Last Saturday, January 25, I had the honor of attending the Celebration of Life for Dr. Tony Campolo. Tony died two months earlier on November 19, 2024, and the family had its own private funeral. This event, officiated by Tony’s son Bart Campolo, was for the hundreds if not thousands of people Tony touched in his 89 years of life.
Who Was Tony Campolo
For those who do not know Dr. Campolo, let me give a brief sketch. Born and raised by his Italian immigrant parents in West Philadelphia, Tony rose to become an ordained American Baptist minister, a Professor of Sociology at Eastern University, and a world-renowned evangelist and prophetic voice for social justice. He was a dynamic speaker in demand in churches large and small, universities around the world, and a mentor to hundreds of students who went on to become social justice change agents themselves.
Speaking at this service were people such as Saleem Ghubril, Executive Director of the Pittsburg Promise Foundation, a private organization that worked to equip urban youth for post-secondary success: Bryan Stevenson, the founder and director of the Equal Justice Initiative, an organization based in Montgomery, Alabama providing legal guidance to people on death row; Shane Claiborne, co-founder of both The Simple Way, a Christian community serving the poor of North Philadelphia and The Red Letter Christians, a group for Christians dedicated to social and racial justice for the poor; Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove, co-founder of the Poor People’s Campaign with Rev. William Barber; and Hilary Clinton, former U.S. Senator and presidential candidate. There were others from England, South Africa, and elsewhere whose names and work I did not know. But the one thing all these people had in common was the experience of being shaped, inspired, and guided by Dr. Tony Campolo.
The most powerful testimonies were from his two children and several grandchildren. Also, high praise was given to Tony’s wife, Peggy, who was by his side much of the time and cared for him in his declining years. Tony was a public figure but also a beloved father, grandfather, and husband.
I did not have a close relationship with Tony, but I have heard him speak several times starting in the late 1970s when I was a seminary student in the Boston area. Tony mixed personal stories, Biblical insights, powerful challenges, an incredible sense of humor, and a dynamic speaking delivery. When I first went to work for Eastern University, Tony’s office was in the building next to mine. We would occasionally pass each other in the parking lot and greet each other. He never got my name but simply referred to me as “Big Guy” and that was an honor to be recognized by this man of such renown.
What Would Tony Do Today?
The service happened to be held at the end of Donald Trump’s first week in office, during which had issued over one hundred Executive Orders defunding, closing, announcing, and condemning all sorts of programs and services served by the Federal government. To most people, and certainly me, the week felt like being on the receiving end of one gut punch after another. So, it was inspiring to celebrate a man whose commitment in life was not to tear people down but to serve the poor by following the example and teachings of Jesus and to inspire others to do the same. The service was a deeply spiritual experience for me as one being served and challenged by the spirit of Tony through all those who spoke of him that day.
I came away asking: What Would Tony do in this moment of gut-wrenching chaos and struggle? What is the example of Tony Campolo challenging me to do in this moment? While only Tony can speak for himself, this is what I think Tony might say.
First, stay close, be in regular contact with your God in prayer, reading the Scriptures, contemplation, and worship with others. Like Martin Luther King Jr. and Howard Thurman, Tony saw work for social justice on behalf of the poor and marginalized to be a spiritual task and so we must be rooted in our relationship with God, however and whoever we understand God to be.
Second, he would seek to know what Jesus through the Holy Spirit is calling us to do or say. How would Jesus respond to those who dehumanize LGBTQ folks, undocumented migrants, Native Americans, and other People of Color? What would he say to those who are oppressed and marginalized by their skin color, ethnic status, ideology, or religious way of life? What would he say to those in places of power to enact such dehumanizing policies? And how would he back his words with action?
Third, he would invite others, young and old and in between, to join him in this crusade for justice.
Finally, he would keep his sense of humor through it all. Tony had a way of taking the most depraved and hurtful issues and helping us see our way to address those issues but also not take ourselves too seriously. Once Tony got us to laugh at ourselves, he often used that to get us to look within and be reminded that ultimately God is in control, and we are just following God’s lead.
There are many of Tony’s sayings that have stuck with me over the years, but the one that has shaped me the most is this: If you are struggling with a sense of identity and meaning in life, just remember, you are what you are committed to. In his Celebration of Life service, Tony reminded me that is what guided and motivated him and that is what should continue to guide and motivate me.
Thank you, Tony Campolo. Rest in Peace. May the rest of us follow your lead.
Drick, I did not know Tony Campolo. However, I am grateful for the way he lived his life and touched your heart, mind, and soul.
The takeaways for action or simple and necessary requiring great commitment.
Thank you for your observations and sharing.