Tony Campolo is someone I have long considered both a friend and a mentor.  A friend because he and I shared the connection that we both worked under the tutelage and mentorship of John David Burton at different times.  A mentor because he had previously plowed so much theological ground in his career that many of us pastors and theologians were simply mining the soil he had prepared for us as we found our particular voices in service to Christ.

So it is with great sadness that I heard of his passing two days ago in Philadelphia.  While certainly the stroke he suffered in 2020 had limited his life drastically, and there was no doubt – even in Tony’s own mind – that Tuesday was coming, we have still lost a giant.

In the past several years, I have encountered a few shrill and trite voices claiming that Tony – and all of us who gladly wear the label of a “red-letter Christian” – are not “true” or “real” Christians… and in fact, one is already proclaiming online how glad he is that the world is rid of yet another “apostate fakir,” many of us are where we are in our discipleship and journey of following Jesus because of the grace and influence of this man.

Viya con Dios Tony.  We’ll catch up when I get there.

More info. over at The Christian Century article by Bob Smietana