Born of a Woman: A Bishop Rethinks the Birth of Jesus

An Episcopal bishop traces the development of the Marian tradition from the Gospels, through the early church, to modern attitudes toward women, and concludes that the tradition is sexist and that Mary was not a virgin. 40,000 first printing. $40,000 ad/promo.

Spong, an Episcopal bishop and best-selling author ( Rescuing the Bible from Fundamentalism , HarperSanFrancisco: HarperCollins, 1991), provides a courageous look at the biblical stories of the birth of Jesus, and their implications. Spong is careful to acknowledge previous scholars and to distinguish fact or knowledge from speculation. He encourages a midrashish or imaginative approach to the Gospels and points out how literalism of scripture and creed in the Virgin Mary references led to sexism in church teaching. This book is a marvelous combination of scholarly, speculative, and imaginative reflection written in language accessible to the theologically unsophisticated. Highly recommended.
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