Chuck Colson, advocate for prisoners, dies at age 80
Charles W. “Chuck” Colson, an evangelical leader and advocate for prisoners, died at age 80 on Saturday, April 21, at 3:12 pm.
Chuck was the founder of the Prison Fellowship and the Colson Center for Christian Worldview. During his own incarceration following the Watergate scandal, Chuck experienced a profound conversion. After leaving prison, he dedicated the rest of his life to ministering to prisoners, while remaining active in American politics, and speaking and writing widely on issues related to faith in the public sphere.
Regent College President Rod Wilson reflects on Chuck's passing: "While the interaction between Nicodemus and Jesus brought focus to the phrase 'born again,' it was the publication of Chuck Colson's book utilizing the same wording in 1976 that brought this concept into the mainstream. Since his conversion Colson has demonstrated the power of reorienting your life through Jesus. From a person of questionable character in the Watergate debacle he became an outstanding spokesperson for the Christian faith, blending theological depth, political insight, and penetrating cultural analysis. His passing is an invitation to another generation to continue his legacy."
Chuck chaired the funding committee for the J.I. Packer Chair of Theology at Regent College, which is currently held by Dr. Hans Boersma. The Regent community unites with Chuck's family during this time of grieving.
UPDATE: RegentAudio.com has made available for free "Truth in a Hostile World," a talk given by Chuck Colson in 1997 on behalf of the endowment campaign for the J. I. Packer Chair of Theology at Regent College.
About Regent College
Regent College is an evangelical, international graduate school of Christian studies based in Vancouver, and affiliated with the University of British Columbia, Canada’s third largest university. Regent College is a theological graduate school—a place of academic rigour, cultural engagement, and vibrant faith that transforms intellect, imagination, and character. Here, people from around the world are inspired and enriched with a deep and practical Christian faith extending into all spheres of life and enabling them to live more thoughtfully in varied vocations in the church and the world.