NYWC #4 - Day 2 - Tony Campolo on Apologetics

I debated for some time on what seminar I should go to during this slot but I'm glad I chose this one. It wasn't what I expected from a seminar on apologetics. It might be better titled: Tony's Commentary on Various Philosophies and How They Relate Christianity and American Christianity.

He commented on perspectives from:

• Sociology
• Psychology
• Existentialism
• Marxism

He observed that sociologists see cultures creating gods as a way to worship themselves, and basically said this is what American Christianity has done in various ways. If we describe the God we worship He ends up looking like a White Anglo-Saxon Republican. See Romans 1.

Psychologists may say people's faith is the sum of their experiences. That doesn't determine our future, though, which is a much more important question. We get drained by both the guilt of the past and the anxiety of the future. Jesus covers both of these though.

While in seminary we are taught to read the Bible in the original languages so we'll be able to identify with ancient Hebrew writing and understand it. However, a Marxist would say that is not enough - there were poor Hebrews, rich Hebrews, slave Hebrews, etc. They all have their own language. Campolo basically said the Marxist are onto something and we should read the Bible like the oppressed and poor read the Bible.

Campolo basically said everyone is existentialist. Billy Graham made a choice to believe the Bible was true without empirical validation. We do the same thing.

Parting Shots
I really appreciated this session, although this post may not really show it. Campolo is a good communicator. This session was probably more about showing how the American Church has fallen short than about apologetics, in some ways. I'm really tired so that's why this is all very abbreviated. Campolo is a big fan of Compassion International.

Joke from Tony
A sociologist is someone who, when a gorgeous woman walks in the room, he looks at everybody else.