20 Hot Potatoes Christians Are Afraid to Touch

by Tony Campolo

Book Overview

AIDS, women preachers, public schools, psychological counseling, homosexuality, and working mothers-these are some of the hot issues that many Christians avoid discussing. With insight and clarity,... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0849906555
• ISBN13: 9780849906558
• Release Date: January 1988
• Publisher: W Publishing Group
• Length: 235 Pages
• Weight: 1.15 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 6.3" x 9.2"

Customer Reviews

A gree with most of which Dr Compolo says

Tony Campolo is right on the money. People who criticize him do not want to hear that their sins are just as repulsive to God as homosexuality. Dr. Campolo talks about other subjects such as women ministers,public schools, should Christians kill, and is it OK to be rich? As far as homosexuality and AIDS. Dr. Campolo states that homosexualility is no worse than any other sin, especially the sin of adultery. To say AIDS is a special punishment from God for homosexuality disgraces the character of God. As Tony Campolo says if God uses illness to punish sin then we will ALL be in the hospital. Dr. Campolo urges Christians to reach out to the homosexual community and the people with AIDS with love. Another topic was women ministers. He felt it was hypocritical to allow women to be ministers over seas but deny them the right to be ordained ministers in this country. Dr. Campolo states that there are many women with very strong ministries. DR. Campolo states that the passasge in scripture in which Paul says women should be quite in church was a reference to women who would use the church to speak out against their husbands. Also, Greco-Roman society was highly male dominate, therefore having women ministers may prevent people from joining the church. This is not the situation today. Another controversial issue is pulling the plug on terminally ill patients. Dr.Compolo staes that it wrong to keep the body alive my artificial means. One such case are people that are declared brain dead. When the brain stops functioning the body stops functioning.These people are only kept alive by machines. Another case are people who are only kept alive by machines that are fully conscious. Dr. Campolo tells of a wife of a friend who had a disease that made some of her vital organs inoperative. She was in extreme pain and the pain medicine was not working. Without modern medicine she would have died anyway. He is not saying modern medicine is bad, but if these machines are the only thing that is keeping people alive,who are in extreme pain, at a great expense then these machines should be turned off and let nature take its course. He does not condone mercy killing or euthanasia. Dr. campolo is saying that when the body ceases to function naturally and the body is kept alive artificially then the patient and the patient's family has the right to turn of the machines. I agree with Tony Campolo. Conservative Christians do not like to hear that they are equal sinners to homosexuals. Their sin is also mentioned in the Bible and is equally offensive to God. Tony Campolo is asking people to reach out to others with love and without judgement. There are a few issues I do not agree with but generally I support what he says

Interesting, Challenging, Thought-Provoking

While I do not agree with all of the author's opinions, I found the book to be insightful and thought-provoking. This book is NOT the same old same old. No. The author has original thoughts on almost every subject covered, and after reading the book and after careful, meditative reflection I have changed my opinions in a couple of areas. On Homosexuality: Dr. Campolo DOES agree that the Bible maintains that homosexuality is a sin. He is clear. But he believes that someone with a homosexual orientation can refrain from engaging in sinful acts and be acceptable to God and a good Christian. Is this any different than someone with a bad temper submitting himself to God and striving to exercise self-control? Many of today's churches are accepting of remarriage after divorce (something that Jesus addressed)yet hold homosexuals in contempt (a subject that Jesus did not address). They protest in the streets against state recognized homosexual marriages without thinking twice (or even once) about divorce and remarriage. Is it any wonder why homosexuals think we hate them? Perhaps Romans 5:8 is missing in some of our Bibles.

I agree with Tony Campolo 110 Percent!

Tony Campolo is right on the money. People who criticize him do not want to hear that their sins are just as repulsive to God as homosexuality. Dr. Campolo talks about other subjects such as women ministers,public schools, should Christians kill, and is it OK to be rich?As far as homosexuality and AIDS. Dr. Campolo states that homosexualility is no worse than any other sin, especially the sin of adultery. To say AIDS is a special punishment from God for homosexuality disgraces the character of God. As Tony Campolo says if God uses illness to punish sin then we will ALL be in the hospital. Dr. Campolo urges Christians to reach out to the homosexual community and the people with AIDS with love.Another topic was women ministers. He felt it was hypocritical to allow women to be ministers over seas but deny them the right to be ordained ministers in this country. Dr. Campolo states that there are many women with very strong ministries. DR. Campolo states that the passasge in scripture in which Paul says women should be quite in church was a reference to women who would use the church to speak out against their husbands. Also, Greco-Roman society was highly male dominate, therefore having women ministers may prevent people from joining the church. This is not the situation today.Another controversial issue is pulling the plug on terminally ill patients. Dr.Compolo staes that it wrong to keep the body alive my artificial means. One such case are people that are declared brain dead. When the brain stops functioning the body stops functioning.These people are only kept alive by machines. Another case are people who are only kept alive by machines that are fully conscious. Dr. Campolo tells of a wife of a friend who had a disease that made some of her vital organs inoperative. She was in extreme pain and the pain medicine was not working. Without modern medicine she would have died anyway. He is not saying modern medicine is bad, but if these machines are the only thing that is keeping people alive,who are in extreme pain, at a great expense then these machines should be turned off and let nature take its course. He does not condone mercy killing or euthanasia. Dr. campolo is saying that when the body ceases to function naturally and the body is kept alive artificially then the patient and the patient's family has the right to turn of the machines. I agree with Tony Campolo. Conservative Christians do not like to hear that they are equal sinners to homosexuals. Their sin is also mentioned in the Bible and is equally offensive to God. Tony Campolo is asking people to reach out to others with love and without judgement.

Excellent Treatment of modern issues!

Tony takes a reasoned look at today's main problems that Christians are afraid to tackle. To put it plainly Tony is an evangelical that follows the bible, not just conservative or liberal political trends. He is often bashed b/c although he believes homosexuality is wrong he sees no reason in making it some kind of super-sin over any other. He also believes in saving the environment b/c it belongs to God, not us. Many won't like Tony's views b/c he challenges people, not to liberalism, but to biblicism. Tony is not a heretic. In fact his views would probably be in line with most of the early Church writers (from what I have read by them).

At last.....a rational Christian look at todays issues

Tony Campolo wrote this book in 1988 and yet it is as relevent and needed today as 10 years ago. The Christian right has for to long dominated all discussions on todays issues.....Tony shows that compassionate....yes even liberal Christians also can appeal to the bible and reason in seeking some answers. Be it AIDS or wealth, woman pastors or gays, Tony is straight up in his writing....he may not answer all the questions....indeed he raises a few of his own, but this book will force you to think about these things.