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Signs of the Times Australia / NZ edition — lifestyle, health, relationships, culture, spirituality, people — published since 1886 |
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Signs of the Times Australia / NZ edition — lifestyle, health, relationships, culture, spirituality, people — published since 1886 |
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An article last year in the New York Review of Books, while outlining the common perception that evangelical Christianity is aligned with right-wing American politics, pointed out that in the past couple of years, with the Iraq War sinking into a Vietnam-like quagmire, and increased awareness of developed nations lack of action on world poverty, this alignment is fraying. Some prominent church leaders have stated that US religion has had too close a relationship with the Republican Party, and high profile pastor Rick Warren has actually asked forgiveness for overlooking the poor while pursuing his purpose-driven, sunny version of Christianity.
Like Jim Wallis, Tony Campolo, who refuses to be labelled simply as a Democrat-voting “liberal”—he prefers “red-letter Christian,” referring to those versions of the Bible where Jesus’ words are printed in red ink—is nevertheless raising his voice among the clamour of right-wing lobbyists to question that Christianity fits political and economic conservatism.
Letters to a Young Evangelical—part of a “Letters to . . .” series from Basic Books—uses a format, as Campolo says, utilised by New Testament writers like Paul, who wanted to keep fellow Christians on the right track—or “orthodox,” as Campolo puts it. This is ironic, as his critics within Christianity— those on the religious right, such as James Dobson—often characterise Christians like Campolo as unorthodox.
But Campolo is considered and loving, and tries to follows Christ’s words closely. There is nothing here from the fringe. He describes his point of view as evangelical but the book is relevant for all Christians, especially those beginning adult life in the church.
Campolo sees great danger in such young people being lured into the ranks of fundamentalists. Fundamentalism is a natural tendency in uncertain times but is unhelpful. Jimmy Carter characterises fundamentalists as rigid, dominating and excluding. They would say that they are sticking to the Bible, fighting the good fight against sinners who are out to corrupt Christianity.
They like to brand their opponents’ views as unscriptural but, says Campolo, they sometimes make God in their own image—that of a white, middleclass Republican. Campolo warns that following Christ’s words to the letter gets one branded—by fundamentalists and others—as a radical.
The hot moral issues of our time are where these conflicts are played out, and Campolo dedicates some of his letters to abortion, homosexuality and the like. He considers himself conservative when it comes to issues like gay marriage butuses his wife’s more liberal views to still air the alternatives. It is not gay marriage, says Campolo, that is ruining marriage generally, but divorce.
Campolo also warns against confusing nationalism and religion. He focuses on the United States but fitting the church into nationalism is a danger for any country’s Christians.
Campolo says he gets nervous when he hears successful people, such as football stars, beauty queens and millionaire authors, crediting Jesus for their success because Jesus says his followers won’t be successful; not in an earthly sense, anyway.
His argument rises to a crescendo when he asks if we really take Jesus seriously when He says we will be despised, or that we should sell all our possessions.
When we do, however, spend time with the poor, rather than justifying our middle-class position, we fully experience what it means to be witnesses for Christ.
We sometimes think mission means going overseas, and while Campolo certainly endorses this, he also encourages us to be as Christ wherever we are, including our workplaces. Campolo suggests that being made in the image of God means not being judgmental or simplistic in our thinking, reflecting our loving, complex Creator instead.
Therefore, I would love to thrust this book into the hands of every young Christian embarking on the road with Christ.
While the danger of the religious right infiltrating politics in Australia is often overstated, we are witnessing an Americanisation of our society. And while we are “spreading democracy” in the Middle East, there is pressure on our churches to conform to conservative policy. But Jesus asks more from us than political acquiescence, and Campolo’s book helps to clarify just why we should embrace Christ’s call to be loving radicals.
Extract from Signs of the Times, January/February 2009 .
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