The Colbert Report is not something to be taken seriously. Guests who do take it seriously come off looking like idiots. Tony Campolo is no idiot. He fared pretty well with Colbert.

However…

I am not a fan of Tony Campolo. I’ve been pretty clear about that. But something I’ve been saying quite a bit in my current Sunday school class is that we can learn from those who err. And in this "interview" Campolo says somethings we can and should learn from. Evangelicalism is not a monolithic movement. There are more Moderates and Democrats who are (or consider themselves to be) Evangelicals than the mainstream media lets on or is able to comprehend. Campolo should blow some minds in the media with what he’s said.

However #2, there were somethings that Campolo said that are blowing my mind. First, he warned Colbert to worry about what comes after the judgement. That seems inconsistant with his view of hell and salvation after death! And the way Campolo sets the Old Testament (Hebrew Scriptures) over against the New Testament is not helpful either. Colbert pointed out that the Old Testament says to stone homosexuals. How does Tony answer that? "Jesus ups the ante. This is what is said in the Hebrew Bible but I say to you…" It sounds like Jesus didn’t agree with the Old Testament. But that can’t be, the Old Testament pointed to him, including the Law (Luke 24:27)!

Finally, I don’t know if I’ve commented on this before but I am very troubled by Campolo’s "Red Letter Christian" thing. It sounds like the only thing in the Bible that counts is what Jesus said. Like Paul and Luke and Peter and the other writers were not inspired or something.