“Bishop Spong is coming! Bishop Spong is coming!”

And so goes the cry of alarm across the Diocese of Idaho. Just as Paul Revere alerted the people around Boston of the invasion of the British in 1775, so the new Reveres of today are making sure that we are warned about an impending danger as we entertain the Right Reverend John S. Spong, Retired, and his perspectives on our Christian faith.
It is correct that we have invited Bishop Spong to speak in Boise, sharing his thoughts about our faith. And it is probably correct to say that some of his thinking will perhaps challenge some of our thinking. Indeed, the diocese is offering this event both to Episcopalians and the larger commu-nity as both an educational and a faith developing experience. The intent is not to “spoon feed” folks with Bishop Spong‟s ideas alone, but rather to give each of us an opportunity to test our perspectives on our faith against some other ideas which may seem far-fetched or even heretical.

Theology is the study of God (Theos). And the work of theology takes places in two realms, in community with one another and in the heart and mind of each individual disciple. For almost twenty centuries now, the Church, the Community of Faith, has studied scripture, prayed, and reflected on our corporate experience of God. This has produced very significant conversations (and sometimes fights and divisions) among groups and individuals about the nature of God. Over time the Church has gathered in Councils to formulate clear statements of our understanding of the nature of God. The Nicene

Creed we recite in our Eucharistic worship is one of these important corporate theological statements of our faith.
We have a strong desire to appropriate the tenets of our faith as individuals also. We are not blind followers, but rather we are people who seek to give our consent to the things of our faith, not just because they are part of our faith, but rather because they make sense to us. In our individual life we are invited to claim the community‟s experi-ence of God as our own. But we must make it our own.

And so Bishop Spong will journey among us. He has been shaped by the theology of the commu-nity. And he has appropriated the Church‟s theo-logical assertions in his own life as they make sense to him, growing out of his study of scripture, history and tradition, and in light of his reflection upon these things. What he will share with us is a meld-ing of both the corporate and the individual. And in that sharing we can be blessed. His presence in our diocese is not a danger to anyone. Rather it is an opportunity for each of us to do theology ourselves in light of our experience of God and in the crucible of a community of faith. I look forward to seeing you at this event.

Health Update:
In mid-January I resumed chemotherapy. It is a different regime than previously used. I get one dose every three weeks. Some of the tumors origi-nally sighted have dissolved. The major tumor on my chest is growing again, but we expect that the current treatment will once more shrink it, perhaps to nothing.

There is a genetic component to my disease that makes for an interesting situation. I show a strong possibility of having a gene associated with breast cancer. (My mother is soon to undergo a genetic work up to be certain this is the case.) This means that I can probably benefit from a very ex-pensive drug au-thorized for treat-ment of breast can-cer – but not for lung cancer. Would you believe that the Church Medical Trust (through whom many of our clergy are insured) persuaded the insurance provider to pay for this drug - even before the results of the genetic testing have been completed – and all within 36 hours time! We may not pay our stipendiary clergy very well, but providing good health care insurance is an important way to let them know we do in fact care about their well-being.

You continue in my prayers, and Kit and I are eternally grateful for your prayers as our shared journey goes forward. God‟s blessing and peace be with you always.