I'd like to be a Tony Campolo Christian

[Delarage]

I just saw him speak in Wilmington yesterday. He's highly involved in setting up programs for inner city youth and was there, partly, to recognize a program in Wilmington called "UrbanPromise" which is running after-school programs and a summer camp for kids. Highlights:

He talked about a saleslady at Nordstrom's who waited on a bag lady who wandered in and the question of "why" was answered when his friend saw a "WWJD" button on her lapel.

He asked why Mother Theresa wins a Nobel Peace Prize when she is doing what every Christian should do (help the sick and downtrodden).

He noted that he is a Democrat, but is "almost" Republican when it comes to his dislike of lazy people.

He made a funny joke: You know you're old when your wife says 'let's go upstairs and have sex' and you answer "I can't do both."

But, in general, his point was that Christianity is alive and well in the world, growing wildly in Africa, and is only declining in the US because of greed and self-centeredness. He said other countries will be sending missionaries here to try to get us to help the poor. Christians, he said, need to go out and help others and then the world would be a better place.

Contrast him with the "Christians" who protest at soldiers funerals (Phelps) or who bilk Native Americans (Ralph Reed) or who blame liberals for 9/11 (Falwell, Robertson).

[Rabrrrrrr]

1. He's a wonderful guy - he's part of a group that calls itself "Red Letter Christians"

meaning that they put more weight on the red letters in the Bible than anything else (some Bibles have all of Jesus' words, and only Jesus' words, printed in red). It's a cool concept!

I'm a big Campolo supporter. I've heard him preach a few times, and he's always fucking awesome and filled with good solid theology AND a heavy, heavy dose of social justice.

I respect him also for two other reasons: 1) he's changed his mind on homosexuality (to become okay with it), after his wife kept working on him to change his mind, and 2) He's no longer invited to the conservative Christian Washington DC breakfasts (whatever they're fuckin' called).

[ret5hd]

2. What was "lazy people" code for?

[Delarage]

3. Retired people

...and he was kidding; I think he's far too Christian to ever be associated with the current incarnation of "Republicans."

There were a lot of elderly people in attendance and he said they have a lot to offer (time, money, wisdom) to people who are struggling. He says he can't condone just playing golf or playing cards in retirement.

[tuvor]

4. He was interviewed on CBC's The Hour last March. Here's the vid.

http://www.cbc.ca/thehour/video.php?id=1401

[Delarage]

5. I have dial-up

So I'll have to check that out at work tomorrow. Thanks for the link, though.

[Wiley50]

6. Why a Follower? Why can't you just be a Christian?

I guess it seems to go with the religion.
To be a good Christian you need to have a Christ surrogate to follow

But it makes no sense to me
If you give another human the power
to be a go between between you and Christ

Can't you just love Christ on your own
and see yourself as an equal
to the human you feel the need to follow?

[Wiley50]

7. I mean. Maybe, this guy is a truly beatiful altruistic teacher,

But, just remember, what you are proposing
is how many gave power to:

Pat Robertson
Jerry Falwell
jim and Tammy Baker
Tony Alamo

and, of course,

Jim Baker
and a dozen other holy men
who turned out to be monsters
who true believers followed to hell

Think about what I'm saying

Please

[Delarage]

9. You make a good point....

But I don't think I would blindly follow anyone in terms of religion, or I hope not. I just meant that I would like to do the kinds of things he is urging people to do (help the poor, etc.) consistently.

[Perky]

8. Tony Rocks.... He has been a hero of mine for 20 years n/t

[Az]

10. You don't have to be Christian to help people. Just have to be human

And helping people means helping their condition. Not witnessing their condition. Big difference there.

[Delarage]

13. I agree.

But, as a Christian, I would like to do more along the lines of Tony C. than some other "popular" Christian speakers. He's all about DOING, not just observing/criticizing. That's what's inspiring about his work. He's like James Forbes, Jr. and the folks at Riverside Church in New York. They don't just sit around and bloviate on TV--they actually do things for people who actually need help. Just like Jesus.

[Sapphire Blue]

11. Tony Campolo is a Red-Letter Christian...

A Progressive Evangelical
Tony Campolo

What's a 'Red-Letter Christian'?
Jesus is neither a Republican nor a Democrat. That's why we created a new name for our Christian political movement.

Recently, I met with a group of religious leaders who have become increasingly disturbed by the alliance between evangelical Christians and the Republican Party. Karl Rove, President Bush’s political strategist, has brilliantly and successfully served as the matchmaker to arrange this union, which was consummated in the last presidential election when 83 percent of evangelicals voted Republican.

The meeting was joined by the Rev. Jim Wallis of Sojourners magazine; Father Richard Rohr, a well-known Catholic writer and speaker; Brian McLaren, a leader of the emergent church movement; the Rev. Dr. Cheryl J. Sanders, a prominent African-American pastor; the Rev. Noel Castellanos, a strong voice in the Hispanic community; and several other outstanding Christian communicators.

The purpose of this gathering was not to create a religious left movement to challenge the religious right, but to jump-start a religious movement that will transcend partisan politics. Believing that Jesus is neither a Republican nor a Democrat, we want to unite Christians who are concerned about what is happening in America. We are evangelicals who are troubled by what is happening to poor people in America; who are disturbed over environmental policies that are contributing to global warming; who are dismayed over the increasing arrogance of power shown in our country’s militarism; who are outraged because government funding is being reduced for schools where students, often from impoverished and dysfunctional homes, are testing poorly; who are upset with the fact that of the 22 industrialized nations America is next to last in the proportion of its national budget (less than two-tenths of 1 percent) that is designated to help the poor of third-world countries; and who are broken-hearted over discrimination against women, people of color, and those who suffer because of their sexual orientation.

Because being evangelical is usually synonymous with being Republican in the popular mind, and calling ourselves “progressive” might be taken as a value judgment by those who do share our views, we decided not to call ourselves “progressive evangelicals.” We came up with a new name: Red-Letter Christians.

Who first suggested the label? A secular Jewish Country-and-Western disc jockey in Nashville, Tennessee. During a radio interview he was conducting with Jim Wallis, he happened to say, “So, you’re one of those Red-Letter Christians--you know--who’s really into those verses in the New Testament that are in red letters!”

Jim answered, “That’s right!” And with that answer, he spoke for all of us. By calling ourselves Red-Letter Christians, we are alluding to the fact that in several versions of the New Testament, the words of Jesus are printed in red. In adopting this name, we are saying that we are committed to living out the things that He said. Of course, the message in those red-lettered verses is radical, to say the least. If you don’t believe me, read Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7).


Continued @ http://www.beliefnet.com/story/185/story_18562_2.html

Red Letter Christians

Who We Are

The Red Letter Christians are a network of effective, progressive, Christian communicators urging an open, honest and public dialogue on issues of faith and politics. We believe and seek to put in to action the red letter words in the Holy Bible spoken by Jesus. The goal of the group is to advance the message that our faith cannot be reduced to only two hot button social issues - abortion and homosexuality. Fighting poverty, caring for the environment, advancing peace, promoting strong families, and supporting a consistent ethic of life are all critical moral and biblical values.

What We Are Doing

Across the nation, the thirst for biblical truth and justice is creating a movement of progressive ideas and voices. The Red Letter Christians, with their distinguishable faith backgrounds and biblical knowledge, are speaking out and leading this movement. Through their writing, visits to college campuses, sermons in churches, and media coverage, their Christian perspectives of compassion and justice are being heard by an ever-growing audience.

Why We Are Speaking Out

For decades, leaders of the Religious Right have attempted to convince Christians and the American public that people of faith and strong moral values have only one option when it comes to voting. This narrow view continues to overshadow the majority of Christians in America whose faith motivates them to care deeply about a range of ethics and values. Our nation is hungry for an open dialogue on moral values and its role in the public square. God is not a Republican or a Democrat, and candidates should be measured by examining an array of social and economic issues.


More info @ http://www.sojo.net/index.cfm?action=about_us.redletterchristians

[undeterred]

12. Read Sojourners Magazine

Its always been oriented towards a more thoughtful, ethical Christianity, and Campolo is often published there.

http://www.sojo.net/