In May, Christian sociologists gathered at Redeemer University, where Jenell Paris delivered the opening presentation, a tribute to Tony Campolo. This blog post, written with Matthew Vos, draws upon that tribute.
Tony Campolo is remembered by many for his immense contributions to evangelical theology, social justice initiatives, urban and youth ministry, education, American Baptist ministry, and more. The Christian Sociological Association appreciates him in a special way as a colleague in the field of sociology. He held a BA from Eastern Baptist College, an MDiv from Eastern Baptist (now Palmer) Theological Seminary, and a PhD in Sociology from Temple University. After serving as Professor of Sociology for nearly forty years at Eastern University, he received emeritus status upon his retirement in 2000.
Tony’s sociological research initially used structural functionalism to analyze concerns related to the American Baptist Church. His doctoral dissertation is entitled, “A Study of the Controversy in the American Baptist Convention over the Function and Structure of the Church.[1] He then conducted a demographic analysis of the denomination entitled A Denomination Looks at Itself.[2]
Subsequently, he used symbolic interactionist theory to develop a sociological view of youth ministry. In Growing Up in America: A Sociology of Youth Ministry (1989), he argued that the identity of “at-risk” youth is often constructed by the labels placed upon them by societal institutions, such as schools and the criminal justice system.[3] He contended that by changing the social environment and providing supportive, relational networks, the “self-fulfilling prophecy” of failure could be reversed.
His broader body of work is immense, synergizing with his public speaking, preaching, and organizational development.[4] His sociological perspective and background in empirical research provided a foundation for the dozens of trade books he authored. His sociological expertise was particularly evident in discussions of social issues such as The Church Enslaved: A Spirituality of Racial Reconciliation, in which he and Michael Battle used sociological analysis to address systemic issues like racial inequality and the role of the church as a social institution in fostering and facilitating it.[5] 20 Hot Potatoes Christians are Afraid to Touch, provides a litany of sociological issues (and related controversies) that Tony was eager to engage: homosexuality, the rising authority of psychology and counseling, women preaching, and working mothers.[6] In Adventures in Missing the Point, Tony and Brian McLaren used a cultural lens to analyze the church’s acquiescence to problematic aspects of American culture.[7] In many ways ahead of his time, Tony addressed many issues that are still challenging for the church today: climate, faith and politics, and power.[8]
Tony held faith and sociology together in both personal and public ways. He explored how ancient spiritual practices and intimacy with God can result in lives of service and compassion.[9] With Shane Claiborne, he developed the concept of Red-Letter Christians, which continues to call American Christians to follow the life and teachings of Jesus.[10]
In this presentation, I (Jenell Paris) described Tony as a node. In social network theory, a node connects people and creates new ties between individuals and groups. Tony’s charisma bolstered his role as an energizing, brokering, challenging, and connecting node primarily in American Baptist and evangelical social networks, later extending to Democratic and progressive political networks
He fostered growth and vitality in sociology across the network of Christian colleges and universities. A key example of his scholarly contribution to the discipline is Sociology Through the Eyes of Faith, co-authored with David Fraser, which provides a framework for understanding the field of sociology and its foundational concepts from a Christian perspective.[11]
He connected groups and organizations, not over sociology per se, but with a sociological imagination for equality and justice, especially over race and poverty. He founded the Evangelical Association for the Promotion of Education and brokered connections, projects, and relationships with many other groups, including Evangelicals for Social Action, Urban Promise, Kingdom Works (now Mission Year), the Christian Community Development Association, and many more. He was not just a scholar, but also an activist.
While an undergraduate at Covenant College in the late 1980s, I (Matthew Vos) heard Tony speak during a chapel service, and I remember being impressed with his boldness and courage in tackling difficult issues in public forums. It was about five years later that my mentor Russ Heddendorf, who was instrumental in bringing me into sociology, explained to me the significance of Tony’s reach, cross-disciplinary appeal, and most of all, kindness. When Russ’ wife Ellie Heddendorf died suddenly in 1991 from cardiac arrest due to complications from an allergy shot, Tony sent him a kind and heartfelt note. This was quite touching to Russ, and he expressed being moved that someone of Tony’s stature had taken the time to send his condolences. Russ, who was a giant to me, was likewise profuse in his praise for Tony and his work, and saw him as a towering figure in Christian sociology.
In 2019, Eastern University hosted the annual conference of the Christian Sociological Association. The conference theme was “Society in a Fragmented World.” Tony was there on the first full day to welcome everyone to the conference and give opening remarks. I (Vos) followed him on the program with a presentation entitled “Be Like Mike? Big Sport, Nike, and the Unseen Strangers who Make our Shoes” that would later become a chapter in my book Strangers and Scapegoats. Tony stayed for the presentation, listened intently, and afterward gave a big smile and said, “That’s exactly the sort of sociology we need to be doing!” For me this was exceptionally encouraging and demonstrated significant kindness to a younger and much less experienced colleague. I hoped later to discuss my work with Tony, but in June 2020, he had the second of two strokes.
As part of her tribute at the CSA conference, Paris read a quote sent to her by Renee, an Eastern University alumna who was in Tony’s Introduction to Sociology class many years ago.
Tony explained theories of the great sociologists in terms freshman could relate to. For example, after introducing the Durkheimian thesis of religion – God is nothing more than a symbolic representation of the dominant values of the society that worships “Him” – Tony challenged the students to critique their churches, and compare them with characteristics found in American culture. This was an eye-opening exercise for many students.
Tony wasn’t afraid to step into mine fields. When teaching students in Sociology of the Family classes, he dove into the topics of divorce, homosexuality, abortion, and transgender identity, to name a few. Not quite a big deal on secular campuses, but at Eastern this was the first time many students were asked to look deeper into these hot topics. He ruffled a number of feathers. Some students mistakenly thought he espoused certain positions just by presenting differing theories. Tony often needed to remind students about the difference between education and indoctrination, and how the former enhances our Christian growth. Most students, however, welcomed the challenge of examining themselves, their churches, families, government, etc. from a sociological perspective.
Tony’s life work showcased how sociological theory can influence Christian theology, life, and ministry. In looking at the challenges of youth ministry and urban poverty through sociological lenses, he moved beyond abstract theory to promote what he termed “social action,” arguing that structural analysis of society was a prerequisite for effective Christian service. His legacy inspires today’s religious leaders to utilize the social sciences to address systemic issues such as poverty, racism, and economic disparity, always moving toward greater integrity in following the life and teachings of Jesus.
[1] Anthony Campolo, Jr., “A Study of the Controversy in the American Baptist Convention over the Function and Structure of the Church,” PhD diss. (Temple University, 1967).
[2] Anthony Campolo, A Denomination Looks at Itself (Judson Press, 1971).
[3] Anthony Campolo, Growing Up in America: A Sociology of Youth Ministry (Zondervan, 1989).
[4] Tony Campolo: The Positive Prophet of Red Letter Christianity. Accessed June 12, 2026 http://www.tonycampolo.org
[5] Anthony Campolo and Michael Battle, The Church Enslaved: A Spirituality of Racial Reconciliation (Fortress Press, 2005).
[6] Anthony Campolo, 20 Hot Potatoes Christians Are Afraid to Touch (Thomas Nelson, 1988).
[7] Brian McLaren and Tony Campolo, Adventures in Missing the Point: How the Culture Controlled Church Neutered the Gospel (Zondervan, 2003).
[8] Anthony Campolo, How to Rescue the Earth Without Worshiping Nature: A Christian Call to Save Creation (Thomas Nelson, 1992); Red Letter Christians: A Citizen’s Guide to Faith and Politics (Regal Books, 2008); Choose Love, Not Power: How to Right the World’s Wrongs from a Place of Weakness (Baker, 2009).
[9] Tony Campolo and Mary Albert Darling, The God of Intimacy and Action: Reconnecting Ancient Spiritual Practices, Evangelism, and Justice (Fortress Press, 2007).
[10] Shane Claiborne and Tony Campolo, Red Letter Revolution: What if Jesus Really Meant What He Said? (Thomas Nelson, 2012).
[11] David Fraser and Anthony Campolo, Sociology Through the Eyes of Faith: How Christian Sociologists Navigate and Reunite a Divided Field (Harper One, 1992).
