I am impressed by the little dialogue going on in the chatterbox about Cary vs. Campolo worldview. I have something else to say about that:

I was thinking about the concept of 'least of these', like Li mentioned. Jesus makes it come right down to that concept when talking about salvation. (Matthew 25:31-46). Jesus mentioned acts like visiting a person in prison or feeding the hungry. No Christian can rationally argue that these are not good things. Serving the poor IS especially important to God. That is something I believe with all of my heart. Yet, I also think, in looking carefully at what Jesus DOES, I can see what Dr. Cary (and chatterbox peeps) may have been getting at. Jesus heals the sick and feeds the hungry but makes a special point about speaking to people's spirits; offered them gifts of forgiveness, acceptance, empathy, etc. When He heals the paralytic, he forgives the man's sins before making him able to walk.

Jesus ministers to the soul first because it is the poorest part of everyone. I think Jesus' heart breaks just as much for a middle class kid who is on the brink of despair as for a poor man sleeping on the street corner. Therefore, the poor in body who are hungry and cold and sick ought to be given what they lack from what we have in plenty, BUT there really do seem to be many ways to serve the poor. Those who counsel, teach, provide laughter, create beautiful art, parent, etc. are not people I think Tony would see as inferior servants. Not at all. He has a graduate school training people for just those sorts of careers. Two examples in my own life: today when I was so stressed and running on empty, two things that really brought my eyes right back to Jesus' love for me was Dr. Cary's philosophy class and a word of reassurance and confidence in me fromy my mother. I was feeling poor in spirit and they reminded me of God's care for me.

I think maybe I just heard one statement in controversy with another, and maybe those two agree more than it seems. Sounds simplistic and not exactly an earth-shattering realization, but it means a lot to me. and hey, it's my blog isn't it? :)