Eternal Life - a Pious Delusion or a Realistic Hope? Bishop John Shelby Spong Speaks at Unity of Phx

Bishop John Shelby Spong, the longtime champion of progressive Christianity and human rights whose books have sold more than a million copies, will speak at 7 p.m. on Friday, February 19, at Unity of Phoenix 1500 E. Greenway Parkway in Phoenix.
By: Sue Thompson
 
Feb. 11, 2010 - PRLog -- Progressive Christian Thinker Offers Provocative Argument for Life after Death:
We Prepare for Death by Living NOW

Bishop John Shelby Spong, the longtime champion of progressive Christianity and human rights whose books have sold more than a million copies, will speak at 7 p.m. on Friday, February 19, at the Unity of Phoenix Church, located at 1500 E. Greenway Parkway in Phoenix.  Tickets are $20 each, and are available through the Divine Idea Bookstore (located on the Unity of Phoenix campus), 602.978.3337 or www.unityphx.org.

For those wanting to experience Christianity beyond how it has been traditionally understood, Spong offers fresh, vibrant spiritual ideas.  For the past 40 years, he has become one of the definitive voices for progressive Christianity, writing books such as Why Christianity Must Change or Die and Jesus for the Non-Religious.   During this insightful evening, he will discuss the concepts of his new book, In Eternal Life: A New Vision, offering a deeply personal consideration of the question to which religion devotes so much energy: whether death is a doorway into something more.

“My journey has carried me beyond religion, beyond Christianity as it is traditionally understood, and beyond heaven and hell,” Spong says.  “ It has brought me to a new vision of eternity.

“Death is a part of life,” Spong says.  “The only way to prepare for death is to live each day to participate as if it is part of eternity.  We prepare for death by living.”  Spong encourages all of us to live fully, love “wastefully,” and be all that we can be … and dedicate ourselves to building a world in which everyone has a better opportunity to do the same.  “That to me is to be part of God and to do the work of God,” Spong says.

Spong was the Episcopal Bishop of Newark before his retirement in 2000.  As a visiting lecturer at Harvard, The Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, California, and at universities, conference centers and churches throughout the world, he is one of the leading spokespersons for liberal Christianity.  In addition to the books listed above, his works include The Sins of Scripture, A New Christianity for a New World, Rescuing the Bible from Fundamentalism, Resurrection: Myth or Reality? and his autobiography, Here I Stand: My Struggle for a Christianity of Integrity, Love and Equality.

Unity of Phoenix – host of the event – is an inter-denominational church based on the practical teachings of Jesus Christ and the power of prayer.  Unity of Phoenix features uplifting worship services with inspirational messages and music; a well-rounded youth program; guest speakers who represent the top spiritual leaders and thinkers; comprehensive spiritual and personal development classes; and an active community service and outreach program.  

For more information, call the church at 602.978.3200, or visit www.unityphx.org. For tickets visit http://www.shopdivineonline.com/store/Bishop-John-Shelby-...

Watch video now: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zEpOddrlE5k



Library Journal
“Spong’s thought and theology are crucial stimulants for every thinking Christian ...”
Publisher’s Weekly
”(In Eternal Life: A New Vision) offers new insights into religion’s big questions about life and death, making an invaluable contribution to both religious scholarship and faithful exploration.”

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Unity of Phoenix is an inter-denominational church based on the practical teachings of Jesus Christ and the power of prayer. Unity of Phoenix features uplifting worship services with inspirational messages and music; a well-rounded youth program; guest speakers who represent the top spiritual leaders and thinkers; comprehensive spiritual and personal development classes; and an active community service and outreach program.
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