Peggy Campolo, wife of Christian evangelical speaker Tony Campolo, wrote a long, undated article about her ties to the GLBT Christian movement.
It is in the Christian gay community that I find the most Christ-like Christian I know — people who love Jesus so much that they struggle to belong where they are not wanted, and are even willing to stand against the majority of their own community to declare that they are part of the church of Jesus Christ. For so many years, I took the church and my place in it for granted. It is a part of my joy now, to fellowship with people who love Jesus so much that they are willing to challenge those who would deny them their place at God’s table.
Campolo recalls two families and one individual who were reunited with one another and with a spiritual life by finding courage to overcome separations caused by prejudice and the peer pressure of bigots.
Campolo distinguishes between people who understand the Bible, and those who parrot isolated verses in order to defame other people:
I am still on my journey of faith, but I have learned some things. I now understand that some people who take the Bible literally don’t take the Bible seriously.
I have concluded that, while the term “Family Values” has been used to “bash” my GLBT sisters and brothers, I do believe in most of what is meant by “Family Values.” The difference between the “bashers” and me is that I believe in good family values for all of God’s children. I call my GLBT brothers and sisters to the same standard of behavior as I do my straight brothers and sisters, and I demand for them the same right to a loving, monogamous, lifetime partnership.
Peggy Campolo’s exaltation of her gay christian friends may be the most “christian” thing I have ever read. It made my day.
Her description of taking the bible literally but not seriously gives me great hope for the future of christian thought and belief.
Got to get this women some face time in the media. Her revelations might be the start of a revolution.
Lots of speakers are mentioned around the blogs. This is the first time I sat up and thought, “Boy, I’d really like to go and hear her in person.”
What’s even more cool is the way that her and her husband get along in spite of the fact that they have some disagreements about this issue. You can download some audio of them speaking at this link on gaychristian.net
I heard Peggy and Tony Campolo at the Shepherd Iniative Conference in Columbus, OH (the one the audio link connects to.) I was moved beyond words by Peggy’s presentation and am grateful for the profound influence she is having in the lives of many people.
Yeah, echoing Christine’s contribution, I had to stop and think about Tony’s and Peggy’s perspectives after reading this post because I didn’t instantly recall which of the two leaned which way… but I can’t think of either of them without reminding myself of the existence of uncommonly thoughtful conservative Christians.