John Shelby Spong

John Shelby "Jack" Spong (June 16, 1931 – September 12, 2021) was an American bishop of the Episcopal Church. Born in Charlotte, North Carolina, he served as the Bishop of Newark, New Jersey, from 1979 to 2000. Spong was a liberal Christian theologian and author who called for a fundamental rethinking of Christian belief away from theism and traditional doctrines. He held progressive and controversial views on Christianity, including rejection of traditional Christian doctrines, his advocacy for…