Campolo, Tony

Tony Campolo (1935-) is an American sociologist, Baptist minister, and influential progressive evangelical author who has significantly shaped contemporary Christian social ethics and interfaith dialogue. As Professor Emeritus of Sociology at Eastern University, Campolo developed a theological framework that bridges evangelical faith with social justice activism. His extensive body of work, including over 35 books, challenges traditional evangelical positions on poverty, homosexuality, and environmental stewardship while maintaining orthodox Christian beliefs. In "Why I Left, Why I Stayed" (2017), co-authored with his humanist son Bart Campolo, he demonstrates a model for respectful theological dialogue across belief systems. Campolo's "Red Letter Christianity" movement emphasizes the primacy of Jesus's teachings in addressing contemporary social issues. His contributions to philosophy of religion include reframing evangelical theology to embrace doubt as compatible with faith and advocating for a Christianity centered on social transformation rather than doctrinal rigidity.