HolyCoast: Watergate Figure and Prison Evangelist Chuck Colson Dead at 80
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Saturday, April 21, 2012

Watergate Figure and Prison Evangelist Chuck Colson Dead at 80

A great spiritual leader goes home:
Charles Colson, respected evangelical leader and former President Nixon adviser, died Saturday afternoon at age 80 from complications resulting from a brain hemorrhage.

Over the span of several decades, Colson became one of evangelicalism's most influential voices within the movement and to the broader culture. Observers suggest Colson will likely be best remembered for his prison ministry, behind-the-scenes political involvement, work on evangelical and Catholic dialogue, and his cultural commentary.

In many ways, Colson's life encapsulated the eclectic nature of evangelicalism. His example shaped how evangelicals would promote ministry and social justice, evangelism and ecumenicism, cultural and political engagement, radio and writing, and scholarship and discipleship.

"His demonization in the 1970s has been replaced by lionizations in the 2000s—at least among the nation's 65 million evangelical Christians," Jonathan Aitken wrote in his 2005 biography. Aitken portrayed Colson as an important but flawed figure in evangelicalism, "America's best-known Christian leader after Billy Graham."

Before his conversion to Christianity, Colson was described as an aggressive political mastermind who drank heavily, chain smoked, and smeared opponents. He served as special counsel to President Richard Nixon from 1969 to 1973 before he was indicted on Watergate-related charges, which led to a 7-month prison term. After his conversion experience, he published Born Again, helping popularize the term many evangelicals use to self-identify.
I heard Colson speak a couple of times in the late 70's or early 80's at Melodyland Christian Center when his ministry was just beginning. He made quite an impact.

A couple of hours after he died Joshua Trevino posted this on Twitter:
@jstrevino: Someone is telling Chuck Colson now, "I was in prison, and you visited Me."
Yep. That's gonna happen a lot. And from Brit Hume:
Was there a better contemporary example of the power of Christian redemption than the life of Charles Colson? Hard to think of one. RIP

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