anthony campolo
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. Campolo is a popular commentator on religious, political, and social issues, and was a guest on programs such as The Colbert Report, The Charlie Rose Show, Larry King Live, Nightline, Crossfire, Politically Incorrect and The Hour.
If you’re truly pro-life, you should be anti-gun, by Tony Campolo
In 2022, 48,204 Americans were killed by guns, which are now the leading cause of death among children and teens. Our gun deaths have come to define us in the eyes of the world. You might even say that guns are as American as apple pie. Americans constitute less than 5% of the world’s population, but we own half of the world’s guns, making ours the only country where guns outnumber people and leading to firearm homicide rates here that are seven times greater than in Canada, 19 times greater than in France, 33 times greater than in Australia and 77 times greater than in Germany. This is American exceptionalism of the most deadly and unimaginable kind, and many people are fed up and want change. According to Pew, 61% of Americans say it is too easy to obtain guns; 69% of Republicans and 90% of Democrats want to increase the minimum age for buying guns to 21 years old; 88% of Republicans and 89% of Democrats support laws preventing those with mental illnesses from purchasing guns.
(Tony Campolo; Richmond Free Press 6/20/24) READ MORE>>>>>
In 2022, 48,204 Americans were killed by guns, which are now the leading cause of death among children and teens. Our gun deaths have come to define us in the eyes of the world. You might even say that guns are as American as apple pie. Americans constitute less than 5% of the world’s population, but we own half of the world’s guns, making ours the only country where guns outnumber people and leading to firearm homicide rates here that are seven times greater than in Canada, 19 times greater than in France, 33 times greater than in Australia and 77 times greater than in Germany. This is American exceptionalism of the most deadly and unimaginable kind, and many people are fed up and want change. According to Pew, 61% of Americans say it is too easy to obtain guns; 69% of Republicans and 90% of Democrats want to increase the minimum age for buying guns to 21 years old; 88% of Republicans and 89% of Democrats support laws preventing those with mental illnesses from purchasing guns.
(Tony Campolo; Richmond Free Press 6/20/24) READ MORE>>>>>
Christians in Palestine ask why U.S. believers ignore them
Since Hamas launched horrific attacks on Israel and Israel responded with its deadly and devastating war in Gaza, we’ve heard much about this conflict. But we’ve been deaf to the pained cries of Christian brothers and sisters caught up — and dying — amid the tragedy. Soon after Israel went to war in Gaza in October, believers living in Bethlehem and throughout Palestine pleaded with American Christians in their impassioned “Open Letter from Palestinian Christians to Western Church Leaders and Theologians.”
(Tony Campolo; Baptist News Global 5/12/24) READ MORE>>>>>
Since Hamas launched horrific attacks on Israel and Israel responded with its deadly and devastating war in Gaza, we’ve heard much about this conflict. But we’ve been deaf to the pained cries of Christian brothers and sisters caught up — and dying — amid the tragedy. Soon after Israel went to war in Gaza in October, believers living in Bethlehem and throughout Palestine pleaded with American Christians in their impassioned “Open Letter from Palestinian Christians to Western Church Leaders and Theologians.”
(Tony Campolo; Baptist News Global 5/12/24) READ MORE>>>>>
Tony Campolo Files
"Evangelicals in the United States are anti-environment... If you say you're an Evangelical you're anti-gay, you're anti-women, you're pro-war...In the southern states, eighty percent of the people go to church at least once a month [and yet it's] the strongest supporter for capital punishment. How do you reconcile Evangelicals favouring capital punishment when Jesus said: 'blessed are the merciful'?....If you're going to get mercy you've got to show mercy. Evangelicals are hard-nosed people when it comes to punishing criminals."
--Tony Campolo; Premier Magazine Inspirational Special; 5.16.23
--Tony Campolo; Premier Magazine Inspirational Special; 5.16.23
I kid you not…This is an actual headline - about the #AsburyRevival.
— Shane Claiborne (@ShaneClaiborne) February 18, 2023
I will never understand how people can be so cynical and angry to hate on a revival and LGBTQ folks… all in the same article. pic.twitter.com/aZ8LxsFiAk
February 25, 1935: Anthony Campolo was born in Philadelpia, Pennsylvania.
June 7, 1958: Campolo married the former Peggy Davidson.
January 14, 2014: Campolo announced his plans to retire from leading the EAPE and to close that ministry.
In a recent podcast, Baptist theologian Al Mohler points out that Tony Campolo was right, but now he is wrong on same sex marriage:
Mohler points out Campolo's earlier comments:
And then this last week Campolo reversed his "theology":
In a way it kind of epitomizes the current changes going on in some churches where they once adhered to a Biblical structure to giving it up in order to be more socially acceptable. Truth, however, cannot be compromised so it has to be discarded and exhanged for a lie.
Mohler points out Campolo's earlier comments:
- “I believe that the Bible does not allow for same-gender sexual intercourse or marriage,” Campolo said in Sojourners Magazine in May 1999. “We can argue over this interpretation or that interpretation, but we must take the church very seriously,” Campolo said. “The fellowship of believers called the church of Jesus Christ has stood from the time of Christ to the present day, and I believe it speaks with authority. For almost 2,000 years, the church has read Romans 1 in a particular way. People who knew the Apostle Paul personally have written about what Paul meant when he wrote those verses.”
And then this last week Campolo reversed his "theology":
- In a 937-word statement titled Tony Campolo: For the Record, the 80-year-old leader of the evangelical left said he believes the Bible is divinely inspired and that he gives highest priority to words of Jesus in Matthew 25 concerning care for the poor and oppressed. “Because of my open concern for social justice, in recent years I have been asked the same question over and over again: Are you ready to fully accept into the church those gay Christian couples who have made a lifetime commitment to one another?” Campolo wrote. “While I have always tried to communicate grace and understanding to people on both sides of the issue, my answer to that question has always been somewhat ambiguous,” he said. After “countless hours of prayer, study, conversation and emotional turmoil,” Campolo said, “I am finally ready to call for the full acceptance of Christian gay couples into the church.” -
In a way it kind of epitomizes the current changes going on in some churches where they once adhered to a Biblical structure to giving it up in order to be more socially acceptable. Truth, however, cannot be compromised so it has to be discarded and exhanged for a lie.