“Christianity
is the most humanising influence in Western history and it remains that today.”
~Chuck Colson (1931–2012)
Words will fail in trying to
describe the impact of a person like Charles Colson on our world, and particularly
within prisons and in the lives of prisoners and even their victims. Gone to
the Lord now, I’ve reflected a few times over this
captivating interview.
With a central concern on
incarceration and the causes of crime, Colson defended life, because it needs
defending. He believed in a thesis of crime that emanates out of people making
the wrong moral choices. He saw that only the Gospel could convert the wrongdoer
to a more responsible lifestyle and thereby give them purpose and a hope. He
also saw prisoners converted to Christ much more rarely re-enter prison
compared with those who weren’t.
Colson lamented the consistent and
gradual weakening of Christianity’s influence over the Western life. His
passion was Christianising our worldview—that a Christian worldview is the only
hope. And the case he espoused was compelling.
Two Great Calls
Colson had two significant
purposes: 1) to work within a restorative justice framework, assisting
prisoners, victims of crime and prison workers; and, 2) he studied the causes
of crime to better understand how to change the world for the cause of God, so
the world could survive, even thrive.
“A world
without God is a world adrift.”
~Chuck Colson
There is purpose in dealing with
the ills in our world and in creating answers for a better tomorrow. That’s the
Christian worldview.
The Christian worldview is one of
community—harmony and prosperity for all. Christianity is not a selfish
religion. It has a fundamental mandate to grow the world toward salvation, and,
in doing so, to rid the world of vast social injustice, for instance slavery,
abortion, poverty, and hunger.
Colson’s two great calls highlight
to us our opportunities to split our calls of God into both reactive and
proactive ventures. We must respond to our ailing world, and yet we must also
create a better future for tomorrow. That is the Christian worldview.
There is
purpose in dealing with the ills in our world and in creating answers for a
better tomorrow.
Life without purpose is
meaningless. Christianising our worldview gives us back our purpose. In Christ
we have a purpose in dealing with the ills in the world and in creating answers
for a better tomorrow. If we don’t do it, who will?
© 2012 S. J. Wickham.
Acknowledgement: To Sheridan Voysey for his 2010 interview.
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