Book Reviews
“Some books are to be tasted, others to be swallowed.” Francis Bacon (d. 1626)
Choose Love Not Power
Tony Campolo, Ventura, CA: Regal, 2009.
Reviewed by Darold Morgan
Richardson, TX
Tony Campolo, one of America’s best known evangelical authors, has brilliantly updated an earlier book on The Theology of Power. The central theme of this very readable, generously illustrated volume is Campolo’s unequivocal call to Christians “to follow Jesus’ example and combat societal struggle with sacrificial love.” No one will debate the seemingly endless list of these societal struggles, but there is indeed a debate about the most effective approach—Power or Love!
During his multiple years as a professor of Sociology, combined with a traditional commitment to biblical truth, Campolo wades into some of society’s most volatile and debatable issues with a solid Christian perspective keyed to the concept of sacrificial love. Interestingly, this approach engenders sadly some major conflicts and antagonisms—often from unexpected sources of devout Christians. But the open-minded Christian needs urgently to think upon these issues related to this intriguing title—Love not Power!
A major strength of this book is the incessant and honest call to Christian servant hood and sacrificial love, a call emulating the example of Jesus in spite of the complexity of these ancient/modern issues. And many of these are flammable—i.e. the submission of women, homophobia, abortion, racial conflicts, an ever-increasing pluralistic society!
His chapters on the family should be required reading. One will quickly discover some very helpful material about “God’s self limitation of power” which will engender for the Calvinists among us some heated debate about divine sovereignty. This is a wide-ranging book on multiple ethical and theological concerns, brought together with depth and spiritual insight about a genuine sacrificial Christian love. Campolo will make one think and probe these contemporary challenges. And some readers might even be converted to his premises. Some will not. But read the book anyway.
