Tony Campolo visited Dordt this past week. I can tell I'm getting older...most of the students I asked had never heard of him. He gave two lectures in which he challenged students and faculty to engage the world on behalf of the poor and the oppressed. He challenged us to proclaim the new reality of the Kingdom of God - he challenged us to take action. For the most part I agreed with the things he had to say...and even if I disagreed...we need people like Campolo to stick their fingers in our faces and shake things up a bit. People like Campolo remind us of things we sometimes miss...they challenge us to think differently about issues...they say things that tick people off...but I'll take anger over apathy any day.
That being said...I have to admit I was disappointed. After listening to the evening lectures, and conversing with him over supper, I am left with the feeling that Campolo doesn't go far enough. On Wednesday evening he talked about the "new reality" of the kingdom...that we as Christians should be idealistic, not giving into the status quo, but proclaiming and participating in the reality of Christ's kingdom. Yet I couldn't help but think, for Campolo, this new reality is the reality of the democratic party. That government solutions and programs using the existing properly funded structures will bring an end to poverty and injustice. That if the existing educational structures are properly supported and expanded into third world nations, poverty and oppression will be brought to an end. But what if the structures are part of the problem? What if the choice between a republican candidate and a democratic candidate is really no choice at all? What if it comes down, as it did in the 2004 election, to Bush and Bush lite?
What if Christians came to recognize that the school structures (both public and Christian) are oppressive and need to be radically rebuilt? What if Christians came to realize the economic structures in our country are establishing a caste system with little economic mobility...and the jobs that are being created by the economy tend to be low paying with lower benefits? What if we finally realized that both parties want to engage in the politics of fear in order to preserve "national interests" at the expense of the poor in the third world? What if Christians demanded a political candidate who offered a radically different perspective than the status quo politics we find today? What if Christians demanded more then just band aid solutions to poverty and injustice? That in order to impact these issues we might just have to understand the complexity of poverty and oppression, and admit the solutions are just as complex. What if we finally were awakened to the fact that the majority of the poor in this country are not in the inner cities...but in rural America? That many of the poor are "invisible"... How do we work to eradicate poverty where ever it is found? How do transform the college experience from one of debt and job training...to thoughtful reflection and equipping people for participation in the new reality established by Christ's kingdom?
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Hi Professor Lief. This is Kenny Gradert. I used to be a Biblical Studies major at Dordt. I'm linguistics now, still pre-sem though. I've never taken a class with you either so you probably don't know me.
In response to this post, I think that even if a radically new politician showed up, his power to change things would be severely limited by America's distinct political culture. The American President doesn't have as much power as we often think. He needs to be backed by congress...and they need to be backed by the people.
Feelings of individualism, a lack of community, and a lack of duty to society as a whole run more rampant in the U.S. politically and in the common people than in most countries. It's hard to make progress in social policy in a democratic country with that kind of mindset.
We have to change the mindset of Americans and our political culture in regards to social policy before the government can get anything done, because the power resides in the people...to a certain extent. And that is a tricky, difficult job that will take years.
So what do we do? I think we need far more dedicated Christians with a kingdom perspective in the political arena. Practically speaking, as we raise children, we can instill a sense of social justice and the importance of participating in our government in our children. All it takes is one or two generations to change the entire political culture/mindset of a country.
Sorry, this was way too long, but I'm in a political studies class and have been reading a lot of Kuyper for Reformed Theology this semester. It fascinates me. Peace.
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