Spiritual adviser
By Mary Adamski
to Clinton says
religion divisive
Star-BulletinFrom impeachment proceedings against the president to lawmaking on gay rights, abortion and euthanasia, religion mixes into the debate on political and social issues these days.
And that's not always a good thing, says a nationally known preacher.
"I think religion has become a major divisive force," said Tony Campolo, a Baptist minister and one of President Clinton's spiritual advisers. He spoke this week at two events in Honolulu.
"Liberal or conservative, these kinds of labels are very destructive," said Campolo, who has been labeled liberal because of his advocacy of Christian acceptance of homosexuality.
Campolo is a sociology professor at Eastern College in Pennsylvania.
The author of more than 25 books and host of a weekly cable TV show "Hashing It Out," he is a frequent headliner at evangelical conferences, stadium religious rallies and at corporation leadership seminars.
"I think when evangelicalism gets too tied up with the Republican Party, so that those who are not Republican feel alienated from Jesus, it's made a very serious mistake," he said in an interview.
"I am getting frightened by a kind of triumphalism that I sense emerging in the evangelical community. I am worried about a kind of self-righteousness ... which establishes a kind of we-they relationship. We define ourselves as the good people and those who are not with us are not defined as good people. I think this completely contrary to Jesus."
He was billed as spiritual adviser to the president, but it was not a subject for discussion at the Hawaiian Island Ministries-sponsored Leadership Institute Thursday and Straight Talk breakfast yesterday at the Hale Koa Hotel.
Campolo will speak at the Hawaiian Islands Ministries Honolulu '99 Conference April 22-24 at the Sheraton-Waikiki Hotel.
Campolo said he has been meeting every other week with Clinton, alternating with other preachers, after the Sept. 11 prayer breakfast at which the president asked for the clergy's help in connection with his sexual involvement with Monica Lewinsky.
"He's been very faithful in following through on that commitment in meeting with us. He has given a great deal of time each week and I am full of hope," said Campolo, who has known Clinton for six years.
"I believe that even in Miss Lewinsky's (Wednesday televised) interview, we got a glimpse of somebody who was struggling to become a different kind of person, who was not proud of what he had been. To that end, starting in September, he wanted to embark on a journey of transformation. That's when he called on me and a couple of others to help him on his way."
