8 min
Reflections on the Death of John Shelby Spong (Hank Unplugged Short) Hank Unplugged: Essential Christian Conversations
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- Religion & Spirituality
Hank Hanegraaff, the host of the Bible Answer Man broadcast and the Hank Unplugged podcast, reflects on the teachings and recent death of John Shelby Spong, who for many decades influenced a great number of people within the Episcopal Church. Spong was well known for rejecting essential doctrines of the historic Christian faith, including the doctrines of the Trinity and the Incarnation, Virgin Birth, and Resurrection of Jesus Christ. But consider the words of St. Paul, who asked, “If it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead, how can some of you [like Bishop Spong] say that there is no resurrection of the dead? If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead. But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. And if Christ has not been raised [as Bishop Spong preached], your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied. But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead” (1 Corinthians 15:12–20 NIV).
Hank Hanegraaff, the host of the Bible Answer Man broadcast and the Hank Unplugged podcast, reflects on the teachings and recent death of John Shelby Spong, who for many decades influenced a great number of people within the Episcopal Church. Spong was well known for rejecting essential doctrines of the historic Christian faith, including the doctrines of the Trinity and the Incarnation, Virgin Birth, and Resurrection of Jesus Christ. But consider the words of St. Paul, who asked, “If it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead, how can some of you [like Bishop Spong] say that there is no resurrection of the dead? If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead. But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. And if Christ has not been raised [as Bishop Spong preached], your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied. But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead” (1 Corinthians 15:12–20 NIV).
8 min