Posted on 07/06/2004 6:33:23 AM PDT by Between the Lines
Tony Campolo challenged the most powerful man in the world - and then became his spiritual adviser. Barney Zwartz reports.
Bill Clinton is the most biblically literate President to have occupied the Oval Office, Tony Campolo says categorically. "He studies Scripture; he's into the Bible. He's a regular church-goer; he grew up in the church. He takes the faith very seriously, which, of course, makes the Lewinsky scandal all the more horrendous."
It's an unusual claim, but Campolo is well placed to make it. The controversial sociologist theologian was Clinton's spiritual adviser throughout most of his presidency. The job broke into two clearly defined roles: pre and post-Monica Lewinsky (the White House intern with whom the President had sexual relations of a sort).
"Before the Lewinsky scandal, he would talk about the biblical implications of various policies - such as the Middle East; the biblical responsibility to the poor. I really pushed him on the need to cancel Third World debt."
However, after the Lewinsky scandal, the focus changed.
"We began to deal with what Jesus expected of him in his personal life; how he was going to let Jesus lift him out of the morass; how he could find forgiveness, how he could get back on track with God."
Campolo would spend two or three hours with Clinton just talking about the Bible, praying, and trying to help him sort through the pain and strife.
"I'm not going to say more than that because he mentions it in the book and he doesn't say more about that."
Clinton's book, My Life, published last week, hasn't had rave reviews, but Campolo is happy - the references to him are all positive. (He raced out to a Melbourne bookshop to grab a copy to see what it said about him.)
The peripatetic professor - wife Peggy estimates he spends 80 per cent of his life on the road - has been in Australia for a fortnight, promoting Opportunity International, an Australian-based aid organisation that Campolo believes is doing a near-miraculous job. Of that, more later.
Campolo, whose leftish political views have made him a controversial figure in a country where evangelical Christians are convinced that God is a Republican, got the spiritual adviser's job after a disagreement with Clinton, then a newly elected President. It was at a breakfast on policy to help young people.
"I thought I was being very courageous, but I realised he appreciated the confrontation rather than the yes people that were there. Beyond that, we hit it off very well and became friends almost immediately."
President Clinton began to call, saying, "Next time you're in Washington, stop by and see me". Campolo didn't take him seriously - "You don't just drop by for lunch with the President" - but Clinton kept at it. Eventually, that's precisely the sort of arrangement it became, and then it became more formal. Philadelphia-based Campolo felt the responsibility acutely.
"I always felt when I went down to the White House that I needed to say the things that Jesus would say to him if he were in my place. And to not do that was to fail. So, in addition to the fun and the joking and the messing around, I would have to speak out some times."
Did he rebuke the President?
"Of course."
About what?
"I can't tell you that. Obviously, he called upon his spiritual advisers to correct him after the Lewinsky scandal, so that required some degree of confrontation. Repentance isn't something you do once and walk away from. A lot of people were hurt; lives were destroyed; his family was on the brink.
"The question is, does repentance translate into a course of action in which you try to make things right again, new again, good again? That's where counselling really comes in - how do you do that?"
Campolo admires Clinton greatly.
"He is perhaps the most sophisticated intellectual that we've had in the presidency. That's a strong statement. His encyclopedic knowledge is almost overwhelming. No wonder he won a Rhodes scholarship to Oxford."
Yet, paradoxically, what Campolo admires most is not Clinton's intellect but his instincts. He paid little attention to political advisers or polls.
"He's a genius instinctively. He says the right thing instinctively. He tends to feel his way to the right position instinctively.
"It's a brilliant thing to watch."
(Excerpt) Read more at theage.com.au ...
This is complete BS.
Considering that he lies at the drop of a hat, how can you make such a statement as that Tony?
Bill Clinton is the cheater in this Benefier couple.
I used to think Tony was nuts, but now I'm absolutely sure of it. BC has no discernment and can't even quote scripture correctly. And most assuredly, there is no fruit in his life that isn't rotten. For Clinton's sake, I hope he really does repent....and not for the cameras.
How much should God forgive?
Poor Tony. He was mesmerized and hypnotized by the HUGE Bible Clintigula used to carry every Sunday, in front of the cameras.
I always believed that he pasted nekkid photos inside of it.
Well he did have a intern or two on their knees often, but that does not count.
Well the devil is also biblically literate and look where he is.
Jim Jones read the Bible a lot too. The similarities between Bill and Jim and their flocks is amazing.
Part of his plan. Has he bought any land in South America yet?
Yeah, Satan knows Scripture, too. In fact he quotes it, too.
!
(emphasis mine) This is an article, not an opinion piece. The media gets away with this crap every single day.
The Onion has a tough competitor - this is really funny!
Campolo is simply ignorant. We have had far more intelligent presidents. And I bet Richard Nixon had a better grip on the Bible than Bubba. I could go on and on about this subject, but I won't.
Billy boy was emulating Jim Jones.
Yeh, I bet Clinton can recite by memory all the planks of his religion - the communist manifesto.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.