Beyond Moralism: A Contemporary View of the Ten Commandments

by John Shelby Spong, Denise G. Haines

This thought-provoking guide takes a candid look at the moral issues we face in our daily lives. Using the Ten Commandments as a starting point, the authors bring fresh analysis to such problems as the morality of war in a nuclear age, equitable tax structures, abortion, marital fidelity, capital punishment, care of aging parents, euthanasia, homosexuality, and other contemporary concerns. Beyond Moralism offers solid guidance that is consistent with the Word of God as heard throughout the ages.

Genres: Religion

152 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 1986

About the author

John Shelby Spong was the Episcopal bishop of Newark before his retirement in 2000. As a leading spokesperson for an open, scholarly, and progressive Christianity, Bishop Spong has taught at Harvard and at the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, California. He has also lectured at universities, conference centers, and churches in North America, Europe, Asia, and the South Pacific. His books include: A New Christianity for a New World, Rescuing the Bible from Fundamentalism, Resurrection: Myth or Reality? Why Christianity Must Change or Die, and his autobiography, Here I Stand.

Reviews

[Beejai Richardson · Rating 2 out of 5]

This thirty year old book is not as time bound as I had thought. There is the occasional turn of phrase that reminds the reader this book was written in the mid 80's but they neither distract nor detract from what is being read.
John Spong actually wrote this book with Denise Haines although I had to go digging for the name because she does not get credit. The book works its way through the ten commandments trying to go "beyond" the moralistic behavioral expectations we normally associate with them.
There is a marked difference from one chapter to the next. Some are more conservative theologically and I started to try and guess which voice I was reading at different times. Some chapters I quite enjoyed while others, like the chapter on honoring our parents. Are we really expected to believe that deep down every parent hates their child and every child resents their parents. Such nonsense in some chapters detracted from the quality in others.
So don't bother with this book. There are plenty of better works on the ten commandments out there. The occasional nugget of truth isn't worth sifting through the, um, *waste* you have to sift through to get to it.