Born again is a 1978 american biographical film depicting the involvement of charles w. In his book, born again, chuck colson writes of the dramatic change that came into his life that evening. Colson in the watergate scandal, his subsequent conversion to christianity, and his prison term stemming from watergate. Colson, the doer of dirty tricks and dealer of low blows, made his grandma part of the american political lexicon the one he would have. His books, including his 1976 autobiography born again, have sold more than 25 million copies. The trumpets will be sounding on the other side for charles w. This unforgettable memoir shows a man who, seeking fulfillment in success and power, found it. Chuck colson, who died this weekend, wrote an outrageously good book more than 35 years ago called born again.
Chuck colson, however, was a man who did evil, claimed to know jesus and to be born again, which was the title of his book about his claimed regeneration. Because 12 men testified they had seen jesus raised from the dead, then they proclaimed that truth for 40 years, never once denying it. Colson was sentenced to prison for the crimes he committed in the name of national security, and while in prison he underwent a religious conversion. The volunteerbased organization is designed to bring bible study and a christian message to prison. Chuck colson came from seemingly the most unlikely situation to be a hero, yet through a life transformed by the gospel of jesus christ, he became just thata hero. The bibles power rests upon the fact that it is the reliable, errorless, and infallible word of god. They would not have endured that if it werent true. Colson gained notoriety at the height of the watergate. Before he went off to prison he had a born again evangelical experience, a conversion experience, he said. I believe this is the first book he wrote after becoming a christian. Charles colsons born again was the most celebrated spiritual memoir of the. Behind bars, the bornagain christian founded the worlds largest prison ministry. In his 1975 memoir born again, colson noted that a few writers published sympathetic stories, as in the case of a widely reprinted upi article, from watergate to inner peace. Charles chuck colson went to prison after serving as richard nixons hatchet man in the watergate era.
What really happened to the white house hatchet man charles w. I was only a baby when he was a top aide to president richard nixon. Pdf charles colsons born again was the most celebrated spiritual memoir of the 1970s evangelical revival, and remains the bestknown. Charles chuck colson is the watergate conspirator who pled guilty to obstructing justice, went to jail, and then had a religious awakening that led him to found the outreach group known as prison fellowship ministries. He served as special counsel to president richard nixon from 1969 to 1973.
Born again is an excellent book about chuck colsons experience as a presidential counsel and aid, his subsequent prison experience, and conversion to. Settling in on the back porch with a glass of iced tea in hand, they began to discuss where life was going for each of them. Hodder and stoughton, london sydneyaucklandtoronto 1980. Chuck colson, the family, born again are you aware. In his search for meaning and purpose in the face of the watergate scandal, colson penned born again. Colson explains to you what is happening in his mind and heart. Chuck colson was one of the most influential leaders of our time. Since then he has written 23 books, which have sold more than five million copies. The story culminates with his starting a prison ministry. This unforgettable memoir shows a man who, seeking fulfillment in success and power, found it, paradoxically, in national disgrace and prison. Charles wendell colson october 16, 1931 april 21, 2012, generally referred to as chuck. Chuck colson death of a deceiver and a man to whom the. Colson was the lead author of the evangelicals and catholics together agreement signed by pat robertson, calvinistic author j.
Chuck colson, who became a bornagain christian amid the watergate scandal and later became the most prominent advocate for the spiritual transformation of prisoners, died saturday afternoon, according to prison fellowship ministry. Every one was beaten, tortured, stoned and put in prison. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read born again. Colsonnot only for what he achieved as a christian leader but for how much his character changed.
Colson wrote the prologue and epilogue to his daughter emily colsons 2010 book dancing with max zondervan. His life was a testament to the transformational power of jesus christ. Colson pleaded guilty to watergaterelated offenses and, after a tumultuous investigation, served seven months in prison. Colson became a bornagain christian and in 1976 founded the prison fellowship ministries. Colson tells his story in a way to make you want to continue on to each next chapter. There are so many biographies out there that are lists of events and facts that surround a person. Born again is colsons story about the high point of his career as nixons special counsel through the presidents 1972 reelection campaign, his conversion to christianity, his conviction during the infamous watergate scandal though that is not why he was. Packer, john kent of the church of the nazarene and the. Charles colson was involved in the infamous watergate scandal that. His autobiographical book, born again, was one of the nations bestselling books of all kinds in 1976 and was made into a featurelength film. It starred dean jones as colson, anne francis as his wife, dana andrews as tom phillips, harry spillman as president nixon, former. Charles colsons born again presents a paradigmatic faith story of 1970s evangelicalismwith a few twists. On 12 may 2004 family research council president tony perkins shared a peculiar insight in a massdistribution email.
Colsons autobiography, born again, first published in 1976, sold millions of copies over the years. As chuck colson pointed out at yesterdays pastors briefing, when you mix young people who grew up on a steady diet of mtv and pornography with a prison environment, you get the abuse at abu ghraib. Born again is an excellent book about chuck colsons experience as a presidential counsel and aid, his subsequent prison experience, and conversion to jesus as lord of his life. In this powerful book, chuck colson and harold fickett identify the unshakable tenets of the faith that christians have believed through the centuriestruths that offer a ground for faith in uncertain times, hope and joy for those who despair, and reconciliation for a world at war with god and itself. The actual watergate activities are only touched on. I know the resurrection is a fact, and watergate proved it to me.
Charles colson was involved in the infamous watergate scandal that brought down the administration of former president richard nixon. According to the blurb at the beginning of this book, life sentence begins where born again left off, chronicling chuck colsons growth to full christian commitment in his prison ministry. Colson pleaded guilty to watergaterelated offenses. Colson in the watergate scandal, his subsequent conversion to. As colson wrote in born again of finding christ amid the ruins of the nixon administration, i felt truly free, even. When he was released, he wrote the megabestseller born again and used the royalties to start prison fellowship ministries. It produced guffaws in official wash ington, cromartie said, but colson demonstrated he. Get a copy of his first book, born again, which tells his incredible story. Chuck colson october 16, 1931 april 21, 2012 was the chief counsel for richard nixon, and was sent to prison in alabama on a one to threeyear sentence he served seven months following a plea bargain to avoid going to court over the watergate scandal. Charles colson was born in new england and graduated from brown university. His last book, the faith, is a powerful appeal to the church to reembrace the foundational truths of christianity. Revell company, old tappan, new jersey while accompanying my wife at her roman catholic church one sunday, patty flipped open the hymnal, smiled and nudged methe title was on that page. Leading evangelical voice, chuck colson, passes to his. Charles colson who was perhaps the sleaziest of all of the members of richard nixons core of watergate gang members is portrayed here by dean jones most widely known for his many roles in disney films.
Born again is a somewhat trite title, but the contents of the book are not so. Colsons cultural and political commentary reached millions of readers and listeners. He is proof that jesus still saves, that the dark night of the soul can lead to a new dawn. The world premiere of born again was held at the kennedy center in washington, dc, on september 24, 1978. Read for yourself the account of how chuck colson became a follower of christ. Before i began this biography, i knew nothing about charles colson. All the ink obituary writers have been spilling about his involvement in watergate and then his heroic work reaching out to the incarcerated with prison fellowship make him sound at best like a second paul, a man who switched sides. The counterfeit gospel of charles colson trinity foundation.
Much of this film deals with colsons conversion as a born again christian. Here we get the inveterate sinner, the man whose hubris gave him success and rewards in the world. The book is endorsed by jack anderson, billy graham, catherine marshall, carl henry. Comic book comics 1978 by chuck colson author see all formats and editions hide other formats and editions. With dean jones, anne francis, jay robinson, dana andrews. Those familiar with chuck colsons daily breakpoint commentaries on faith and society might not recognize the work as being that of an excon. I want to be a better person after listening to born again. He founded prison fellowship in 1976, which has become the nations largest. In his bestselling memoir, born again, chuck wrote, i found myself increasingly drawn to the idea that god had put me in prison for a purpose and that i should do something for those i had left behind. Amathy trietley charles chuck colson, the author of born again, was a former counsel to president nixon in 1968. Book born again by charles w colson revd by molly ivins. One of americas foremost conservative cultural commentators and a leading voice for evangelicalism, charles chuck colson, passed to his reward today following complications related to a blood clot on his brain. Born again is colsons story about the high point of his career as nixons special counsel through the presidents 1972 reelection campaign, his conversion to christianity, his conviction during the infamous watergate scandal though that is not why he was convicted, and his time spent in federal prison for obstruction of justice and defamation. Read through these famous quotes and sayings from chuck colson today.