Tony Campolo

Last updated

The Reverend Dr.

Tony Campolo
Tony Campolo (2009).jpg
Campolo speaking in Newfoundland on behalf of World Vision in 2009
ChurchSt. John's Baptist Church in Philadelphia
Orders
Ordination1957
Personal details
Born
Anthony Campolo

(1935-02-25) February 25, 1935 (age 89)
Denomination Baptist (American Baptist Churches USA)
OccupationAssociate Pastor of the St. John's Baptist Church in Philadelphia, since 2019, Professor emeritus of Sociology at Eastern University in St David's, Pennsylvania
Evangelical Association for the Promotion of Education (EAPE)
EducationB.A. at Eastern College,
BD and MDiv at Eastern Baptist Theological Seminary
PhD, Temple University (Sociology)

Anthony Campolo (born February 25, 1935) is an American sociologist, Baptist pastor, author, public speaker and former spiritual advisor to U.S. President Bill Clinton. Campolo is known as one of the most influential leaders in the evangelical left and has been a major proponent of progressive thought and reform within the evangelical community. He has also become a leader of the Red-Letter Christian movement, which aims to put emphasis on the teachings of Jesus. [1] [2] Campolo is a popular commentator on religious, political, and social issues, and has been a guest on programs such as The Colbert Report , The Charlie Rose Show , Larry King Live , Nightline , Crossfire , Politically Incorrect and The Hour . [3]

Contents

Early life and education

He studied at Eastern College and obtained a Bachelor of Arts in 1956. [4] He was ordained a Baptist pastor in 1957. [4] He also studied theology at Palmer Theological Seminary and obtained a Bachelor of Divinity in 1960 and a Master of Divinity in 1961. [5] He studied sociology in Temple University and obtained a Doctor of Philosophy in 1968. [4] [6]

Career

In 1964, he became professor of sociology at Eastern University in St. David's, Pennsylvania. [7] For ten years, he also taught at the University of Pennsylvania.

He became an associate pastor of the Mount Carmel Baptist Church in West Philadelphia, which is affiliated with both the National Baptist Convention, USA, Inc. and the American Baptist Churches USA. [8]

In 1969, he founded the Evangelical Association for the Promotion of Education (EAPE), which works to help "at-risk" youth in the U.S. and Canada, and has helped to establish several schools and universities. [4]

Campolo was the subject of an informal heresy hearing in 1985 brought about by several assertions in his 1983 book A Reasonable Faith, particularly his claim that, "Jesus is actually present in each other person". The book became a hot button issue, and the controversy caused Campus Crusade for Christ and Youth for Christ to block a planned speaking engagement by Campolo. The Christian Legal Society empowered a "reconciliation panel", led by noted theologian J. I. Packer, to examine the issue and resolve the controversy. The panel examined the book and questioned Campolo. The panel issued a statement saying that although it found Campolo's statements "methodologically naïve and verbally incautious", it did not find them to be heretical. [9] [10] [11]

In 1998, he became spiritual adviser of President Bill Clinton. [12]

In 2007, with Shane Claiborne, he founded Red-Letter Christians, with the aim of bringing together evangelicals who believe in the importance of insisting on issues of social justice mentioned by Jesus (in red in some translations of the Bible). [13] [14]

In March 2011, Campolo began hosting the TV show Red Letter Christians, aired on JC-TV. This weekly half-hour talk show features interviews with leaders in the Red-Letter Christian movement. [15]

On January 14, 2014, Campolo announced his plans to retire from leading the EAPE and to close that ministry. The extra money in the ministry will be distributed to offshoot ministries started by EAPE; however, he plans to continue writing and speaking. [16]

Views on religion and politics

Although he has associated himself with the Democratic Party and several other modern liberal groups and causes, he has publicly stated his opposition to abortion. Campolo holds a consistent life ethic stance in opposition to any human situation that leads to the termination of life including warfare, poverty/starvation (as caused by extreme wealth inequalities), capital punishment, and euthanasia. [17] [18] [19]

Starting in the late 1980s, Campolo's left-leaning political beliefs began to put leaders of the Christian right, such as Gary Bauer and Jerry Falwell, at odds with him. [20] [21] Despite his criticisms of political conservatives in the evangelical community, Campolo has also criticized the more liberal mainline Christian denominations because "they fail to emphasize a personal, transforming relationship with Jesus Christ."

Along with his wife, Peggy Campolo, he has participated in very public debates and discussions about the place of lesbians and gays within church and society. Campolo formerly contended that homosexuality was a sin in practice, although not in orientation, while his wife disagreed, holding that committed, monogamous homosexual practice was not a sin; she supports full equality for LGBT people. [22] Regarding marriage, he stated that all couples should have the right to a civil union with all the legal rights that are associated with such a contract. [23]

On June 8, 2015, Campolo released a statement changing his position on the issue of gay relationships, and stating that he now supported full acceptance of Christian gay couples into the Church. He cited several reasons including the institution of marriage primarily being about spiritual growth instead of procreation, what he had learned through his friendships with gay Christian couples, and past examples of exclusionary church traditions practiced "by sincere believers, but most of us now agree that they were wrong." [24]

Personal life

Tony married Peggy Davidson on June 7, 1958. [25] Their daughter, Lisa, was born in 1960 and their son, Bart, was born in 1963. [26] Campolo's son is Bart Campolo, a former evangelical preacher who left Christianity and transitioned to secular humanism. The two have engaged in an ongoing conversation since Bart announced to him that he no longer believes in God. They have co-authored a book exploring the issues at the heart of this conversation, [27] and a documentary film (Leaving My Father's Faith) was released in 2018 which features the conversations between them and tell the story of Bart's journey out of faith. [28] In June 2020, Tony had a stroke which left him partially paralyzed. As of September 2020, his condition improved and he has been undergoing physical therapy [29]

Awards and honors

Honorary degrees

Published works

Related Research Articles

To be born again, or to experience the new birth, is a phrase, particularly in evangelicalism, that refers to a "spiritual rebirth", or a regeneration of the human spirit. In contrast to one's physical birth, being "born again" is distinctly and separately caused by the operation of the Holy Spirit, and it occurs when one surrenders their life to Christ. It is a core doctrine of the denominations of the Anabaptist, Moravian, Methodist, Baptist, Plymouth Brethren and Pentecostal Churches along with all other evangelical Christian denominations. All of these Churches strongly believe Jesus's words in the Gospels: "You must be born again before you can see, or enter, the Kingdom of Heaven". Their doctrines also mandate that to be both "born again" and "saved", one must have a personal and intimate relationship with Jesus Christ.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Creed</span> Statement of belief

A creed, also known as a confession of faith, a symbol, or a statement of faith, is a statement of the shared beliefs of a community in a form which is structured by subjects which summarize its core tenets.

Within Christianity, there are a variety of views on sexual orientation and homosexuality. The view that various Bible passages speak of homosexuality as immoral or sinful emerged in the fourteenth century Before the Current Era, and has since become entrenched in many Christian denominations through church doctrine and the wording of various translations of the Bible.

Evangelicalism, also called evangelical Christianity or evangelical Protestantism, is a worldwide interdenominational movement within Protestant Christianity that emphasizes the centrality of sharing the "good news" of Christianity, being "born again" in which an individual experiences personal conversion, as authoritatively guided by the Bible, God's revelation to humanity. The word evangelic comes from the Greek word for 'good news'.

Pentecostalism or classical Pentecostalism is a Protestant Charismatic Christian movement that emphasizes direct personal experience of God through baptism with the Holy Spirit. The term Pentecostal is derived from Pentecost, an event that commemorates the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles and other followers of Jesus Christ while they were in Jerusalem celebrating the Feast of Weeks, as described in the Acts of the Apostles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Evangelism</span> Preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ

In Christianity, evangelism or witnessing is the act of preaching the gospel with the intention of sharing the message and teachings of Jesus Christ. It is sometimes associated with Christian missions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Piper (theologian)</span> American pastor and writer (born 1946)

John Stephen Piper is an American theologian and pastor in the Reformed Baptist tradition. He is also chancellor of Bethlehem College and Seminary in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Piper taught biblical studies at Bethel University for six years (1974–1980), before serving as pastor for preaching and vision of Bethlehem Baptist Church (Converge) in Minneapolis for 33 years (1980–2013).

Word of Faith is a movement within charismatic Christianity which teaches that Christians can get power and financial prosperity through prayer, and that those who believe in Jesus' death and resurrection have the right to physical health.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Progressive Christianity</span> Postmodern theological approach

Progressive Christianity represents a postmodern theological approach, which developed out of the liberal Christianity of the modern era, itself rooted in the Enlightenment's thinking. Progressive Christianity is a postliberal theological movement within Christianity that, in the words of Reverend Roger Wolsey, "seeks to reform the faith via the insights of post-modernism and a reclaiming of the truth beyond the verifiable historicity and factuality of the passages in the Bible by affirming the truths within the stories that may not have actually happened."

The Evangelical left is a Christian left movement in Evangelical Christianity that affirms conservative evangelical theology and are politically progressive. It is mainly based in the US, but is also found in Latin America.

Red-Letter Christians is a non-denominational movement within Evangelical Christianity. "Red-Letter" refers to New Testament verses and parts of verses printed in red ink, to indicate the words attributed to Jesus without the use of quotation marks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sinner's prayer</span> Evangelical Christian term for any prayer of repentance

The Sinner's prayer is an evangelical Baptist term referring to any prayer of repentance, prayed by individuals who feel sin in their lives and have the desire to form or renew a personal relationship. This prayer is not mandatory but, for some, functions as a way to communicate with and understand their relationship with God through Jesus Christ. It is a popular prayer in evangelical circles. It is not intended as liturgical like a creed or a confiteor said or chanted within the Catholic Mass, but rather, is intended to be an act of initial conversion to Christianity. It is roughly analogous to the Catholic Act of Contrition, though the theology behind each is markedly different, due to the intrinsically different views of salvation between Catholicism and Protestantism. While some Christians see reciting the Sinner's prayer as the moment defining one's salvation, others see it as a beginning step of one's lifelong faith journey.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Russell D. Moore</span> American evangelical theologian (born 1971)

Russell D. Moore is an American theologian, ethicist, and preacher. In June 2021, he became the director of the Public Theology Project at Christianity Today, and on August 4, 2022, was announced as the magazine's incoming Editor-in-Chief.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shane Claiborne</span> American activist (born 1975)

Shane Claiborne is an evangelical Christian leader, an author, one of the founding members of the non-profit organization, The Simple Way, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, cofounder of the Red-Letter Christians. Claiborne is also a social activist, advocating for nonviolence and service to the poor. He is the author of the book, The Irresistible Revolution: Living as an Ordinary Radical.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bart Campolo</span> American writer

Bart Campolo is an American humanist speaker and writer. He is the son of Tony Campolo, and was a pastor before transitioning from Christianity to secular humanism. Campolo is the co-founder of Mission Year and the author of several books including Kingdom Works: True Stories of God and His People in Inner City America and Things We Wish We Had Said, which he co-wrote with his father. His most recent book, Why I Left, Why I Stayed, also co-written with his father, is a reflection on both men's "spiritual odysseys and how they evolved when their paths diverged." He was the first Humanist Chaplain at the University of Southern California.

Christian universalism is a school of Christian theology focused around the doctrine of universal reconciliation – the view that all human beings will ultimately be saved and restored to a right relationship with God. "Christian universalism" and "the belief or hope in the universal reconciliation through Christ" can be understood as synonyms. Opponents of this school, who hold that eternal damnation is the ultimate fate of some or most people, are sometimes called "infernalists."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Q Christian Fellowship</span> Christian ministry

The Q Christian Fellowship (QCF) is an ecumenical Christian ministry focused on serving lesbian, bisexual, gay, transgender, queer, and straight ally Christians. It was founded in 2001 as the Gay Christian Network (GCN) by Justin Lee and is currently administered from Denver, Colorado. It was re-branded in 2018 to better reflect the diversity of the ministry and community they serve. According to the re-branding documents, the 'Q' does not correlate to any particular word. Instead, it is just the letter 'Q' open for interpretation.

The Affirming Christian Fellowship (ACF) is an association of Christian and Evangelical ministries that are a part of and are affirming to the LGBTQ community.

Evangelical theology is the teaching and doctrine that relates to spiritual matters in evangelical Christianity and a Christian theology. The main points concern the place of the Bible, the Trinity, worship, Salvation, sanctification, charity, evangelism and the end of time.

References

  1. Price, Irie; Campolo, Tony (February 21, 2011). "Campolo talks about social justice [interview of Tony Campolo by Irie Price]". Lubbock Avalanche-Journal. Lubbock, Texas. pp. B1, B8. Retrieved February 25, 2011.
  2. Campolo, Tony (November 5, 2010). "What's a 'Red-Letter Christian'? by Tony Campolo-religion right left politics Bush Jesus Christ church Bible". Beliefnet.com. Retrieved April 6, 2012.
  3. "American Baptist International Ministries". Internationalministries.org. November 18, 2011. Retrieved January 21, 2014.
  4. 1 2 3 4 Randall Herbert Balmer, Encyclopedia of Evangelicalism: Revised and expanded edition, Baylor University Press, USA, 2004, p. 126
  5. 1 2 Campolo Center for ministry, Tony’s Birthday Trivia Quiz!, campolocenter.org, USA, February 15, 2022
  6. Noel de Bien, Feature Interview: Tony Campolo, abc.net.au, Australia, June 27, 2004
  7. Elizabeth Eisenstadt Evans, Eastern University has served as the evangelical left’s laboratory, christiancentury.org, USA, May 5, 2021
  8. CBSNEWS, Pastor Fights To Regain Streets, cbsnews.com, USA, June 8, 1998
  9. "J.I. Packer – General Teachings/Activities". Rapidnet.com. Retrieved October 23, 2012.
  10. John Dart (December 14, 1985). "Move by Campus Crusade for Christ Stirred Debate : Baptist Professor Absolved of 'Heresy' by Evangelical Panel". Articles.latimes.com. Retrieved October 23, 2012.
  11. Ted Olsen. "The Positive Prophet - Christianity Today magazine - ChristianityTodayLibrary.com". Ctlibrary.com. Retrieved October 23, 2012.
  12. Alison Fitzgerald, Clinton Recruits Spiritual Advisers, apnews.com, USA, September 16, 1998
  13. Nick Tabor, Can this preacher's progressive version of evangelical Christianity catch on with a new generation?, washingtonpost.com, USA, January 6, 2020
  14. Michael Gryboski, Tony Campolo Defends Red Letter Christians, Says Jesus' Words 'Raise the Moral Standard', christianpost.com, USA, October 17, 2016
  15. "In-depth interview with Tony Campolo". High Profiles. Retrieved December 12, 2020.
  16. "Tony Campolo to shutter the evangelical ministry he started 40 years ago | Religion News Service". Religionnews.com. January 14, 2014. Retrieved January 21, 2014.
  17. Campolo, Tony (October 18, 2006). "Who is Really Pro-Life?". Huffington Post. Retrieved January 13, 2017. (revised May 25, 2011)
  18. Merritt, Jonathan (December 17, 2013). "Tony Campolo hits hard on abortion, gay marriage, Israel and more". Religion News Service. Retrieved January 13, 2017.
  19. Pally, Marcia (December 28, 2011). "The New Evangelicals: How Christians are rethinking Abortion and Gay Marriage". Australian Broadcasting Commission. Retrieved January 13, 2017.
  20. "Falwell rejects Campolo TV plea". Christianity Today . 39 (3): 54. 1995.
  21. "Meet Evangelist Tony Campolo". The Progressive. Retrieved October 20, 2012.
  22. "GayChristian.net". GayChristian.net. Archived from the original on October 18, 2005. Retrieved April 6, 2012.
  23. Red Letter Christians by Tony Campolo, Chapter 7 Gay Rights
  24. Tony Campolo (June 8, 2015). "For the Record: Tony releases a new statement urging the church to be more welcoming". TonyCampolo.org. Retrieved June 8, 2015.
  25. Kristin E. Holmes, Campolo to slow, but not stop, Christian outreach, inquirer.com, USA, January 31, 2014
  26. Davidson, Doug (2005). "Over the Top for Jesus: A Brief History of the Life and Ministry of Tony Campolo and EAPE" (PDF). TonyCampolo.org. Retrieved January 11, 2023.
  27. Merritt, Jonathon (October 6, 2014). "Tony Campolo's surprise reaction when his son came out as a humanist". Religion News Service. Archived from the original on August 2, 2016. Retrieved July 12, 2017.
  28. "Far from the Tree" . Retrieved July 12, 2017.
  29. "Good News About Tony | Tony Campolo". September 10, 2020.