Aug
17

A Challenge to Pat Robertson, Bishop Spong … & Stephen Colbert

Click here for a new two-minute video — an invitation to Pat Robertson and John Shelby Spong to join us at the Big Tent Christianity celebration this September (check it out at BigTentChristianity.com), to share a hug on stage, and to publically acknowledge each other as brothers in faith. Or is there, according to these gentlemen, no longer anything that Christians share in common? On the video I’ve added a challenge to Stephen Colbert to let Brian McLaren and me make this public challenge on the Colbert Report — whether his motives are serious or merely for comic effect (or both!).

– Philip

If you don’t see the video, click here.

Tags: big tent christianity, bishop spong, pat robertson, stephen colbert

Posted in Contemporary Affairs Events Religion Theology
4 Comments Posted by Philip Clayton

4 Responses to "A Challenge to Pat Robertson, Bishop Spong … & Stephen Colbert"

Ian Carmichael says:

Tuesday, August 17, 2010 at 4:56 pm

Wow! Well, you’ve sketched out the maximum dimensions for the tent.
And I’d love to see these two guys come together – with the story of their wrestle in either providing each other with a hug or withholding one.
Will you give them space for testimony as well as embrace?
Russ says:

Thursday, August 19, 2010 at 2:07 am

A big tent is great… but there’s a reason people put the outhouse on the outside.
Andy D says:

Tuesday, September 21, 2010 at 4:49 pm

So, Philip, are you asking the question or have you answered it already? Your invitation seems to be speaking out of ‘both sides of your mouth,’ so to speak. They are brothers in the faith. Are they brothers in the faith?
Philip Clayton says:

Sunday, September 26, 2010 at 1:53 am

Andy, thanks for your comment. I would definitely welcome the two of them to meet us at Big Tent and talk openly not only about their differences but also about their agreements. In that sense the invitation was sincere.

Ian, I think you see the deeper idea behind the invitation. The church *could* extend to include both of these gentlemen. The question is: will they come? Will they acknowledge that the both seek the good of the same one Body of Christ?

If not, what conclusions should we draw?

– Philip