Tony Campolo, bestselling author, teacher and evangelist, dies at 89
Tony Campolo, a bestselling author, teacher and evangelist preacher known for championing a movement called “Red Letter Christianity,” has died. He was 89.
Campolo’s death was announced on his Facebook page on Tuesday evening. The message to his friends and followers said the notable preacher “died at his home in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania,” where he was “surrounded by his family and loved ones.”
“His life was a testament to faith, love, and the transformative power of relationships, and his influence will be felt for generations to come,” the announcement added.
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“For more than six decades, as a pastor, distinguished professor, mesmerizing public speaker, and prolific author, Tony touched countless lives around the world with his hopeful message of social justice, love, and reconciliation.”
Shane Claiborne, a progressive Christian activist and author, conveyed his condolences on his X account, describing Campolo as “a dear friend and brother.”
“Tony Campolo has been my partner in ministry for the past 20+ years at [Red Letter Christians]. I will miss him something fierce, but I know there’s a party on the other side,” tweeted Claiborne.
“I don’t have much more to say right now. But I will soon. Thanks for all the love and condolences being poured out from around the world. Grateful for all the lives he touched over the years.”
Born on Feb. 25, 1935, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Campolo was known for his charismatic preaching, years of work as a professor, and social activism, especially among the needy.
For nearly 40 years, Campolo led a group known as the Evangelical Association for the Promotion of Education, which he launched to help serve communities in need. He retired from his position in the organization in 2014.
In 2007, Campolo helped to found a group called Red Letter Christians, named such because in some published versions of the Bible, Jesus’ words are printed in red rather than black ink.
“We believe in the black letters, too, and are convinced the whole Bible is God’s word. But Jesus is the lens through which we interpret the Bible, and the lens through which we interpret the world we live in,” stated the group’s website.
“It’s clear that some of the loudest voices of Christianity have not been the most beautiful voices. And some of the most beautiful voices haven’t had the amplification they deserve. The way we change the narrative is by changing the narrators.”
The movement was not without its critics, among them Mark Tooley of the theologically conservative Institute on Religion & Democracy, who believed that the movement's reasoning was "destructive and dangerous because it implies the whole of Scripture is less than reliable and that modern individuals in one culture can singularly reinterpret or reject historic Christian ethical teaching without counsel of universal Church."
"So a few words from Jesus supposedly mandate unlimited welfare state, opposition to military, gun abolition, etc.," said Tooley in an interview with The Christian Post in 2016.
"Meanwhile, too often historic Church teachings about abortion or homosexuality are dismissed because Jesus did not specifically address it."
For his part, Campolo defended Red Letters Christians, telling CP in a 2016 interview that there was “no question that the morality prescribed by Jesus is superior to anything that was hitherto suggested by the law and the prophets.”
"I want to always add that the early Church didn't have a New Testament, but what they were able to do under the influence of the Holy Spirit is to find the message and the story of Jesus written all through the law and the prophets of the Old Testament," said Campolo.
"In short, the Scriptures that were written before the New Testament point to Jesus and they are crucially important for us to understand Jesus."
Campolo garnered controversy for some of the ideological stances he took over the past few years, including his belief that churches should fully accept same-sex romantic relationships.
While coming to reject the label “Evangelical,” Campolo told CP in an earlier interview that he still held a “very traditional” view on salvation, rejecting accusations that he was a universalist.
“I believe that when Jesus died on the cross that He took upon Himself the sins of people who will repent and trust in Him for their salvation. I believe in the penal substitutionary doctrine of the atonement,” Campolo explained.
“I am still an Evangelical when it comes to faith practices and faith beliefs. What I am trying to communicate, and I think a lot of people would agree with me, is that the word ‘Evangelical’ has become politicized in a way that causes some of us to be alarmed.”
In addition to his activism and preaching, Campolo was a faculty member at the University of Pennsylvania, a professor emeritus of sociology at Eastern University and the author of over 30 books.
Campolo is survived by his wife, Peggy, whom he was married to for over 65 years, two children, four grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren.
