“This is the picture of a woman cast in the role of a learner, a pupil, even a rabbinic student. Quite obviously this is a prohibited role for women in those days and in that culture. Yet Jesus affirms Mary in that role. Martha, however, rebukes her. Martha demands that Jesus order Mary to abandon the pupil role for the more acceptable domestic role of assisting with the dinner preparations. Jesus supports Mary and defends her consciousness-raising act by stating that she has elected a higher choice.”

American Episcopal bishop and liberal Christian theologian

John Shelby Spong was an American Episcopal bishop and liberal Christian theologian, 1931 to 2021. He served as Bishop of Newark, New Jersey, from 1979 to 2000, and became known for challenging traditional Christian doctrine. As an author and church leader, Spong argued for a far-reaching rethinking of Christian belief, including a move away from theism. His writing and public work focused on questioning inherited doctrines and pressing for a Christianity shaped by modern understanding.