In April of 2011, the birth of a new idea

It is with great pleasure that we announce a new project to honor our friend, the Right Reverend John Shelby Spong.

John Shelby Spong has made breaking through confined and narrow theological structures his life's work. He has brought thousands of grateful people on the journey with him: people of faith and people who doubt - but all people with serious religious and intellectual inclinations.

Since his retirement as Bishop of the Diocese of Newark in 2000, Jack Spong has continued articulating his point of view all over the world. In his writing, in his lectures, and in his preaching, he asks his listeners to open their minds to scientific reality, their hearts to compassion for one another and their souls to the love of a God not bound by narrow interpretation. Bishop Spong's themes have not been without controversy. The slings and arrows of religious dogmatism have been plentiful. Throughout this journey, he's had the unfailing support of his wife, Christine; as a pair they have been unafraid to keep on teaching what they believe to be true.

Lectures, classes, scholarship:  a permanent legacy to honor Jack and Christine

To honor their efforts and to perpetuate progressive religious scholarship and experience, family, friends and admirers of Jack and Christine want to establish a lecture series, to be named the John Shelby Spong Lectureship, and housed at St. Peter's Church in Morristown, NJ, the Spongs' home parish.

The lectureship will periodically bring world class theologians, biblical scholars, church historians and liturgists to St. Peter's, its larger community, and to the Diocese of Newark.  It is hoped that speakers and teachers can assist in bringing people of diverse faith traditions into relevant dialogue, informed by rigorous scholarship.  The lectureship is meant to speak to people who find the God they meet in church not big enough to be the God of the life they live or the world of their experience.

Jack and Christine hope that this lectureship will continue long after their active work has ceased. It is meant to honor Jack for his tireless and courageous efforts to bring people closer to God. It is also however, to honor those people who have made the journey with them.

Make a donation

We invite you to join with us in honoring Jack and Christine by contributing to the John Shelby Spong Lectureship. Karen Armstrong, renowned theology scholar and a close friend of the Spongs, was the inaugural speaker on Thursday, June 23rd 2011, in St. Peter's Church in Morristown. Your contribution is an investment in the future of adult religious education in the region and in the world.

Contributions to the lectureship fund may be made by check, by credit card, or by stock transfer.

• Make checks payable to "St. Peter's Church, Morristown" and designated for "John Shelby Spong Lectureship."  Send them to Marie Patterson at the St. Peter's Parish Office, 70 Maple Avenue, Morristown, NJ 07960.
• Click the "Make a Donation" button below to donate via credit card at our secure PayPal page.  Please note:  You do not need a PayPal account or login/password yourself to donate; if you do not want to sign up for PayPal, simply use your credit card as usual by filling out the appropriate form.
• Stock transfers can be arranged through your broker; have him or her call Marie Patterson at 973-538-0555, x10.