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December 17, 2004
Tony Campolo
So, if you didn't attend the 9am or 11am services at Bel Air yesterday (Oct. 24th), then you missed one of the great voices in evangelical Christianity. You may also not know that you also missed one of the most controversial voices in evangelical Christianity as well. Tony Campolo Tony Campolofor decades has been a force to be reckoned with. In 2003 Christianity Today dubbed him the "Positive Prophet" who before his heart attack used to speak anywhere between 400-500 times a year. Since then he has cut back into the 300's.
Christianity Today
Whether it's this infamous story at Wheaton decades ago where he swore from the pulpit to get student's attention regarding homelessness
http://www.beliefnet.com/story/150/story_15052_1.html or whether it's he or his wife's controversial views on
homosexuality
, there is no doubt that in the midst of all the controversy that Tony Campolo is doing great things for the poor and oppressed in the United States and around the world www.tonycampolo.org
Campolo follows in a long line of theologians who have proclaimed a message of the "social gospel" which found it's root in Walter Rauschenbusch in the late 1800's and early 1900's in New York's Hell's Kitchen. The main concern as Campolo stated on Sunday is to take care of another's basic needs first, and to keep the great commandment to "love your neighbor as yourself" (Mark 12:31). When you keep this commandment, then you can proceed to go out and convert a person. But conversion can not come until one has taken care of the poor and oppressed basic needs.
This is a simple summary and does not even touch the complexities or theology of people such as Tony Campolo and the "social gospel movement." But I hope that Tony stirred your heart on Sunday to get more invovled in your community. And I also hope that your realize that both praise and controversy surrounds many of God's servants in this world.
By the way....did you know that if you have ever worn a WWJD bracelet, or used that phrase, that you are using a phrase that came from the famous social gospel writer Charles Sheldon in the book, "In His Steps." http://www.christianitytoday.com/tc/8r3/8r3047.html
So take some time to read up on social gospel theology for yourself, and see what role, if any, it has in Christianity.
Posted by Admin at December 17, 2004 08:11 PM
