Tony Campolo to Challenge Christians in London

Dr Tony Campolo is to speak at a specially convened JustShare event in central London on Friday 23 February.

|PIC1|Dr Campolo, who is a Baptist minister, as well as former spiritual adviser to Bill Clinton and leader of the US 'Christian Evangelical Left', will address Christians working in London's financial district, challenging their commitment to issues of trade and justice and encouraging them to support policies and practices that lead to a more just world.

In his latest book, Letters to a Young Evangelical, Tony Campolo records the recent history of American evangelicalism through World War II, Billy Graham's rise to prominence in the 1950s, and the growth of megachurches in the US.

According to Campolo's book, more than 80 per cent of evangelicals voted for Republican candidates in the 2004 elections, however, he rejects that all evangelicals align themselves with the religious right.

He wrote in his book: "We don't like that designation because it suggests that we are an arm of the Democratic Party in the same way in which the Republican right has become an arm of the Republican Party. We contend that to ally Jesus with either political party is idolatry. The Jesus of Scripture will not conform to the ideologies of any party."

An outspoken campaigner, Dr Campolo is pushing Christians to a greater focus on crucial issues such as poverty and corporate greed.

JustShare is a coalition of churches and other agencies seeking to keep before the financial institutions issues relating to global and economic justice through public debates, dialogue with senior City executives and training for City clergy.

Dr Campolo's talk will take place at St Mary-le-Bow Church, Cheapside, London. For details visit www.justshare.org.uk