Those familiar with Chuck Colson's daily BreakPoint commentaries on faith and society might not recognize the work as being that of an ex-con. But then again, Colson is no typical ex-con. From 1969-1973, Colson acted as then-President Nixon's special counsel. In an administration already known for its tough guys, Colson was the toughest. He was known as the White House "hatchet man," and the media once referred to him as "incapable of humanitarian thought." Then Colson found himself caught up in the Watergate scandal. He had helped to organize the illegal wiretapping of Democratic headquarters, and in 1973 Colson realized he was in big trouble. After some hesitation, Colson took a friend's counsel and turned to God in his moment of distress. He found something in Christianity that changed his life. Of course, outsiders had a hard time believing that the "hatchet man's" faith was genuine. When news of Colson's conversion to Christianity reached the press, the Boston Globe wrily commented, "If Mr. Colson can repent of his sins, there just has to be hope for everybody." Colson entered Alabama's Maxwell Prison in 1974 as a new Christian, and gained the vision there that led him to found Prison Fellowship Ministries in 1976 after his release. While an inmate, he promised his fellow prisoners that he would "never forget those behind bars." He fulfilled his promise by investing the royalties from his book Born Again to begin Prison Fellowship.Today there is no larger outreach to prisoners, ex-prisoners, crime victims, and their families in the world than Prison Fellowship Ministries. The Christian nonprofit has more than 50,000 prison ministry volunteers in 88 nations. Its programs range from various programs for prisoners and ex-prisoners; to Justice Fellowship, aimed at reforming the criminal justice system; to Angel Tree, which annually provides more than 500,000 children of inmates with Christmas presents on behalf of their incarcerated parents. In 1991, Colson also launched a daily radio commentary called "BreakPoint," which aims to provide a Christian worldview on everyday issues. BreakPoint, which is aired daily on over 1000 radio outlets nationwide, is a Silver partner of Townhall.com. Colson has received many awards in recognition of his contributions to society. These awards include the Templeton Prize for Progress in Religion (1993), Dominos Pizza Corporation's Humanitarian Award (1991), The Salvation Army's Others Award (1990), and several honorary doctorates from various colleges and universities. Colson donated the $1 million Templeton Prize to Prison Fellowship, and he consistently gives all of his speaking honoraria and book royalties to the organization as well. Today, the efforts of Nixon's former hatchet man have made a huge dent in the lives of countless prisoners and prisoners' children, and have even influenced federal criminal justice legislation. President Bush referred often to Prison Fellowship's InnerChange Freedom Initiative Program when calling for support for faith-based initiatives. The prolific conservative has also published 38 books which have captured the hearts of millions of Americans over the last 25 years. http://www.townhall.com/columnists/ChuckColson http://media.townhall.com/TownHall/icons/TH-feed-icon-128x128.gif http://www.townhall.com/columnists/ChuckColson TownHall.com, Where your opinion counts. 128 Copyright (c) 2013 Townhall.com, A Salem Communications Web. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED jim.dearras@townhall.com (Jim De Arras) Fri, 24 Sep 2010 16:45:00 GMT Fri, 24 Sep 2010 16:45:00 GMT http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss RSS.NET: http://www.rssdotnet.com/ It was a voice vote that silenced the voice of the church for generations. In 1954, then-Senator Lyndon Johnson was in the middle of a particularly bruising re-election battle. Two nonprofit groups had been... http://www.townhall.com/columnists/ChuckColson/2010/09/24/legislated_laryngitis f1b5305b-55ca-4297-afde-634b92e3dece Fri, 24 Sep 2010 16:45:00 GMT To the surprise of some political commentators and observers, abortion has emerged as an important issue in this year's elections. Despite the talk about the "broadening" of moral concerns on the part of Christian... http://www.townhall.com/columnists/ChuckColson/2008/09/10/politicians,_theology,_and_abortion c98839e4-7b09-4e12-b3dc-886b422f7d14 Wed, 10 Sep 2008 04:01:00 GMT Last week, 40 million TV viewers watched Barack Obama become the first African-American nominee of a major political party. And 24 hours later, Republican candidate John McCain set the political world on its ear by... http://www.townhall.com/columnists/ChuckColson/2008/09/03/clashing_worldviews 33c5e4e4-5b08-4950-a576-c89072a82f13 Wed, 03 Sep 2008 15:07:50 GMT There is a fascinating website called "Long Bets." There, people-usually experts-make specific predictions that will come true by a specific date. If somebody disagrees, the parties make a bet, with the proceeds going... http://www.townhall.com/columnists/ChuckColson/2008/09/02/cruel_to_be_kind ff7862f5-6d0d-4a76-a8f6-20446356c613 Tue, 02 Sep 2008 13:41:30 GMT If you have been watching the Olympics, you cannot help but be awed by the strength, speed, and skill of Olympic athletes. Take Michael Phelps, the phenomenal American swimmer who took gold in event after event. Or Dara... http://www.townhall.com/columnists/ChuckColson/2008/08/19/reinventing_man 45013074-cf12-4b25-8468-fe62efe34475 Tue, 19 Aug 2008 04:01:00 GMT A lot of people have asked me what I think about when I remember back to that hot, humid August night in 1973 when Tom Phillips, then the president of the Raytheon Company, witnessed to me in his home. I left his house... http://www.townhall.com/columnists/ChuckColson/2008/08/12/thirty-five_years_in_the_light f20272e3-2d60-444b-a852-760e4db73a5d Tue, 12 Aug 2008 04:01:00 GMT Presidents can say the strangest things in front of an open microphone, especially if he thinks the mic is not on. Take President Reagan's famous quip back in 1984, when he said shortly before his weekly radio address,... http://www.townhall.com/columnists/ChuckColson/2008/07/29/tipsy_on_wall_street b261a58c-f6c3-449e-90f0-778aff5ad6b7 Tue, 29 Jul 2008 15:41:40 GMT How is this for irony? Recent actions by Canadian human rights groups have observers alarmed for the state of human rights in Canada. That is because the Canadian Human Rights Commission and the British Columbia Human... http://www.townhall.com/columnists/ChuckColson/2008/07/21/whats_the_matter_with_canada 478e1586-191b-451b-bf05-11c399623d8b Mon, 21 Jul 2008 15:05:36 GMT According to a recent Reuters report, a leading Senate Democrat "would consider supporting opening up new areas for offshore oil and gas drilling." Senator Richard Durbin (D-Ill.), the majority whip, said that,... http://www.townhall.com/columnists/ChuckColson/2008/07/16/oil_and_the_poor 07a45a61-e1fc-4d84-8d41-044a1a953b84 Wed, 16 Jul 2008 04:01:00 GMT A few years ago, a good friend of mine decided to buy an old country campground, enlarge it, restore it, and invite inner-city children to use it. It was, for him, the beginning of a nightmare that would last for... http://www.townhall.com/columnists/ChuckColson/2008/07/07/government_at_its_worst 72b25490-50ff-4e0a-aa48-5150bcf56266 Mon, 07 Jul 2008 04:01:00 GMT It is easy to grow weary over the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. As for me, a former Marine, I ache for the families of the men and women who have paid the ultimate price. But I also know why our military personnel are... http://www.townhall.com/columnists/ChuckColson/2008/07/04/pray_for_the_liberators 96582a68-787e-40a2-ab0d-a49791f9e408 Fri, 04 Jul 2008 04:01:00 GMT This week, America celebrates another birthday. Americans are hoisting their flags, marching in parades, and setting off fireworks. I get a thrill every time I hear the band strike up "The Stars and Stripes Forever."... http://www.townhall.com/columnists/ChuckColson/2008/07/03/the_source_of_liberty f5af7444-302f-4127-8980-735755203ce2 Thu, 03 Jul 2008 04:01:00 GMT Alice Walker, best known as the author of the novel The Color Purple, is one of the most renowned feminist authors and activists of her generation. She is also a mother, and that fact brought her public and private... http://www.townhall.com/columnists/ChuckColson/2008/06/27/the_legacy_of_radical_feminism 212c51de-2367-468c-90d8-4aa73dcd0765 Fri, 27 Jun 2008 14:18:17 GMT In early June, the German television network ARD aired a film called "God and the World: The Persecuted Children of God." The "children" referred to are Iraq's largest Christian community: the Assyrians. While any... http://www.townhall.com/columnists/ChuckColson/2008/06/23/a_difficult_place_for_christians 4352bc5e-83ab-4de7-9e8b-15b2f02bd8cc Mon, 23 Jun 2008 14:55:43 GMT If you follow the financial news, you have probably heard the phrase, "Stocks were up (or down) on news that . . ." The "news" that is referred to is always something having to do with some government economic report,... http://www.townhall.com/columnists/ChuckColson/2008/06/10/demographic_winter_and_the_economy a08036e8-12ad-4ac1-bffd-20c2ada8f27e Tue, 10 Jun 2008 04:01:00 GMT Some years ago, in a Firing Line interview with Bill Buckley, I argued for criminal justice reform. The moderator, Mort Kondracke-who then considered himself a liberal-was astonished. He stammered, "You want prison... http://www.townhall.com/columnists/ChuckColson/2008/06/05/dwarves_on_the_shoulders_of_giants 8223d79a-d8f3-4da2-8ff7-6e9df9c7a87b Thu, 05 Jun 2008 04:01:00 GMT Where is God amidst the horrors of war? How do soldiers keep their faith in God's goodness amidst the suffering and slaughter of battle? American soldiers and sailors, airmen and Marines have asked questions like... http://www.townhall.com/columnists/ChuckColson/2008/05/26/where_is_god_in_wartime bd9d88d4-ecb5-4b19-b8f6-0d9090f1407c Mon, 26 May 2008 04:01:00 GMT In a recent issue of the New York Times, respected columnist David Brooks described how what he calls a "revolution in neuroscience" is shaping "how people see the world." I agree with him-up to a point. What Brooks... http://www.townhall.com/columnists/ChuckColson/2008/05/21/neuroscience_and_god 607dd53c-d653-427f-ab61-aff1eabee102 Wed, 21 May 2008 04:01:00 GMT A decision by the California Supreme Court to declare unconstitutional any ban on gay "marriage" is sending shock waves across the nation. The 4-3 decision announced Thursday not only legalizes gay "marriage" in the... http://www.townhall.com/columnists/ChuckColson/2008/05/16/overturning_californias_gay_marriage_ban 03e41255-2d4b-465f-891c-66dc5a4b5807 Fri, 16 May 2008 19:39:27 GMT With each passing day, the news from Myanmar-that is, Burma-gets worse: As of Sunday, May 11, nearly 300,000 people were reported as dead or missing. The United Nations estimated "that between 1.2 million and 1.9... http://www.townhall.com/columnists/ChuckColson/2008/05/15/their_own_private_apocalypse a387e6e5-d6c4-4df0-a603-d9fcb6f7b37f Thu, 15 May 2008 04:01:00 GMT Biofuels are one of the major reasons you and I are paying more for groceries these days. For most of us, it is just an inconvenience. For many around the world, however, it is a catastrophe. Last week, United Nations... http://www.townhall.com/columnists/ChuckColson/2008/05/07/crime_and_ethanol bb3e60b7-17d8-4d6b-8559-f9bd2d088838 Wed, 07 May 2008 04:01:00 GMT David Woodward is a political science professor at Clemson University-one who has first-hand experience on how dangerous it can be to speak out in favor of traditional values: He almost lost his job over it. In 1993,... http://www.townhall.com/columnists/ChuckColson/2008/05/01/why_we're_losing_our_right_to_speak_out 44055f51-19fe-4ddd-bc34-5aa27d25b993 Thu, 01 May 2008 04:01:00 GMT In mid-April, Italian voters returned former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi to power. Election post-mortems focused on what Berlusconi would do about the economy, crime, and Italy's illegal immigration... http://www.townhall.com/columnists/ChuckColson/2008/04/25/no_thanks_italy_and_abortion 245a3cad-9646-44e9-9360-e79d8801f15f Fri, 25 Apr 2008 04:01:00 GMT A crowd of students was studying in a rabbinical seminary library in Jerusalem last month when a gunman opened fire. Seven Israelis and one American were killed, nine others wounded. Before their blood had dried on the... http://www.townhall.com/columnists/ChuckColson/2008/04/18/israels_exposed_flank b871d3b0-e2eb-47ae-a0dc-b77017c59913 Fri, 18 Apr 2008 04:01:00 GMT In modern America, film and television are powerful shapers of culture. They provide shared experiences; they influence the way people think about the world around them. They can even help establish powerful... http://www.townhall.com/columnists/ChuckColson/2008/04/09/a_tribute_to_charlton_heston 1f302757-d4f6-475a-be2a-81abdd80307a Wed, 09 Apr 2008 16:48:26 GMT Forty years ago today, Martin Luther King was assassinated at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee. His murder not only cut short one of the most remarkable lives in American history, it also cut short a... http://www.townhall.com/columnists/ChuckColson/2008/04/04/beyond_conversation bbc76092-92c5-4242-81ae-747ece27be13 Fri, 04 Apr 2008 04:01:00 GMT In church yesterday, as you celebrated Easter, did you notice anything-or anyone-unusual? In churches all over the world, there were millions of people celebrating the resurrection of Christ, who were not there just... http://www.townhall.com/columnists/ChuckColson/2008/03/24/they_want_jesus_instead_why_muslims_convert 9521a55a-fa26-4e1f-bd1d-b9f95f912ad8 Mon, 24 Mar 2008 14:49:09 GMT Easter for many of us is a day of family gatherings and a celebration, not only of Christ's resurrection, but also the coming of spring. Today, on Good Friday, let's not rush the celebration before coming face-to-face... http://www.townhall.com/columnists/ChuckColson/2008/03/21/the_truth_about_everything 18011c3d-221b-4193-a84b-031e7a2a73a8 Fri, 21 Mar 2008 04:00:30 GMT Sociologist Stefan Timmerman has observed that "Humans in every society studied to date are more likely to be murdered on the day they are born than on any other day of their lives." Timmerman was quoted recently by... http://www.townhall.com/columnists/ChuckColson/2008/03/15/deadly_trend c739c6a4-5e08-4522-8361-53aa0a104430 Sat, 15 Mar 2008 18:46:25 GMT This summer the Olympics will be held in Beijing, a decision fraught with controversy since it was announced back in 2001. China's human-rights record is abysmal-from forced abortions, to persecuting Christians and... http://www.townhall.com/columnists/ChuckColson/2008/03/03/shut_up_and_compete 4c1b37cd-0256-4f3f-b12f-49ce01e73520 Mon, 03 Mar 2008 15:34:24 GMT There are an estimated 1.6 million Muslims in Great Britain. By some estimates, more people attend mosque than go to Anglican churches every week. Judging by recent comments by the Archbishop of Canterbury, it is... http://www.townhall.com/columnists/ChuckColson/2008/02/25/the_archbishop_and_sharia 12cfc236-b1e0-425b-9c80-1cec9ea388ae Mon, 25 Feb 2008 15:35:11 GMT Last month, the president announced his intention to sell Saudi Arabia some of our most sophisticated weapons. This is a bad idea, and you should let your representative know it right away. The proposed $20 billion... http://www.townhall.com/columnists/ChuckColson/2008/02/11/this_idea_is_a_bomb 36513ca8-8f7d-4ecf-baec-b9843e66c12b Mon, 11 Feb 2008 15:47:20 GMT A few years ago, novelist Anne Rice, famous for her vampire stories, recommitted herself to her Catholic faith. She then announced that she was dedicating her writing talents to Christ. One result was the wonderful... http://www.townhall.com/columnists/ChuckColson/2008/02/07/the_faith,_given_once_for_all 3ab9091a-06ec-40e5-8cd9-702ab0a076c4 Thu, 07 Feb 2008 15:12:00 GMT Little Noah Markham was one of the tiniest victims of Hurricane Katrina. When the levees broke, Noah was trapped in a flooded New Orleans hospital. It took 10 police officers using flat-bottomed boats to rescue... http://www.townhall.com/columnists/ChuckColson/2008/01/24/noah_and_the_flood 6f6ff70f-9e29-45d6-a473-74093ffc4928 Thu, 24 Jan 2008 15:59:49 GMT In my new just-released book, The Faith, I argue that the two greatest challenges to the Christian worldview come from radical Islam and extreme secularism. Almost on cue, recent events in Europe have conspired to... http://www.townhall.com/columnists/ChuckColson/2008/01/17/an_ironic_juxtaposition d2e940b0-f20d-4cdb-8dcf-4581e4c28c6e Thu, 17 Jan 2008 13:37:00 GMT For the next 10 months, presidential candidates will be telling us how they plan to make the world a safer place for Americans. Now, that's good, of course, but there are other people whose safety American... http://www.townhall.com/columnists/ChuckColson/2008/01/11/the_suffering_church 8c2248f6-7c99-4041-9204-05e214467f0d Fri, 11 Jan 2008 16:17:56 GMT What image does the mention of Christmas typically conjure up? For most of us, it is a babe lying in a manger while Mary and Joseph, angels, and assorted animals look on. Heartwarming picture, but Christmas is about... http://www.townhall.com/columnists/ChuckColson/2007/12/25/its_not_about_the_manger 50f88bd7-4307-4d7e-9d5a-13f76256b39c Tue, 25 Dec 2007 05:01:00 GMT The list of losers in the sub-prime loan crisis is long: borrowers, investors, banks, anyone whose livelihood depends on the availability of credit-and homeowners whose homes are being foreclosed. But there are... http://www.townhall.com/columnists/ChuckColson/2007/12/19/selling_morality_short 8e6c608f-60a4-4b9e-8f04-d565df84ddf7 Wed, 19 Dec 2007 16:29:21 GMT For decades, British couples campaigned to have infertility treatments included among the treatments provided by the U.K.'s National Health Service. Even after the Service agreed to pay for treatments like in vitro... http://www.townhall.com/columnists/ChuckColson/2007/12/11/voluntary_self-extinction bcf25531-dac8-4379-a052-be0209b6a65d Tue, 11 Dec 2007 16:28:32 GMT Sixty-six years ago today, the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor-an action that dramatically altered the course of history. Jacob DeShazer was on KP duty in California when he first heard the news. Furious at what the... http://www.townhall.com/columnists/ChuckColson/2007/12/07/pearl_harbor,_hiroshima-and_calvary 33b41f04-c4e3-4e15-9730-18eefafa8cac Fri, 07 Dec 2007 16:07:55 GMT Just before Thanksgiving, researchers in Wisconsin and Japan announced a breakthrough in stem-cell research. This time, it was good news for those of us who believe in the sanctity of human life. The researchers... http://www.townhall.com/columnists/ChuckColson/2007/11/29/stem-cell_breakthrough 60ed565f-5e45-4d9f-9aa4-0222276f3a04 Thu, 29 Nov 2007 05:01:00 GMT It has become the worst drought in the history of the Southeast. The ground is parched; crops are dying. And last week, Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue decided to do something about it. He urged Georgians to pray for... http://www.townhall.com/columnists/ChuckColson/2007/11/22/the_bounty_and_goodness_of_our_god 44926aa0-01d5-43d8-acf6-35bc4b2ed6fb Thu, 22 Nov 2007 05:01:01 GMT In the mountains of Afghanistan, 29-year-old Navy Lt. Michael Murphy was leading a four-man team on a mission to capture a Taliban leader. Suddenly, some 40 insurgents opened fire from three sides. Lt. Murphy... http://www.townhall.com/columnists/ChuckColson/2007/11/12/honoring_our_veterans 3ba30295-72db-43d8-aec5-1852660d12c6 Mon, 12 Nov 2007 16:44:44 GMT Since late September, the crackdown on pro-democracy forces in Burma has brought unwelcome attention to one of the most oppressive regimes on Earth. For many people, the defining image of the Burmese struggle... http://www.townhall.com/columnists/ChuckColson/2007/11/08/persecution_in_burma c3cf458b-dba2-40d2-baa0-6a442bed5ad3 Thu, 08 Nov 2007 16:50:15 GMT Note: The following commentary contains information that may not be suitable for children. A teenage girl was recalling what her childhood had been like-a childhood marred by porn. "When I was eight years old," she... http://www.townhall.com/columnists/ChuckColson/2007/10/29/the_victims_of_porn 29989dff-ccef-48de-bf17-177e523eb9e1 Mon, 29 Oct 2007 17:11:35 GMT The Red Sox are in the World Series, opening today, and I have got a very big problem. Having grown up in Boston buying 60-cent seats to the bleachers to watch my heroes, the Red Sox, I became a lifelong fan. But... http://www.townhall.com/columnists/ChuckColson/2007/10/24/winning_the_right_way ce411e02-5dc3-4622-8d48-66122826f90b Wed, 24 Oct 2007 04:01:00 GMT One of the really formative experiences in my life was serving as an officer in the Marine Corps. I thought military service was an honorable profession, so much so that I urged my sons to consider military... http://www.townhall.com/columnists/ChuckColson/2007/10/24/how_america_treats_its_military b24a1c7e-7e69-406e-bcb5-9c8671848d96 Wed, 24 Oct 2007 04:01:00 GMT One of the really formative experiences in my life was serving as an officer in the Marine Corps. I thought military service was an honorable profession, so much so that I urged my sons to consider military service-even... http://www.townhall.com/columnists/ChuckColson/2007/10/23/how_america_treats_its_military 8284b482-0ff7-4c44-a245-06743c37f472 Tue, 23 Oct 2007 04:01:00 GMT In his new memoir, former Federal Reserve chairman Alan Greenspan reminds us that author Ayn Rand is still influencing the world. He credits her with turning him into something more than a "math... http://www.townhall.com/columnists/ChuckColson/2007/10/16/the_legacy_of_ayn_rand 10de7048-21ed-4df2-aa7d-e35715859f14 Tue, 16 Oct 2007 14:43:30 GMT