I’ve been reading books by Tony Campolo for decades. And I’ve read several of Shane Claiborne’s books. So when I heard they had collaborated on Red Letter Revolution: What If Jesus Really Meant What He Said?, it was a natural for me to check it out.

The book is written in a conversational style, as if Tony and Shane were simply talking. The chapters are then organized by theme, ranging from the Church to immigration, from giving to family. It makes for an easy read as the topics flow naturally from the two authors. Taken as a whole, the book lays out the ideas behind Red Letter Christians and calls for new thinking on what it means to be a follower of Christ today.

As somebody between the two authors in age (Tony is roughly 20 years older than me, Shane is roughly 20 years younger), I enjoyed the different reflections they had along generational lines. Tony’s old school approach is still valid and effective, but Shane’s approach is making a real impact on the world. Tony appeals to my Mom (who received the book as a gift, I should add) and Shane appeals to my daughter (who as I type this is on a plane to Philly to visit The Simple Way).

This is an easy book to read that covers a lot of material. It focuses on doing, not just thinking, and it reflects a nice blend of the two generational styles. Shane comes across as a true thought-leader (no surprise there as he’s been one for a long time now) and Tony comes across as the seasoned veteran. There’s a passing of the torch going on here, and I suspect both authors know this and embrace it.

Well done, gentlemen. A nice book that shares a healthy perspective on what might be the future of the Church in America.