the weight of being an outcast, the more ashamed and sad I feel about ugly things being taught as God's truth, and the less sure I am of my ability to stay till God makes 'the crooked way straight' or perhaps more accurately 'the straight way inclusive and loving and Christ-like'.

But for now

here I stand!

LH