by Ingrid Schlueter and Rev. Wayne Sedlak
Excerpts from Renegade Prophet? A Look at the Teachings of Tony Campolo
to be released by VCY America Press. Copyright 1997 VCY America, Inc.

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On January 24, 1997, Tony Campolo appeared on the Charlie Rose Show, a PBS late night television talk program. In the interview he stated the following about openly homosexual cleric Peter Gomes, pastor of Harvard Memorial Church in Cambridge, Massachusetts.1

Charlie Rose: Where do you think you would differ--have you read Peter Gomes book?

Campolo: Yes. Peter is really an evangelical at Harvard, I, uh, I think Peter would say that. When he preaches, he preaches up a storm and where Peter Gomes and I would differ is that probably I take the Bible more literally than he does. Uh, he, uh he takes the Bible seriously. As you know his newest book is really an attempt to rescue the Bible from those who would use it as a, as some kind of club to beat on people.

Charlie Rose: That's what you want to do too, I assume.

Campolo: I want to use the Bible not to club people--

Charlie Rose: No, I mean to rescue it from people who would use it as a divisive axe.

Campolo: No, I think the Bible calls us to a ministry of reconciliation, a bringing people together. But Peter Gomes when he reads the Bible gets a message that comes from God. And when he preaches, he preaches just like Billy Graham does, in a sense. The Bible says-- he speaks out of Scripture. If you've read his book, he uses the Bible to convey the messages of eternity to the people of this age.

Charlie Rose: Peter Gomes would love to have that endorsement from you on his book. You're at one with Billy Graham and you're at one with Peter Gomes.

Campolo: Peter Gomes has me on the Harvard Chapel committee. I work with him so, yeah, I'm a friend of Billy Graham and a friend of Peter Gomes."