Comments on: “I wasn’t a Christian”

By: greensmile

greensmile — Tue, 10 May 2005 20:23:02 +0000

Its a shame that Campolo is shunned by evangelists and others who want a vigilante jesus. He clearly could bring more healing to the world than hate.

It is also a shame that a discussion of Campolo’s merits, i.e. a discussion that could rehabilitate him with some church goers [and bookshop owners] is not a debate to which non believers are invited. Ideas about how human beings should treat each other may arise within religious contexts but their effects spill out into society, from the schoolyards [bullying e.g.]to the Congress. We all become stake holders. I see your hope, Ted, that there are more Tonys than Kevins as representative (since it matches my view;) of the stake the rest of us hold in the debate on behaviors of acceptance. And I think the debate belongs in a bigger context, perhaps on the social roots of
good and evil.

By: J. Michael Matkin

J. Michael Matkin — Tue, 10 May 2005 03:54:53 +0000

Part of Tony's blacklisting is because a) his wife Peggy believes and publicly advocates that the Church embrace and celebrate same-sex unions and b) while he disagrees with her he hasn't shot her or divorced her or denounced her for taking such an unwelcome position. Some of our redder-necked brethren are pretty certain that this inability to control the weaker sex calls Tony's own manhood into question. The pair spoke at the Shepherd Initiative sometime back; audio files can be found here. I don't go Peggy's route, myself, but I certainly admire the two of them as a couple and their ability to sleep in the same bed at the end of the day.

By: Brian C.B.

Brian C.B. — Sun, 08 May 2005 23:33:50 +0000

“Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was an hungered, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungered, and fed [thee]? or thirsty, and gave [thee] drink? When saw we thee a stranger, and took [thee] in? or naked, and clothed [thee]? Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done [it] unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done [it] unto me.”

By: R.Porrofatto

R.Porrofatto — Sun, 08 May 2005 15:31:30 +0000

I hesitate, in fact refuse, to say that he “understands the spirit of Jesus” more than, say, Benny Hinn or Pat Robertson…

I have no such compunction:
In this excerpt of his writing, Tony Campolo demonstrates more understanding of the spirit of Jesus than has ever been exhibited by such hypocritical, exploitative pseudo-religious mercenaries as Benny Hinn and Pat Robertson.

There.

By: McDuff

McDuff — Sun, 08 May 2005 13:51:08 +0000

Tony Campolo is right there as being one of the most powerful and convincing Christian speakers. I hesitate, in fact refuse, to say that he “understands the spirit of Jesus” more than, say, Benny Hinn or Pat Robertson, but he talks more about those aspects of the Christian faith and its applications in our society that I can support and get behind than most other preachers. I don’t believe that there is a “right” interpretation of scripture, only fashions of philosophy, but I am nonetheless upset that the Campolo-esque philosophy of doing genuine good in the name of Jesus, even to those you would consider “sinners” and who God Himself is considering damning, is less fashionable than the Falwell-esque philosophy of doing God’s work of damnation for Him and leaving the charity to the angels.

By: dave

dave — Sat, 07 May 2005 17:57:27 +0000

Campolo has been effectively blacklisted by the evangelical book industry, in large part because he was a spiritual advisor to Bill Clinton This is not quite true. Bill Hybels was also a spiritual advisor to Clinton, and it hasn't hurt him. I think that Campolo has been somewhat blacklisted more for what he writes than his relationship with Clinton. Even the above quote is pretty controversial in conservative Evangelical circles. He challenges things like the way Christians talk about and deal with homosexuality. He challenges capital punishment. He challenges the response to poverty. He has become somewhat blacklisted because he challenges the Republican ideology of the conservative Evangelicals.

By: brian

brian — Sat, 07 May 2005 17:51:53 +0000

I’m not completely on board with Campolo, either, and honestly, I haven’t read much recently, but he is absolutely right, and more Christians need this same sort of self-examination.

By: brian

brian — Sat, 07 May 2005 16:24:31 +0000

Man, I just read that part two days ago…

I need to read the rest some time.

By: urizon

urizon — Sat, 07 May 2005 13:19:32 +0000

Amen.

By: Adam Kotsko

Adam Kotsko — Sat, 07 May 2005 04:02:58 +0000

Campolo has been effectively blacklisted by the evangelical book industry, in large part because he was a spiritual advisor to Bill Clinton (i.e., Satan Himself). Last Christmas, I wanted to find one of his books to give to my mother for Christmas—I went to four different “Christian bookstores” and often found nothing, and certainly not the book I was looking for (his newest). The biggest selection of his books was found at Border’s.

That’s what I recommend to people looking for quality Christian literature: go to Border’s.

By: y81

y81 — Sat, 07 May 2005 03:40:18 +0000

This is a good quote you have found, from Campolo, but it won’t draw many comments from right or left, Christian or atheist, because all of us are abashed in presence of the Spirit. As for me, I am a worm, and no man . . . .

By: dave

dave — Fri, 06 May 2005 20:43:29 +0000

Good stuff…Campolo is solid – not perfect, but solid. Like you, I hope that we have more Campolos, but it is hard for me to believe that we do, at least at this point.

Thanks for posting this…