Campolo: Opposition to women preachers evidence of demonic influence - (BP)

I was looking at some of the search words that have brought people into "42". I found the following from scripture women bible - Google Search.

Campolo: Opposition to women preachers evidence of demonic influence - (BP).

Anyone who resists the notion of women preachers is functioning as a tool of the devil, Tony Campolo, founder and president of the Evangelical Association for the Promotion of Education, said during the opening session of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship's general assembly June 26 2003.

Lots of very controversial stuff in there (for some people anyway).

Comments

[Philippa]

A sociologist by training, Campolo said that one of the primary reasons the CBF exists is because "another group" said it would not endorse the idea that women can serve as pastors. He characterized that statement as "about as evil a statement as one can make."

Oh dear. Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear. I once heard Campolo speak at Greenbelt, many moons ago. I really liked him then. But I do NOT like this kind of overblown, exaggerated rhetoric. It reminds me of the hysterical hard Left rhetoric that demonises George Bush as if he was on the same level as Saddam Hussein. I am no fan of Bush and regard his foreign and domestic policies with disapproval, but talk about overstating one's case ...!!!!

I speak as a woman who is glad and grateful to have been given a ministry by God - I serve as a Reader on the team ministry of my church and therefore have the privilege of preaching and leading worship on a regular basis.

But I do not approve of this kind of language. It helps nobody in this debate. And frankly it's just not Christian. We have no right to demonise those who disagree with us theologically. We can disagree with a Christian brother or sister without attacking them personally. Using the Satan jibe is a cheap shot: 'if you disagree with me you're disagreeing with God, therefore you're in league with the devil'. Please! Church history is littered with this kind of schismatic baggage. Let's not add to it. :(

Jesus told us to love and serve each other. Let's take Him seriously on that, shall we?

[DaveW]

Philippa,

I tend to agree with you, I was quite taken aback by finding the post.

I posted it in the interests of adding balance to the debate. I quite often complain about the way that views promoting male headship are presented and how that exclude Christians who do not hold that view.

So I thought it was only fair to show that sometimes those with views that accept equality in leadership can also be condemnatory in their language.

[Philippa]

Ah. OK. Thanks for explaining, Dave. :)

Campolo's intemperate remarks got me thinking. No doubt people who have campaigned for social justice and biblical truth have often been pugnacious and aggressive. Just consider Martin Luther! - there is a heroic man who didn't bother about being nice and polite!

The suffragettes (some of whom had a Christian faith) met with horrendous prejudice and unhelpful proof-texting in their courageous campaign for women's equality. (It is scary to see some of these tactics being re-hashed in certain sections of the US Bible Belt.) It would take a saint to respond calmly to this level of hostility and persecution.

But: we are saints, aren't we? God is making us into a royal priesthood (1 Peter 2: 5).

So, really, the bottom line for our behaviour towards each other and the world is Galatians 5: 22. "Against such things there is no law."

Indeed. :)

[Pam]

Yeah, I wanted to ask where the head-banging icon is too. I generally really like Tony Campolo but hyperbole doesn't really anyone any favours. But I take your point about adding some balance. It's always possible to use regretable language when one is passionate about what one believes and I have certainly done the same thing more often than I'd like.