Slice of Laodicea

This is part 2 of my 1997 paper on Dr. Tony Campolo and his teachings. In 2008, it is evident that these same tactics are being used, not only by Campolo, but by the much younger emerging church leaders and authors who are promoting what we now call New Spirituality. (The term New Age was far more common back when this was written.)

Selling New Age Theology: One Step Forward, Two Steps Back

By Ingrid Schlueter, copyright 1997, 2008

Tony Campolo engages in a writing style that appears schizophrenic. This duality is evident in all his books, but is very clearly seen in his 1992 book, How to Rescue the Earth Without Worshiping Nature. The “Without Worshiping Nature” portion of the title is designed to reassure readers that he is yet within evangelical boundaries. He continually engages in a “now you see it, now you don’t” style of writing. When he makes a convincing statement that assures his evangelical readers that he is biblical, he frequently follows with a “but” or “however” and a statement that in many cases seems to contradict completely his first statement. This pattern appears repeatedly throughout his writings and speaking.

To understand this technique, bear in mind that for the first 172 pages of How to Rescue the Earth, he presents a political action program that is merely a baptized version of what Greenpeace and Worldwatch Institute have promoted for years. This program involves dramatic change in the economic infrastructure of the West and a total overhaul of our way of life, with government serving as the great enforcer of environmentally correct behavior. In addition, throughout the book, Dr. Campolo calls for a new spirituality that embraces the “sacramental” character of nature.¹ He elaborates on this in How To Rescue the Earth. To make his case that evangelical theology needs help, Tony favorably cites the teachings of a man named Pierre Teilhard de Chardin. He writes that Teilhard represents more “modern Christian thinking,”² and that we can gain inspiration from Teilhard.³ He refers to Teilhard’s “genius” on page 83 and on the same page insists that even “those who have sought to refute his theories could not help but admire his genius.”⁴

He does not warn readers that anything is amiss in the teachings of Teilhard.

Who is this man that Dr. Campolo chooses to favorably cite over several pages? (Campolo also cites Teilhard favorably at length in his book, A Reasonable Faith: Responding to Secularism, pgs. 62- 65.)

What is so special about Teilhard’s view of the universe and God’s Son, Jesus Christ?

Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, born in 1881, was a Jesuit priest and philosopher as well as a geologist and paleontologist. As philosopher, he fused Catholic doctrine and evolutionary theory and as a result, conflicted with church authority. He was silenced by the church, resulting in most of his writings being published posthumously.

Teilhard de Chardin believed that evolution came in long stages and that the first stage of evolution was coming to an end. This was what he referred to as the “diversity” stage. Now, he believed, we were entering the “unifying” stage, the most important evolutionary leap that would lead to the formation of the Noosphere, a term Teilhard invented. (Dr. Campolo introduces readers to the “Noosphere” on pg. 85 of How to Rescue the Earth.) This Noosphere was believed to result in the formation of a global network of thought, a collective consciousness on the planet. John Mabry in Creation Spirituality magazine recently stated it this way:

“Chardin’s universe is one of continuous and interwoven evolutionary threads, incorporating plants, animals, the planet, the cosmos, and most peculiar to him, not merely the physical and mental evolution of humankind, but our spiritual ascent as well.”⁵

Tony Campolo writes on page 89,

“If the Shalom of God and the peaceable kingdom of Isaiah 11 are to become real, then new ways of thinking must be established. With some help from St. Francis and Teilhard de Chardin, we just might make it.” (emphasis added)

The following are some quotes to give you an idea of Teilhard’s “Christ”. They illustrate how evolution and doctrine are mutated into a unique New Age blend.

“It is Christ, in very truth, who saves, but should we not immediately add that at the same time it is Christ who is saved by evolution.”⁶

“A religion of evolution: that, when all is said and done, is what man needs more explicitly if he is to survive and ’superlive’ as soon as he becomes conscious of his power to ultrahominize himself and his duty to do so.”⁷

“Under our very eyes, and in our hearts, I am convinced Christ-the Redeemer is fulfilling himself and unfolding himself in the figure of Christ-the-Evolver.”⁸

After examining some of the core beliefs of the man Dr. Campolo cites repeatedly, some questions are in order. Why is Tony Campolo so enamored with the beliefs of someone who helped lay the foundation for the modern New Age movement? The Christ of Teilhard de Chardin is not the Christ of Scripture. Teilhard is describing the cosmic Christ of an emerging global New Age spirituality. What spiritual insight can be gained from someone who rejects the Christ of Scripture? God has made foolish the wisdom of this world (I Corinthians 1:20).

The fact is, most readers don’t know anything about Teilhard de Chardin. As a result, they are easily reassured by Dr. Campolo when he writes an entire chapter in How to Rescue the Earth, dedicated to warning about the New Age movement.He calls his chapter, “And Now the Red Flags: Warnings to Keep Us Out of the New Age Movement.”

“If we’re serious about leading our society in a commitment to saving the environment, we will have to work with people outside the church and that means we will inevitably end up in dialog with New Agers. They are everywhere. They wrote many of the books on the environment. And what they say and how they say it is often attractive enough to seduce the unprepared into a mind-set estranged from biblical Christianity. This has happened time and time again.”

Campolo continues:

“The increasing affinity the New Age movement has with the environmental movement has made many evangelical leaders suspicious of anyone who is involved in creation-care concerns. They have seen too many cases in which involvement with environmental issues was the first step into the strange, cultic world of New Age thinking. “

A few sentences later, Campolo writes,

“We must get smart enough to figure out where, when and how dangerous ideas creep into our worldview. That is why I need to present some warnings here and now. That is why I must run up some red flags.”⁹

We would like to run up some red flags of our own. The same Tony Campolo who just introduced unsuspecting readers to the teachings of one of the fathers of modern New Age thought is now warning readers to beware of New Age teachers. Dr. Campolo then goes on to warn about the dangers of learning from other “pagan religions.”

“I see signs in certain quarters of contemporary Christianity, even as they were in ancient Israel, that people are looking to pagan religions for inspiration and guidance. Environmental concerns can easily pave the way for all of this. Without a biblically based theology of creation, Christians who want to understand nature in spiritual terms can all too easily find themselves involved with pagan religions.”¹⁰

It’s strange that Dr. Campolo would make such a statement on page 175 of his book, when on page 100, he very clearly recommends looking to other religions for guidance.

“As we try to rethink our attitudes toward nature, we may have to learn some respect for theologies and belief systems that we have hitherto dismissed with a wave of the hand. In our attempt to equip Christians to deal with contemporary issues in such a way that concerned secularists will turn to the church for hope and help, we may have to open our own ears to some new voices.”¹¹

Campolo elaborates on the “comprehensive” worldview offered by Buddhism:

“Already many are finding in Buddhism what seems to be a valid basis to respect and reverence nature. The religious philosophy of Buddha appears to offer a comprehensive worldview that invites believers to empathize with everyone of God’s creatures. In the Buddhist scriptures, followers are urged to take on the kind of consciousness which was incarnated in the “compassionate Buddha” and make it their own.”¹²

Dr. Campolo follows this paragraph with another warning. “We cannot yield anything to Buddhism or any version of the New Age movement. We cannot give ground on this incredibly pertinent issue.” Two sentences later, he states the following: “And until we come up with some more solid alternatives, the perspectives of St. Francis and Teilhard ought to provide some of the inspiration for our preaching.”¹³ (emphasis added)

Welcome to the world of doublespeak.

Dr. Campolo continues his warnings about the New Age by alerting readers to the spirituality promoted by the defrocked Catholic priest, Matthew Fox. “Matthew Fox”, he writes, “is a blatant example of how easy it is to cross the line from Christianity into paganism.”¹⁴

Matthew Fox is author of the New Age manifesto, The Coming of the Cosmic Christ which can be purchased in occult and New Age bookstores.

Strange then, that in 1996 Dr. Campolo spoke at a conference which featured not only Matthew Fox, but a line-up of New Agers that included Marianne Williamson, author of the bestselling New Age handbook, Return to Love; Reflections on the Principles of a Course in Miracles, and Jim Wallis, editor of Sojourners Magazine who has called for a new spirituality, a new “theological convergence,” a “new ecumenical community” which is that of a “deep flowing river, fed by many streams.”¹⁵

This conference was called “The Summit on Ethics and Meaning” and it was held April 14-16, 1996 in Washington D.C. at the Omni Shoreham Hotel. It was promoted in New Age Journal as a method of promoting a “Politics of Meaning.” “A strategy to counter Gingrich and the Right” reads the ad. “It’s time to take the insight of psychology, healing, spirituality, and new consciousness–and bring them into the mainstream of American society.”¹⁶

The event was initiated by radical Marxist Michael Lerner, a self described “revolutionary” and anti-war activist. Tony Campolo was arrested along with Michael Lerner and others in 1995 on Capitol Hill as they protested Welfare cuts.¹⁷ Lerner is also author of the book, The New Socialist Revolution. Dr. Campolo, when asked whether he was aware that Michael Lerner has been self-described as a “communist”, replied with this gem of a quote:

“I can’t say. We have to stop labeling people. I’ve only read his Politics of Meaning book and I’ve talked to him. I’m convinced he’s a deeply spiritual Jew. I’ve been in his presence when he’s prayed. He tries to keep the Jewish law.”¹⁸

Nina George Hacker of Concerned Women for America attended the conference. She writes:

“Supporting the Summit at which Campolo spoke were the following: Planned Parenthood of America’s Clergy Advisory Board, American Muslim Council, The Unitarian Universalist Association, the Quasi Buddhist SEVA Foundation, Common Boundary Magazine, which advertised “goddess culture” and “past-life therapy” and the Temple Adath where ‘religious belief is not necessary.’ Other signers-on were radical environmentalists, National Gay and Lesbian Task Force speakers, feminists, the Revolutionary Communist Party, and the Democratic Socialists of America.”¹⁹

In his keynote address at the conference, Jim Wallis, co-founder with Tony Campolo of the evangelical group Call to Renewal, identified “Evangelical Christians” as “a problem”. In his address, Dr. Campolo claimed he is changing the evangelical community from within by targeting youth. The following is a verbatim rendering from Campolo’s opening remarks to this bizarre assortment of communists, radical feminists, abortion rights supporters and homosexual activists:

“When we evangelical Christians decided to organize to stand against those who come with a view of society which is neither biblical nor Christian, (interrupted by applause), we knew we had to do certain things. One of them, and this is for our good friend at Vassar, was to spend a great deal of time organizing a student movement. And so we have been hard at work on it. As a matter of fact, we would estimate that one third of all our energies and our participants will be university and college students across the nation -we have spent a great deal of time and energy just bringing together young people who have this vision and want to make this thing happen.”

Dr. Campolo continued:

“There are so many good things that the religious right says. And yet what they say beyond those good things can be evil and harmful. I worry about their agenda for my gay and lesbian brothers and sisters.”²⁰ (Applause)

At the Summit on Ethics and meaning, Concerned Women for America staffer Christine O’Donnell spoke with Tony Campolo. She stated the following:

“During his keynote address, Tony Campolo expressed great concern for the Christian agenda for his ‘gay and lesbian brothers and sisters’, women and for ‘people of color’. Because he was careful not to specifically endorse any movement, I approached him after the lecture to ask him to clarify his position on certain issues. Because this was a liberal convention promoting radical feminism, homosexuality, and abortion, he assumed I supported these issues.

“During this conversation he told me that homosexuals are born that way and that we cannot condemn someone because of how God created him. When I asked several times whether or not he thought homosexuality was a sin, he never said ‘yes’ or ‘no’. He responded by saying that the book of Ezekiel explains that Sodom and Gomorrah were punished not because of their homosexuality, but because they oppressed the poor. He explained to me that Jesus himself never condemned homosexuality (he was referring to the words in red)…

“He claimed that his role in the evangelical community was to change the evangelical community from within…By organizing a student movement he had greatly altered Christian thinking among students. He gave an example of his recent speech at Wheaton College where he challenged the students to think beyond their pro life positions.

“In regard to abortion, he claimed that he opposed abortion, but he did so because of his religious convictions. He specified that he could not force his religious beliefs on someone else. He also explained that the real issue is to make abortion rare. Politics should not be a platform to do that.”²¹

To be continued. Tomorrow: Strange Company

Endnotes

1. Tony Campolo, How To Rescue the Earth Without Worshiping Nature (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1992), 124.
2. Ibid., 6.
3. Ibid., 100.
4. Ibid., 83.
5. John Mabry, “Cyberspace and the Dream of Teilhard de Chardin,” Creation Spirituality Magazine (Summer 1994).
6. Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, The Heart of Matter (New York: Harcourt, Brace and Jovanovich, 1978), 92.
7. Ibid., 97.
8. Ibid., 162.
9. Tony Campolo, How To Rescue the Earth Without Worshiping Nature (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1992), 173-174.
10. Ibid., 175.
11. Tony Campolo, How To Rescue the Earth Without Worshiping Nature (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1992), 100.
12. Ibid., 101.
13. Ibid., 100.
14. Ibid., 175-176.
15. Jim Wallis, “A Prophetic Convergence of the People of God,” Sojourners Magazine (February/March 1993).
16. New Age Magazine (March/April 1996): 4.
17. Nina George Hacker, “Whose Ethics and Meaning?: The Radical Left Disguised as Religion,” Family Voice Magazine (July 1996): 24.
18. Phone interview with Tony Campolo, conducted by Nina George Hacker, Concerned Women for America, May 8, 1996.
19. Nina George Hacker, “Whose Ethics and Meaning?: The Radical Left Disguised as Religion,” Family Voice Magazine, (July 1996): 25.
20. Campolo Address, Summit on Ethics and Meaning held April 14 16, 1996 Washington D.C.
21. Christine O’Donnell, CWA Report, “Dialogue with Tony Campolo,” (May 1996).