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Christianity Today, January, 2008 |

My Top 5 Books on Social Justice

Tony Campolo, professor of sociology, Eastern University | posted 1/03/2008 08:44AM

Rich Christians in An Age of Hunger: Moving from Affluence to Generosity
Ron Sider

Continues to make the evangelical community aware of what the Bible says about our responsibilities to the poor, and ...

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Jerry D.

Posted: January 06, 2008 10:39 PM


the usual leftist rant. why not recommend these instead? Productive Christians in an Age of Guilt Manipulators: A Biblical Response to Ronald J. Sider The Tragedy of American Compassion by Marvin Olasky and Charles Murray now, those are books worth reading.

Cathy

Posted: January 04, 2008 11:10 AM


While Tony Campolo is a bit more liberal than I am, I believe that he has the true spirit of Christ in him. He's a much better, more authentic Christian than a good chunk of the conservatives out there, plus he has not overlooked what Christ says about taking care of the poor. His critics are just Pharisees, plain and simple.

Graham UK

Posted: January 04, 2008 6:43 AM

All I can offer is a new book due to be published at Easter called Jesus - Social Revolutionary? by Peter McVerry SJ. Peter has lived the gospel amongst the Homeless people of Dublin, Ireland for over 30 years and is one of the most prophetic voices in Ireland today. The work I undertake for youth in community and through churched brothers and sisters is a leap of faith and Peter's walk alongside me is a blessed gift. Praise God!

Thrilled

Posted: January 04, 2008 2:57 AM

Thank you Tony. Sizer and Wallis are also on my reading list. Two other amazing authors on the Middle East are Colin Chapman and Gary Burge. I could add other valuable scholars. I have lived in the Middle East and seen the heart-break of life in the camps for Palestinians. It is tragic that almost 5 million people in the world today are living with nothing and have no hope of anything ever changing. Doesn't living by Old Testament standards in New Testament times negate Jesus' sacrifice and life under grace?

Ash Barker

Posted: January 03, 2008 10:40 PM

Must admit I'm shocked by the lack of respect shown here for one of the most important voices in contemporary Christianity. Sure disagree with Tony's selection, but have a real opinion about these books not just slag him off in rants. Personally if we just read these 5 reccomended books this year and followed the Scriptural calls to faithfullness found in them it would change our world-view and our world. Great call on these books Tony!

Dan Y.

Posted: January 03, 2008 9:30 PM


Left leaning ideas? Maybe, but necessary to correct the "taken for granted" dominant social conservatism of many American evangelical christians who are blind to the whole teaching of scripture. We need more authors like Jim Wallis and Ron Sider whom I greatly respect-not because they are always right-but because they challenge and stir up the pot of conventional thinking.

Billy the freedomfighter

Posted: January 03, 2008 7:31 PM

jeepers let's just dismiss uncomfortable Scriptures ny labelling them leftist then we don't have to deal with them ,eh?Let's all bang the drum for capitalism and unbridled free enterprise for of such is the kingdom of heaven!.......NOT! Let's just label brothers in Christwe disagree with as delusional and decieved! Why not do the tougher thing and actually engage thoughtfully withe issues raised??

Roger - Australia

Posted: January 03, 2008 6:07 PM

Even 1 star is too much for this article. Campolo forgot his most favourite books: 'How to be a Christian that Doesn't Offend Left Wing Atheists', 'Grovelling to the World - I want to Be Loved', 'Everything That's Right is Called Wrong and Everything That's Wrong is Called Right' and lastly 'Tony Campolo - the Secularist's Christian and the Christian's secularist'. This man irritates me at every turn with his constant polemic against classic Biblical Christianity.

John Holmes, AUST.

Posted: January 03, 2008 5:59 PM

This talk of the dangers of socialism, and criticism of ‘left’ leaning ideas, what does it mean? When there are increasingly huge economically imbalances such as between the about $3.00/hour ‘slave labour’ picking tomatoes in Florida and the take home bonuses of the executives of the corporations buying those tomatoes, one wonders just what is just. Likewise, since when has the interests of the Christian Church become tied to one particular social/economic/Imperial order? Tying the church to the current policies of the USA is not good. If the church is tied to one group, we get major problems world wide. Just as the Chinese’s Communist party supplied help to the famine struck population in China during the 1930’s and took over, the Brotherhood (radial Islam) in Indonesia for those in Aceh, or the power Hezbollah has gained in south Lebanon. The people have no hope. So people will accept anyone who offers hope. Where is the Church, at all levels?

John G.

Posted: January 03, 2008 1:18 PM


I have lost respect for Campolo because of his left-leaning ideas, his refusal to take a Scriptural position on homosexuality, his championing of "Red-Letter Christianity," and his association with that deluded, deceived liberal Jim Wallis. Sider means well, but he also is deluded. As for the book on Zionism, again I see Tony as being on the wrong side of an issue.

RJR_fan

Posted: January 03, 2008 12:14 PM


I'm sorry Tony didn't mention David Chilton's irrefutable rebuttal of Sider's soft-sell socialism, "Productive Christians in an Age of Guilt Manipulators." How many more millions of slaughtered innocents will it take to convince Sider and Campolo that Marxism is a bad idea?

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