Here I Stand

About this book

The legendary Episcopal Bishop tells of his lifelong struggle to champion an authentic christianity based on love, not hatred.Spong chronicles his early ministry in North Carolina and Virginia, where he confronted racial segregation from the pulpit. He describes the pastoral crises in Tarboro and Lynchburg that forced him to question biblical literalism and unthinking dogma.The memoir recounts his stormy tenure in the Diocese of Newark, where he defied ecclesiastical tradition by ordaining women and partnered gay priests.Across decades of national debate, the narrative follows his clashes with conservative bishops, his defence of Walter Righter at trial, and his appointment as a lecturer at Harvard University. Autobiography Memoir: From a childhood in Depression-era Charlotte following his father's early death to his formative mentorship under rector Robert Crandall, Spong traces the roots of his vocation. Social Activism: Chronicles his work during the civil rights movement in North Carolina, his public defence of integrated housing in Richmond, and his leadership on the city's Human Relations Commission. Faith and Spirituality: Recounts his groundbreaking public discussions with Rabbi Jack Daniel Spiro at Temple Beth Ahabah and St. Paul's, bridging historic divides between Christians and Jews. Raw Honesty: Candidly explores his first wife Joan's grueling fifteen-year struggle with mental illness and cancer, sharing the private grief that accompanied his demanding episcopal career.