Charles W. Colson: A Life Redeemed

I have been a fan of Chuck Colson's books and have followed his Prison Fellowship ministry which now extends around the World. He is one of the greatest theological minds of our century. This biography is extremely thorough, honest, and well-written. Taking you into the political turmoil of the Nixon era and the Watergate fall-out in great detail, it was compelling reading. Mr. Colson's life story is an inspiration to read.

Whatever your opinion of Chuck Colson, you can't deny his powerful impact on American society, as a groundbreaking political strategist in his first life and as a leading evangelical leader in his second life. Evangelical biographies aren't always thorough and honest. Unlike the Bible itself, they often gloss over the weaknesses of their subjects. But Jonathan Aitken's look at Chuck Colson escapes that trap and delivers a complete look at a man who has made a significant imprint on American life and culture. Rarely has a person impacted the world with two separate lives like Chuck Colson has. His days as a Nixon hatchetman are legendary, but Aitken fills in some of the blanks for the post-Watergate generation. Clearly Colson was a win-at-all costs political tactician who engineered many victories, most importantly the election of Richard Nixon. His actual involvment in Watergate is sketchy at best and it is likely he went to jail for a trumped up charge, handed down in the hysteria of Watergate. However, rather than spending a life embittered by political losses and an unfair jail sentence, Colson found a relationship with Jesus Christ and thus his life was turned around. The drive to succeed was channeled into ground-breaking prison ministry, which included reform, one-on-one evangelism, and a variety of think tanks and worldview programs. Now Prison Fellowship is one of the largest and most successful evangelical organizations in the world. Many evangelicals, including myself, have one beef with Colson, namely his work to disregard the wide theological chasm that exists between Catholics and Evangelicals in his attempt to bring the two together. Martin Luther and other reformers would find this naive at best and appalling at worst. Still, no one can dismiss the remarkable influence of the political hatchet man whose life was dramatically turned around by the grace of God. Many prisoners will be in the Kingdom because of Colson's life. Aitken's biography is spot-on, thorough, and brutally honest. I recommend it whole-heartedly.

Notorious as Richard Nixon's hatchet man, Charles (Chuck) Colson's involvement in the Watergate scandal sent him from the White House to "the big house." Today, this former felon is a respected Christian leader. He is the founder of the far-reaching Prison Fellowship, which is one of the most respected and productive Christian parachurch organizations in America, powerfully reflecting the resurrection and redeeming grace of Jesus Christ. Colson truly stands as a modern-day Paul, whose life was radically changed after an encounter with the Lord. This book is well documented and well written. On the one hand, it presents Colson as a man who has had a very positive impact on American culture and religion; yet, on the other hand, it does not downplay the bad choices he made earlier in his life that led him to prison. There is a brutal honesty in the presentation of Colson's political ambitions, his drive for power, and his insensitivity to people who got in his way. However, this makes the story of his redemption all the more astounding. Noted British researcher and author Jonathan Aitken was given full access to Colson's personal papers and private archives. Additionally, he did extensive interviews with Colson's wife, children, co-workers, and friends. The result is an intriguing study of this Hyde-turns-Jekyll individual. This book will be of interest not only to Christians but also to anyone interested in the machinations of politics or the events of American history. - Leilani Joy Wells, Christian Book Previews.com