The virgin birth, understood as literal biology, makes Christ's divinity, as traditionally understood, impossible.

When I grew up in the South, I was taught that segregation was the will of God, and the Bible was quoted to prove it. I was taught that women were by nature in inferior to men, and the Bible was quoted to prove it. I was taught that it was okay to hate other religions, and especially the Jews, and the Bible was quoted to prove it.

To have a great university library near you with plenty of archives of all the journals that you want to research in the twentieth century is a remarkable asset, and I spend a day, maybe two days a week in that library. I just plain love it.

Oh the Christian church has encouraged enormous immaturity among the peoples who are its primary adherence.

When I look back at the Christian faith, I see that we have had to retranslate, almost reinvent ourselves a number of times.

So much organized religion, in my opinion, ends up being life-denying.

I don't make that decision [what next book will be] until I've read enough to know that I've got something different to say and I know how to say it.