This Special Report Was Prepared by the Washington Times Advocacy

PromoteGood • ResistEvil • RestoreBrokenness

This Special Report was prepared by The Washington Times Advocacy Department and The Colson Center for Christian Worldview The 2016 Wilberforce Weekend: Restoring All Things

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PROMOTING GOODNESS God loveth “re” words by John Stonestreet and Warren Cole Smith ...... 4 To handle today’s ‘cultural moment,’ stand firm in the Gospel story by John Stonestreet ...... 5 Understanding God’s mission by Dr. Ed Stetzer ...... 5 Hannah More, the ‘female’ Wilberforce by Dr. Karen Swallow Prior ...... 6 Christian communities offer ‘ballast’ against ‘violence, radicalism, insanity’ by Dr. Gregory Alan Thornbury ...... 7 Museum of the Bible beckons all to ‘come and see’ by Steve Green ...... 8

RESISTING EVIL Exposing inhumane, coercive population control by Reggie Littlejohn ...... 10 ISIS using new technology to commit medieval brutality by Johnnie Moore ...... 10 Resist sin, and fearlessly radiate the love and life of Christ by Frederica Mathewes-Green ...... 11 ‘Does the West care about us? Does the church care about us?’ by Rep. Frank R. Wolf ...... 12

RESTORING BROKENNESS Be light! by Rev. Dr. Samuel Rodriguez ...... 13

TMENT Restore brokenness by welcoming home the orphans by Kelly M. Rosati ...... 13 Strengthening our common bond in Jesus Christ by Rev. Robert Sirico...... 14 Y D E PAR C

A God’s ‘counterintuitive’ plan to vanquish anger, fear, despair by Dr. Joseph M. Stowell ...... 15

VOC Live with hope, despite a world of apathy, hardened hearts by Dr. Bill Brown ...... 16

HONORING CHUCK COLSON AND HIS LEGACY Remembering Colson and his three ‘lodestars’ by Dr. Timothy George ...... 17 Recovering William Wilberforce’s impact on civilization by Chuck Stetson ...... 18 NGTON T I MES AD SH I NGTON

A Chuck Colson: a man of faith and reason by Prof. Robert P. George ...... 19 A passionate leader and ‘fully present’ father and family man by Emily Colson ...... 19 Y THE W Tributes from Colson Fellows ...... 20 -21

THE VALUE OF VIEWPOINTS AND WORLDVIEW Five questions reveal one’s worldview by Nancy Schulze ...... 21 The power of a good idea by Dr. Everett Piper...... 22 ‘Resisting evil’ means rising above anger by David Kupelian ...... 23 Focus on winning the culture, not the culture war by Dan Smithwick ...... 23 E D B I ON PR E PAR IAL SECT A S P EC THE WASHINGTON TIMES THE WASHINGTON

| The Wilberforce Weekend, sponsored by The Colson Center for Christian Worldview, is an annual gathering to equip Christians in Christian worldview and cultural renewal. Founded by the late Christian leader Chuck Colson, The Colson Center produces the popular daily commentary “BreakPoint” with John Stonestreet and Eric Metaxas, and equips Christian leaders through the Colson Fellows Program. (www.breakpoint.org)

Friday • A pril 29 2016 Friday This Special Report was prepared by The Washington Times Advocacy Department and 2 The Colson Center for Christian Worldview A S P Joining in God’s work to restore our culture is. EC IAL The Colson Fellows Program equips people of strong faith—people like you—with relevant SECT I skills, biblical knowledge, and a solid Christian worldview, so you can navigate today’s culture and play a ON PR

significant role in helping to restore it in a way that is pleasing to God. E PAR E D

As a Colson Fellow, you will spend nine months: People from the Colson Fellows Program have invested B “ Y in me — so in the future I will be able to invest in others. THE • participating in teleconferences ”

with world-class thinkers — Kelli Mutz, Franchise Accountant, Chick-fil-A W A SH

networking with like-minded believers I

• NGTON committed to substantively engaging their communities and spheres of influence. The Colson Fellows program was a tremendous blessing

“ in my spiritual, personal, and professional development. T I • putting into practice what you learn, I highly recommend this program to anyone who wants MES

by developing your own plan for action AD

to better understand how their Christian worldview THE WASHINGTON TIMES V • attending three residencies with the leading allows them to excel in an increasingly pluralistic culture. OC

” A TEACHERS OF CHRISTIAN WORLDVIEW — Dr. Michael Lindsay, President, Gordon College C Y D E PAR TMENT

| Friday

Bill Brown Jim Daly John Stonestreet Michael Lindsay Sean McDowell Nabeel Qureshi Amy Sherman Dr. Glenn Sunshine Joni Eareckson Chris Brooks National Director President of President of the President of Assistant Professor of Ravi Zacharias Sagamore Institute Professor of worldview Tada Pastor, Evangel Ministries

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Colson Fellows Focus on the Family Colson Center Gordon College Christian Apologetics at International Ministries and historical theology Founder Joni & Friends A

Biola University pril

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Apply today! www.colsonfellows.org 2016 3 God loveth “re” words

livestock and over all the earth and over is, as C.S. Lewis so skillfully describes in every creeping thing that creeps on the “The Last Battle” of his Narnia series, a earth” (Genesis 1:26). new beginning. Don’t miss this very important point: The absolute ruler of everything decided Living our story to make other rulers to take care of his In 2 Corinthians 5, Paul identifies world. They are not puppets, nor have those who are in Christ as those who they been granted tourist visas in order to have been entrusted with “the message enjoy paradise. They have work to do. of reconciliation.” We are now “ambas- We know where the story goes next. sadors” of the redemptive work of Jesus The first people fail at their task, futilely Christ. Let’s be clear on what that means. attempting to be their own masters and First, we are ambassadors of the full fatally attempting to remake reality. It redemptive work of Jesus Christ. This doesn’t work, and the results are cata- includes, but is also more than, the rescue There is not one thumb’s width of the universe over which Christ does not declare: “Mine.” strophic, for them and for the world they of individual souls. The story, as told in —Abraham Kuyper were supposed to steward. Scripture, is the restoration of all things As a result, they are separated from that culminates in the New Heavens and By John Stonestreet and Warren Cole Smith God and from one another. Their respon- New Earth, when all wrongs will be made sibility for the creation isn’t removed, right again. There are a lot of “re” words in the (Psalm 24:1), but this is more than the but it is frustrated by pain and toil. They Second, we are not only saved from Bible. Words like redemption, renew, re- psalmist’s adoring reflection. This is, in are in need of rescue. They need to be sin and death, but also saved to the life pent, restore, resurrection, reconciliation fact, the foundational fact of the Bible: reconciled to God and each other. And that God intended for his image bearers and regeneration show up over and over God does not inhabit our world, we God does not abandon them. In Christ he from the beginning. Humans were placed throughout the Bible, especially the New inhabit his world. From the very begin- fully and finally enters the humans’ story in the world to care for it, and though the Testament. ning of the story of redemption, this fact to make things right again. fall frustrates our efforts, Christ restores These “re” words have to do with that identity and calling. “Re” words are returning something (a person, a relation- “again” words. They only truly make ship, a project, a universe) to its original, sense in light of God’s original intent. intended state. For example, the Scripture So what does this look like in real life? uses a word like reconcile to describe how We’d like to offer a guiding framework for the relationship between God and people “re” word living in the form of four ques- is made right again. But it also uses that tions that connect our actions with what TMENT word to describe what we are to be doing we know to be true about the world from

PAR in our daily lives. We are reconciled to the biblical story: E D become reconcilers (see 2 Corinthians 1. What is good in our culture that we can Y

C 5:14-21). promote, protect and celebrate? Chris- A And a word like redemption describes tians believe that how God created the OC V how Christ paid for the sins of the world. world was, in his own words, “good.” AD But it also describes the “already not yet” Even after the fall, much of this good- state of all things, secured by Christ’s res- ness, such as beauty, truth and human MES I urrection and which will be realized when dignity, remains. his kingdom comes in fullness to earth. 2. What is missing in our culture that we In other words, the most common “re” can creatively contribute? Christians NGTON T NGTON I words in Scripture are more than just believe that humans were created to

SH repetitive words used to assure us we are be creative. When something good is A headed to heaven if we trust Christ. They missing in a particular time and place, are also summary words that describe the we should find ways to offer it to the THE W

Y roles the church and individual Chris- world. God is glorified, and the world B tians are to play in the overall story of is helped by properly ordered human D E the world. “Re” words flesh out for us the creativity.

PAR personal and cosmic impact of the work 3. What is evil in our culture that we can E of Christ. Through them we learn more stop? God hates evil, and so ought PR about who we are in Christ, as well as the we. Throughout history courageous ON I future of the cosmos. Christians have worked to stop that which destroys and deceives. We

SECT We inhabit his world must do no less. It’s a basic require-

IAL The Bible is both the story of God ment of loving our neighbors. EC

P and the true story of the world. The “re” 4. What is broken in our culture that we

S words we find throughout the Scripture can restore? Ultimately, we reflect the A THE W TIMES ASHINGTON | unlock, in all kinds of ways, the central Gospel most clearly when what has plot of the grand story of God’s cosmos, been damaged by sin is restored to from its beginning in Genesis to its new God’s intended purposes. beginning in Revelation. It is the story of God’s creation of the world, of man’s is assumed. First, God brings the world That’s where the “re” words come in. This article is condensed from the In- rebellion against God, of God’s love and into existence by his command, and then Christ redeems humanity from sin, recon- troduction of “Restoring All Things: pril 29 • 2016

A grace being so great that he sent his son he brings humans into that world by his ciles us to God and one other, restores us God’s Audacious Plan to Change the to redeem us, and — the final chapter — creative hand. to our full humanity, resurrects us from World through Everyday People,” that he is in the process of restoring all “Let us make man in our image, after the death that our rebellion brings and by John Stonestreet and Warren

Friday • Friday things to himself. our likeness,” he said. “And let them have promises to ultimately restore all things. Cole Smith. Copyright 2015 by Baker “The earth is the Lord’s and the full- dominion over the fish of the sea and The end of the story, as told in Revela- Books. Used with permission. 4 ness thereof,” proclaimed King David over the birds of the heavens and over the tion, is not really the end at all, is it? It To handle today’s ‘cultural moment,’ stand firm in the Gospel story By John Stonestreet from death, it’s from judgment, amen. to each other, every time we talk about these are the questions that are framing We talked about what our salvation is BreakPoint and we say, well, what do our conference. First question is, what’s I love Josh Bales’ song based on the to — that it’s to the glory of God, it’s to we want to talk about on the radio, how good that we can champion? Christians Lord’s prayer, “Thy Kingdom Come.” eternal life, amen. do we want to talk about it, we say this: have always made an enormous differ- … Do you feel like that in this cultural One of the most important things Outrage is not a cultural strategy. I often ence in the culture when we champion moment, that we know that the kingdom that Christians have to decide in any think — when I think about Christians the good. Christians should be about is coming? cultural context they are in is they have that are just stuck in outrage — of Jill truth. Christians should be about art and We know because just a couple of to decide to keep straight the story in Pole. You know Jill Pole in Prince Cas- beauty. weeks ago, we looked at each other in the moment. … We live in a cultural pian, right? … She loses Eustace over the Another part of championing the the eye — like generations of Christians moment. … Many of you have heard cliff and she starts to cry, and C.S. Lewis good is what’s missing that we can add. have done since the beginning, like our me say this over and over, and since we says something really interesting there. For an impoverished nation, oftentimes brothers and sisters around the world, are remembering Chuck Colson this He says crying is good for as long as it the problem is not missing resources. including the group of Christians in a weekend, I want to bring it up again, lasts, but once it’s over, you still have to It’s missing access to the rule of law, park in Pakistan did that Sunday morn- something that Chuck used to say all the decide what to do. Isn’t that the same missing access to the resources that are ing — and … we said four words. What time, and that is this, that Christians are thing with outrage? actually there. What’s missing that we do we say to each other? “He is risen to be people of hope, right? Outrage is good while it lasts. It may can contribute? indeed.” Here’s how you know if you are keep- have a purpose, but what do you do Number three, what is evil that we We said this, and [yet] it’s so hard to ing the story and the moment straight: If next? How are we going to engage next? can stop? In fact, that’s what Wilberforce live as if that’s not only true of our own you are living from the moment, looking And a third thing I think will shape did, isn’t it? This is called the Wilber- individual spirituality but that’s actu- at the story, we are going to be charac- Christians if they are shaped by the force Weekend. What Wilberforce said ally the truth about all of life and all of terized by a couple of different things. moment and not by the story … is fear. is we should not have slavery after my reality. First of all, we might be character- Just being afraid. Maybe so afraid that lifetime. And he led a movement that A couple of years ago I wrote a ized by despair. We might have that we think, “You know what, if we don’t changed the course of history. book with a friend of mine named Sean attitude of that pastor that says, it’s cave in on some of these issues that our And then the final question: What’s McDowell … on same-sex marriage. … over, we’ve lost, there’s nothing else we culture cares so much about, if we don’t broken that we can restore? As we go I remember, as we were writing that can do. We’ve got to hunker down. It’s cave in on some of these pelvic issues through tomorrow morning and even book, a pastor looked at me in great de- over. But as Richard John Neuhaus, one in particular, we are going to lose our through tonight, we are going to be spair and he said to me, “John, it’s over. of Chuck’s closest collaborators, used wrestling with these questions. We’re A

voice in the culture.” And out of fear, we S P

We’ve lost.” … He wasn’t on the sidelines to say, despair is a sin because Christ capitulate. going to try to live out of the cultural EC

on this issue. He was in the middle of has risen. Christians have not right to I’m thankful for a line I read from work and live out of the Gospel story IAL

it in his state. He had led a miraculous, despair … because Christ is risen. a friend named Owen Strand, a theo- and apply it to the cultural moment, and SECT heroic effort that then got overturned by There’s [also] a lot of Christians logian. He said this: God’s truth does we are going to see what kind of a differ- I a judge. today that are just characterized by out- not get in the way of God’s gospel. So ence that makes. ON

And that’s a question we asked about rage. I think you can see this in the po- as Christians, we don’t stand in the PR the culture: Have we lost? I’m going to litical process right now. If you go back moment and look at the story. We stand John Stonestreet is president of The Col- E say that that’s a legitimate question to and look at my Facebook post from just in the story and we look at the mo- son Center for Christian Worldview and PAR ask. … But it’s not the first question that two days ago about a Colorado school ment, like every other generation of a co-host of BreakPoint daily and weekly E D

Christians should ask about the culture. that is teaching transgender things to Christians. radio broadcasts. This excerpt is from B Y

The first questions that Christians 4-year-olds, what you will see in the How can we live in this cultural mo- his April 8, 2016, remarks at the Wilber- THE should ask about the culture … is this: comments is an awful lot of outrage. ment from the perspective of the Gospel force Weekend in Arlington, Virginia.

What is our salvation for? … As Chris- And there’s things in our culture that and not get the story and the moment W A tians we spend time talking about what bring up an awful lot of outrage. mixed up? Four questions. Some of you SH I our salvation is from. It’s from sin, it’s But as we are saying over and over have heard me give these questions, but NGTON

T I MES AD THE WASHINGTON TIMES V OC A C

Understanding God’s mission Y D E By Dr. Ed Stetzer sent me, so send I you.” challenging time. PAR

That immediately raises the question: So when we discuss our mission, TMENT You’ve probably been sent on a What do we know about this mission on everything else should be framed by our mission before. For some, it could have which Jesus has sent His followers? knowledge of the God who sent us. The

| simply been out to the store to get some First, we must keep in mind that God situation of the world is not a surprise Friday ice cream. For others, it could have been is the source of the Christian’s mission. to a holy, loving, sovereign God. He’s to face a deadly enemy on foreign soil. Our sending God is a sovereign God. not shocked or stunned by this moment.

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For Christians, we have been sent. Looking at our current situation, follow- Knowing that He is an all-knowing and A

Recognize that truth is significant, ers of Jesus can rest in the fact that this all-loving Creator should give us peace pril particularly in a culture that is rapidly cultural moment is not a surprise to the and encouragement to embrace this

shedding the remnants of its religious One who has sent us into this culture. mission. 29

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veneer. How do we live in this changing God has sent us on mission in this Second, after understanding who the 2016 culture? That starts with understanding specific time and place. Just as Isaiah Sender is, we should pay attention to our being sent. We know Christians are did in Isaiah 6, when we say, “Here I am, where we are being sent. sent because Jesus says so in John 20:21. Lord,” we are asking God to send us to He told His followers, “As the Father has this moment, in this situation, in this » see Stetzer | C6 5 Hannah More, the ‘female’ Wilberforce

literary scholars. applauded. … But she left all that skills so they could get out of the But it wasn’t long after she had behind after being convicted to live a mines and out of the dangerous work spent these years in London when life for the Lord. So she began writing that they were doing and out of the she read a book — it was published treatises, heavy books aimed to the grinding poverty that they lived in. anonymously, actually — a book of let- wealthy and the powerful and elite, Not only did she try with her ters from a clergyman to a number of encouraging them, exhorting them and friends in the evangelical movement people. The book was called “Cardi- inspiring them to live not just nomi- to reform the wealthy, to instruct the phonia, or The Utterance of the Heart,” nally religious lives but to live devout middle class and to elevate the lives and the author was John Newton. … lives. These books were best-sellers. of the poor, but she even cared about Most of us probably remember him as Even royalty read the books and were animals. the former slave ship captain and the influenced by them. The Queen actu- Animals in that time were con- author of the hymn “Amazing Grace,” ally said that she was convicted to let sidered, as a result of Enlightenment and also the mentor to William Wil- her hairdresser off on Sundays so she thinking and the disciples of Descartes berforce, the one who actually encour- could observe the Sabbath. — who believed that animals were just aged Wilberforce upon his conversion So More wrote first to the upper simply machines to be experimented not to leave public life but to maintain class and she convicted them, and on alive — to be used as entertain- his public work in Parliament and to do she wrote also to the growing middle ment and to be viciously treated until By Dr. Karen Swallow Prior ministry there. class. … The novel was developing as a their short, brutish lives were ended. If you are like most people, you After reading Newton’s work, [Han- popular form of literature and read by But More and Wilberforce and their perhaps have never heard of Hannah nah More] really became disenchanted the masses, and so she wrote a novel evangelical friends … promote[d] ani- More, so don’t feel bad. When you’re with the fashionable life in the city for them that extolled a biblical view of mal welfare. More did so in her tracts. done hearing my very short discussion and withdrew to the country. There marriage and of education. Wilberforce did so by being one of the about her and her legacy, and why she she met up with Newton in person and She opened a number of Sunday founding members of the British So- is often called the female Wilberforce, also with William Wilberforce and schools out in the countryside in the ciety for the Prevention of Cruelty to you might, like me, come to think of a number of other evangelicals who west of England, where she lived. Animals. We have a counterpart here Wilberforce as the female More. formed a group called the Clapham Those of you who know about the Sun- in America today. Let me just tell you a little bit Sect. These are people who not only day school movement know that Sun- During all of these years — which about her life and what we can learn fought the slave trade … but they en- day schools then were not what they covered decades, where they were from her. As the subtitle of my book acted reforms throughout all of society. are now. They were actually schools, doing all of this work, reforming suggests, she was a poet, reformer All of the things that More herself elementary schools held on Sunday for society from high to low — they were and abolitionist, and I will briefly go was involved in — and this is what the poor because Sunday was the only also fighting the slave trade. This is through those things and the structure is really unique about her and why day they didn’t work. Even the children what they are most known for, and the TMENT of her life. I think she is worthy of being redis- worked six days a week. reason I am spending the least time

PAR The first phase of her life found covered — made her one of the rare More opened these schools and talking about that tonight is because E D Hannah More quite a celebrated writer, people in this highly stratified culture, taught the poor to read, which was it’s important that we learn from the Y

C moving among the literary elite of Lon- highly divided by class, gender and considered very radical and revolu- lives who went before us about how A don as a young woman … in the middle race, uniquely poised to reach every- tionary. … She taught the poor to read they were not single-issue activists. OC V to late 18th century. Some of her works one in her society. because she wanted them to be able to They were Christians who understood AD now today … appear in anthologies of She first wrote, as I mentioned, read the Bible. She wanted them to be that the application of the Gospel romantic literature and minor women works that were received by the able to learn the catechism and repeat MES I writers, so she still is remembered by literary elite, and celebrated and it. She taught the poor employable » see Prior | C7 NGTON T NGTON I There are not many things worse than expansion. But one day that growth will shifting.

SH not having purpose. But the Christian be complete. In the midst of these cultural shifts, it A Stetzer From page C5 has been given a mission with a definite Finally, Christians should never forget is important to remember that Christians purpose. Jesus came to save the lost and that God’s mission will be completed, believe Christ will bring His mission to a THE W

Y In the Christian understanding of serve the hurting. We are to join Him in even while many Christians claim the completion. Even as many paint a bleak B this world, there is great beauty to be that mission. sky is falling. picture, Jesus is still on the move. His D E observed and which points to its Creator. The Christian Gospel message is As executive director of LifeWay Re- kingdom is still advancing. His mission is

PAR Psalm 19:1-2 says, “The heavens declare one that proclaims Jesus conquered search, I see much of the statistical data still secure. E the glory of God and the sky proclaims sin through His death on the cross and about Christianity in the U.S. I also see Until the moment God’s mission is PR the work of His hands.” Creation exists rose three days later to conquer death many of the fear-based interpretations complete, however, Christians are to ON I to bring glory to God, but that’s not the itself. Gospel means good news, and that of the data. In reality, the percentage of continue pursuing its end. We are called complete story for the Christian. message is one of love and hope and people who call themselves Christians to be good citizens and loving neighbors,

SECT We believe God created this world purpose. and order their lives around that has not seeking to uplift the welfare of our com-

IAL and called it “very good,” but sin entered This is not merely news to talk about changed dramatically in decades. munity and our nation. That mission is EC

P the world and that sin has consequences. inside the four walls of a church. This We have seen, however, a significant for God’s glory and our good. And it’s

S That sin shaped a world that is broken much more important than going out for A is a proclamation to be made in neigh- decline in the number of nominal Chris- THE W TIMES ASHINGTON | and lost. borhoods and communities, towns and tians. Those who never go to church — ice cream. By broken, we mean that the im- cities, states and nations. Because it is but check “Christian” on a survey — no pact of that decision stains everything. the good news of the rightful King com- longer feel compelled to select a religion. Ed Stetzer, Ph.D., is executive director of Nothing in this world can escape being ing back to rule His creation and make Nominal Christians are shedding LifeWay Research and co-host of “Break- tainted by sin. But more than that, everything right in the end. their religious label and becoming the Point This Week” with John Stonestreet. creation is also lost. There is something To establish His kingdom, Christ “Nones” — the unaffiliated who choose Mr. Stetzer is also a contributing editor to pril 29 • 2016 A that needs to be found, a reconnection started the church. Whether it is a “None” on a religious survey. Christianity Today magazine and execu- that must take place, a reconciliation that historic church in the United Kingdom, Those with a loose affiliation to tive editor of Facts & Trends, a magazine needs to be made. That leads us to the a house church in China, a megachurch Christianity are also shedding that label. for church leaders. This article is derived

Friday • Friday next point. in South Korea or an average church in This is not the crisis many make it out from his April 8 remarks at the Wilber- Third, we should recognize that God’s America, each congregation is part of to be, but it is significant. The sky is not force Weekend in Arlington, Virginia. 6 mission has a purpose. God’s kingdom and plays a role in its falling, but most certainly the ground is Christian communities offer ‘ballast’ against ‘violence, radicalism, insanity’ change. Go back to being orthodox. partner in a famous book a couple of on the cross and forgiving the sins of Go back to being really Christian.” … It years ago, Rene Girard, said … free the world, Jesus negates the terrible is dawning on them that even though markets, democracy, enlightenment negation of that political domination they don’t want to be Christians, they and holding back the tide of violence of the cross and reverses the story, understand that the Christian com- is thanks to Christianity. If you guys go and now the cross becomes a positive munity historically has always been a bye-bye, the rest of us atheists are in a thing. ballast against violence and radicalism lot of trouble. We have to be the new negation of and insanity. Slavoj Zizek is a leading philosopher negation. We have to be OK in saying Isn’t that exactly what Dietrich from Slovenia … [and] an apoplectic, no. William F. Buckley Jr., famously de- Bonhoeffer said in “Life Together,” Marxist, atheist philosopher who has fined conservatism as standing athwart where he said, where was Jesus when become very chatty about the impor- history and yelling, “Stop!” What is he did this great work of atonement on tance of Christianity for the life of Christianity? Christianity is standing the cross … ? He was in the middle of Europe. … After reading G.K. Ches- athwart culture and saying, “Repent, his worst enemies. And so Bonhoeffer terton’s famous book, “Orthodoxy,” … for the kingdom of God is at hand.” says in “Life Together,” the place for a [Mr. Zizek concluded] that the atheist Let me close with a nod to another Christian to be is not in the seclusion radical universe, deprived of religious famous theorist. Her name is Hannah of a cloistered life, the holy huddle, our reference, is the gray universe of egali- Arendt. She was a Jewish philosopher By Dr. Gregory Alan Thornbury little bubbles. But he said it’s to be in tarian terror and tyranny. who wrote the book “The Origins of the center of the city, in the thick of its Wow. So what is the message Totalitarianism.” She talked about how If you read Jeremiah 29:11, every foes. here? It’s instead of leaning back, it’s the Jewish people have survived mil- high school yearbook has, “I know the That gives us a lot of freedom to just lean in and confess the things that lennia of persecution and Holocaust, plans I have for you, says the Lord, let our flag fly for Jesus. I think about only we can confess. And this is all and she said what makes them different plans to prosper you, to give you a fu- the line that is in the unpublished encapsulated by the theory of a man is that they know that they are a pariah ture and a hope,” right? We all remem- original preface to George Orwell’s who really changed the world. If you in a culture. And they embrace being ber that verse. What’s the context of it? “Animal Farm.” It was re-released in want to know where relativism comes the pariah. Seek the good of the city. Where were 1972. They included this, but in the from, it comes from a 19th century No, the cool kids aren’t going to like those exiles? Babylon. original in 1945, it was not there. He German philosopher named Georg you, but by being a conscious pariah, Historically, Christians have gone to said, “What good is liberty for if it is Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel, and he gave the Jewish people historically have the center of the empire … that’s where not to tell people stuff that they don’t this worldview, saying that cultures risen to heights that other ethnicities Christians ought to be. We ought to want to hear?” Hey, that’s good news developed in these moments of thesis, and races can’t match pound for pound flee to where culture is created, plant for us, because we are telling people antithesis and synthesis. … Marx said, and proportionally. and stay firm, and be shining lights a lot of things that they don’t want to what is the thesis? Capitalism. What is So maybe it’s time for us to be OK in the firmament as we hold forth the hear. the antithesis? Revolution. What is the with thinking of ourselves as the con- word of life. One of the most popular intellectual synthesis? Communism. scious pariah. … Paul writing to Titus, This is, I think, what this whole con- rock stars in all of Europe … is Gianni Now Hegel said each era stands on says, “For the grace of God that brings ference is about: It’s what the Wilber- Vattimo. He is an Italian philosopher. its own. The wings of Minerva only salvation has appeared to all men. It force legacy is about, that we cannot He is an atheist who is also a Catholic. spread at dusk. We don’t know until teaches us to say no to ungodliness give into an “Eeyore” worldview … … He says things that don’t make sense the end of an era whether or not what and worldly passion and to live self- the outrage culture, the we-have-lost to us, like, I’m a Catholic who em- happened in that era was good or bad controlled, upright and godly lives in culture. I call it the Eeyore worldview: braces the death of God. And he took because we have the benefit of hind- this present age while we wait for the “The culture is dying. I can’t find my Saint Anselm’s famous statement, crede sight at that point. blessed hope, the glorious appearing of tail.” … I have to tell you, this has never ut intelligas or “I believe in order to un- But there is a missing step in that our great God and savior, Jesus Christ.” characterized the people of God, who derstand,” and rebranded it as credere traditional presentation. After the have gone into these dark places. di credere, which means “I believe that antithesis, Hegel says, there has to Gregory Alan Thornbury, Ph.D., is Europe is advanced in its decay as I believe.” be something called the “negation of the president of the King’s College in a cut-flower civilization, far advanced What I fear is that the Christian negation.” And what is the negation of New York City. He is the founding from where we are in America, where community … [has] sort of adopted negation? You know what Zizek says? dean of the School of Theology and

there is still this vestigial memory of that posture and stance of soft thought. The perfect example of the negation of Missions at Union University in Ten- THE WASHINGTON TIMES Christian things. We only want to talk about the things negation is the cross. nessee. This excerpt is from his April Europe is now so far gone that some that are comfortable for us to talk In the ancient Roman world, the 8, 2016, remarks at the Wilberforce of the leading atheist philosophers of about. cross was regarded as the political tool Weekend in Arlington, Virginia. the continent are now saying to the What’s ironic is that people like of oppression of suppressed people by Christian community, “Please don’t Gianni Vattimo and his conversation the Roman government, and by dying

weeks after the deaths of Wilberforce stumbled across her name in a dusty the world for us.

| Prior and several weeks before the death of book doing doctoral research — we Friday From page C6 Hannah More, that the last slaves in find that church history is filled with Karen Swallow Prior, Ph.D., is a pro- the British Empire were freed. This saints like these who went before us. fessor of English at Liberty Univer-

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throughout all of society can lead to was decadeslong work, and the entire And we don’t have to know all their sity and specializes in 18th century A flourishing for everyone. time they were working on issues that names, and we don’t have to expect our English literature. She is the author pril So they worked on all of these is- affected every level of society. Talk names to be remembered, but we can of “Fierce Convictions: The Extraordi- sues simultaneously. We know from about restoring the culture and having expect that because we are doing the nary Life of Hannah More, Poet, Re- 29

• history how long it took them to ac- a vision for everyone! work of Jesus Christ and [it is because former Abolitionist” (Thomas Nelson, 2016 complish some of these feats. It wasn’t So when we study the life of some- we are] guided by his spirit that we 2014). This excerpt is from her April until after working for decades, in 1807 one like Hannah More — and again, can be part of movements that will 8, 2016, remarks at the Wilberforce finally England abolished the slave I’m sure most of you have never heard change the world forever and ever, just Weekend in Arlington, Virginia. trade. And it wasn’t until 1833, several of, and I had not heard of, her until I as these saints who went before change 7 Museum of the Bible beckons all to ‘come and see’

Impact Floor that highlights the Bible’s But engaging people with the Bible most renowned scholars of our time, influence on topics such as government, won’t just be limited to Washington. but also enables qualified and promis- music, education and human rights; a We’ve taken our extensive collection ing young scholars to be mentored as Narrative Floor that will portray the Bi- global through our Traveling Exhibits well. In doing so, we hope to encour- ble’s iconic stories in unforgettable ways program, and will continue to do so. age a whole new generation of Biblical for both young and old; and a History Whether it be the Vatican, Cuba, Israel scholars. Floor that will showcase the museum’s or other countries around the world Through our four pillars, the most prized artifacts, as well as pieces (including six different cities right here Museum of the Bible is quite literally from museums around the world. at home), we’ve already attracted over sponsoring a worldwide collaborative It is true that this Book has some- half a million visitors worldwide. effort to engage people with the history, times been abused, and we won’t be We’re also engaged in Bible education narrative and impact of the Bible. shying away from that fact. Nonethe- efforts. As part of our student Bible cur- Founding this institution has been less, I have always believed that when riculum, and in collaboration with Israeli the most fulfilling work of my life pre- its principles have been applied, man- colleagues, we’ve developed “Augmented cisely because it is so much bigger than kind has been the beneficiary. Reality” technology to create a totally me. It is an organization that invites In all of this, our goal is straightfor- new form of interactive textbook that people to engage with a Book whose ward: invite all people to engage with quite literally brings the Bible to life on influence is seen in our art, heard in our By Steve Green the Bible in a scholarly, immersive man- devices, such as iPads and other tablets. music, chiseled on our buildings, and ner, and let the visitors come to their The first part of our academically which inspired our greatest heroes, and Since the day I was born, the Bible own conclusions. rigorous, tech-savvy curriculum has gave us our highest values — a Book has played a significant role in my life. My parents taught me to love it, to cherish its principles, and to apply them to everything I did. Years ago, I committed to reading the Bible every day, and I’ve found it to be constantly fresh, constantly relevant and constantly inspiring. This Book has helped me be a better son, father, husband, businessman, and taught me the principles at the heart of how I work and live. TMENT Today, I am thrilled to serve as chairman of Museum of the Bible, a nonprofit organization with the mission Y D E PAR

C to invite all people to engage with the A Bible. VOC So how exactly are we inviting people to engage with the Bible? Through what we call our “Four Pillars”: the museum itself, traveling exhibits, education and research. In addition to being our nation’s capital, with four of the top five of

NGTON T I MES AD SH I NGTON America’s most attended museums, A Washington, D.C., is easily the museum capital of America.

Y THE W The Bible’s words are chiseled onto many of its monuments and important buildings. That’s why we decided to put all 430,000 square feet of the new museum there. Set to open in Novem- ber 2017, and only a few blocks from the Capitol, the National Mall and the Smithsonian, we’ll be able to host mil- lions of visitors who, once inside, will be immersed in the history, narrative and impact of the Bible.

E D B I ON PR E PAR IAL SECT A S P EC Recently, we’ve seen a tragic decline THE WASHINGTON TIMES THE WASHINGTON

| in Biblical literacy in our country. The average person on the street in all likeli- Our approach reflects the same been introduced in various schools in that is bigger than all of us: the Bible. hood has no idea just how much the religious liberty the Bible has helped Israel as a supplemental course. Ac- Just as the disciples some 2,000 years Bible has impacted their life, including to inspire. The museum will be a place cording to surveys, their students con- ago said to the curious of their own day, the role it played in inspiring the very where people of all faiths, and those of sistently say it is one of their favorite so we say today: “Come and see.” liberty they cherish today. And yet, as no faith at all, are welcome. We’ve even courses. We’ve also introduced a similar LIFE magazine once declared, the print- negotiated a number of historic partner- curriculum to the American home- Steve Green is chairman of the Museum ing of the Bible by Gutenberg in 1455 ship agreements, like the one with the school market just last month. of the Bible (www.museumofthebible. was the most important historical event Israel Antiquities Authority, allowing Finally, through our Scholars Initia- org). He also serves as president of Hobby

Friday • A pril 29 2016 Friday of the last 1,000 years. visiting museums and libraries to have tive, we are sponsoring numerous Bibli- Lobby, the world’s largest privately owned Bridging that awareness gap is ex- permanent exhibit space at the museum cal research and scholarship projects, arts and crafts retailer. 8 actly why the museum will include an in Washington. which not only include some of the Ollie North invites you to join Dr. Ben Carson and Speaker Newt Gingrich aboard the 2016 FREEDOM CRUISE June 16-23, 2016 A S P EC IAL SECT I ON PR E PAR E D B Y THE

W A SH I Dr. Ben Carson Newt and Callista Gingrich LtCol Oliver North, Ed Meese Wayne LaPierre NGTON USMC (Retired)

T I MES AD

This is an exclusive private charter THE WASHINGTON TIMES V OC A

featuring American heroes and inspirational leaders. C Y D E JOIN FREEDOM ALLIANCE and the NATIONAL RIFLE ASSOCIATION on a PAR European adventure! We’ll travel to legendary destinations as we sail down TMENT

the beautiful Danube River from Vilshofen, Germany to Budapest, Hungary. | Friday Our Freedom Cruise features presentations and panel discussions

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throughout the week from some of the leading voices of experience in A American government, the military and journalism. pril

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Act quickly to reserve your cabin. 2016 Visit freedomcruise.com or call The Cruise & Vacation Authority at 800-707-1634. 9 Exposing inhumane, coercive population control

the suffering caused by forced abortion certain circumstances, sterilize her — give birth to her daughter. in China, watch our short video, “Stop because she does not possess govern- More than 200 million girls are miss- Forced Abortion — China’s War on ment approval. ing (due to abortion and trafficking), Women” (WomensRightsWithoutFron- Consider the scale of this atrocity: which is more than the lives lost from tiers.org/?nav=stop-forced-abortion). Since the Roe v. Wade decision in 1973, all the wars of the 20th century. In fact, China has an iron grip over the some 55 million American children have what is taking place is “gendercide.” wombs of women. The Chinese Com- been lost through abortion. Since China Let’s take a look at this brief video munist Party intrudes into the bedrooms enforced the one-child policy in 1980, from ItsAGirlMovie.com. It explains why and between the sheets of the families the Chinese Communist Party boasts the three deadliest words in some parts in China by requiring ultrasound checks that it has “prevented” more than 400 of the world are “It’s a girl.” to make sure women’s IUDs are still in million lives. That number is more than Women’s Rights Without Frontiers place and paying informants who moni- the populations of the United States and now has boots on the ground in China to tor women’s reproductive health. Canada combined. The Chinese Com- help rescue women who want to escape The problem with the one-child munist Party has not released a statistic forced abortion and give birth to their By Reggie Littlejohn policy or the two-child policy lies not indicating how many of these abortions babies. It’s called the “Save a Girl” cam- I am president of Women’s Rights paign. (WomensRightsWithoutFrontiers. Without Frontiers. Our mission is to end org/index.php?nav=end-gendercide- forced abortion and the sex-selective and-forced-abortion) Women’s Rights abortion of baby girls in China. Without Frontiers also rescued two Although WRWF is not a religious beautiful refugees, the daughters from organization, on a personal level, I am an imprisoned pro-democracy dissident always guided by two Scriptures: Psalms from China, and are raising them as our 94:16 says, “Who will rise up for me own daughters. The younger one, Anni, against the wicked? Who will take a is a straight-A student and recently won stand for me against evildoers?” a piano competition to play in Carnegie And Ephesians 5:11, which says: “Have Hall. Her mother was almost forced to nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of abort her when she was around seven darkness, but rather expose them.” months pregnant. Anni is an example of Yes, the “one-child” policy has now the beauty and brilliance lost every day moved to the “two-child” policy, but it in China through forced abortion and is still an inhumane example of coercive gendercide. population control. I will end with Proverbs 24:11-12, TMENT As blind activist Chen Guangcheng which says, “Rescue those who are being

PAR succinctly tweeted last year when the taken away to death; hold back those E D policy was changed, “This is noth- who are stumbling to the slaughter. If Y

C ing to be happy about. First the #CCP you say, ‘Behold, we did not know this,’ A would kill any baby after one. Now does not he who weighs the heart per- OC V they will kill any baby after two. ceive it? Does not he who keeps watch AD #ChinaOneChildPolicy” over your soul know it, and will he not Any and all babies born out of requite man according to his work?” MES I wedlock — to unmarried women — are automatically considered illegal and are Reggie Littlejohn is founder and president subject to forced abortion. in the number of children allowed. The were forced. of Women’s Rights Without Frontiers, NGTON T NGTON I And given the cultural bias toward problem lies with the coercive enforce- Due to the sex-selection abortion an international coalition combating

SH boys, second children who are daugh- ment of the birth limit, whatever that trend in China, the current ratio of boys forced abortions, gendercide, sexual A ters are especially vulnerable to being limit might be. to girls is 117 boys to 100 girls. Gender- slavery and sex trafficking in China and aborted. Whether a couple is allowed to have cide exists in India, as well. other countries. She has testified about THE W

Y The horrible practice of forced abor- one child or two children, it is a human Between these two giant countries, these issues many times before Con- B tion in China is why I founded Women’s rights atrocity to drag a woman out of one-third of the world’s women are deal- gress, as well as European, British and D E Rights Without Frontiers. her home in the middle of the night, ing with a situation in which they are Irish parliaments. This article is derived

PAR This is about fighting China’s “war screaming and pleading, to forcibly culturally coerced to abort or abandon from her April 9 remarks to the Wilber- E on women and girls.” To understand abort her pregnancy — and under their baby girls. It is a woman’s right to force Weekend in Arlington, Virginia. PR ON I SECT

IAL ISIS using new technology to commit medieval brutality EC P

S By Johnnie Moore While there is something very old

A of ISIS, according to the University of THE W TIMES ASHINGTON | about ISIS, with its medieval brutality, Milan’s Voices from the Blogs. “Disruption” is a word of Silicon I believe ISIS has disrupted terrorism That percentage was roughly equiva- Valley currency. It’s a word we use to de- in three distinct ways: technologically, lent to those seen in the United King- scribe an unexpected agitation of some tactically and theologically. dom and France. Yes, it was considerably age-old idea, a dislodging of a cog in the Technologically, ISIS has leveraged less than the outsize percentages of old system. It’s primarily a technologi- the Internet to outsource training, and ISIS-supportive tweets in Belgium and pril 29 • 2016

A cal term envisioning massive change in connect and inspire an astonishing Qatar, but — believe it or not — it was a short period of time with exponential number of terrorist sympathizers. In the more than that in Saudi Arabia. results. A true disruption can shake gen- height of the ISIS ascent in 2014, as many Also, al Qaeda had a hard enough

Friday • Friday erations on each side of it. It can rattle as one out of five — 21.4 percent, to be time finding potential terrorists, and all that everyone knew and establish a precise — tweets in the United States 10 new norm. with the acronym “ISIS” were in support » see Moore | C12 Resist sin, and fearlessly radiate the love and life of Christ that we all contribute to, and we all place by a different sin, one that has looks right through us, right through suffer from. to be removed first, even though we our darkness, and wills to fill it with That’s why resisting sin is impor- might not get the connection. light. tant. That’s why it has urgency. Our The process is like carefully remov- And the left side is the eye of sins poison us and those we love, and ing the layers of an onion. You have to compassion. All the shadows have fled add to the dysfunction of the world. deal with the next layer that presents away and the face is full of quiet light. But it is possible to resist. With itself, even if you’d prefer to jump It’s a patient eye, it’s a listening eye. It practice, you can gain victory over ahead. Jesus knows what we’re strong has all the time you need. And that’s one sin after another. This is a lifelong enough to bear at what point. He said, a good thing because this process of process, but the results are increas- “I have yet many things to say to you, healing is going to take a long time. It ingly visible as time goes by. Like but you cannot bear them now” (John will probably take all your remaining physical therapy, it’s a challenge, and 16:12). time on earth. sometimes it’s painful — but it keeps But what does that have to do with Picture the face of a clock as if it making you stronger. times of persecution? ... represents the flow of history. Our life on earth has a goal; we’re When I first saw the Christ of Sinai, At noon, let’s put a time that was not just waiting around to go to I thought, there is something wrong very friendly to Christians, like the heaven. We were created to be filled with the eyes. Then I realized that 1950s. At the bottom of the dial, at 6 By Frederica Mathewes-Green with the presence of God — like the what the artist has done here is he has o’clock, let’s put a time when Chris- Burning Bush was filled with fire, like portrayed two different facial expres- tians suffered for their faith, like the If our faith is going to be increas- Christ on the Mount of Transfiguration sions side by side. The right side is the days of the early martyrs. So the ‘50s ingly mocked and rejected, it will was filled with light. eye of a surgeon. It’s a diagnostic and are at noon, the Roman persecution at negatively affect our ability to speak in But because we are damaged and a searching eye. It’s not comfortable 6 o’clock. And where are we? I don’t the public square. What we say will be darkened by sin, we don’t shine that know. Are we at 3 o’clock or 9 o’clock? distorted or ridiculed. Communication light very clearly. We are like lumps of Rising or falling? I don’t know. will be difficult. coal, of no particular beauty. But coal But which time actually was the So we’ll need to put more emphasis can do one thing: it can burn. God cre- bad time? Christians suffered terribly on connecting one to one, person to ated us able to bear His fiery presence. in the early persecutions, but they person. Not just learning how to talk Repentance is the process of getting also rose to great heights. Their lives cleverly about our faith, but actually the impurities out of the coal, getting radiated the life of Christ, and even living it in ways that other people can rid of everything that will not burn. when they were powerless and suffer- see. So that’s our starting point. Re- ing, they drew many to the faith. We The early Christians did this during pentance is not self-hatred; it’s not are still moved to the heart by their the Roman persecution; they lived in an emotion at all. Repentance is just stories. ways different from their neighbors, honesty — facing the truth about But on the other hand, the ‘50s saw and the church grew. yourself and meeting the challenge to a lot of perfunctory, bland Christian- Like them, we’re going to need to change. I like to say, “Everybody wants ity. It was easy to be a Christian and let the light of Christ within us shine to be transformed, but nobody wants not mean very much by it. That was out. to change.” ... hard and frustrating for those who felt At present, American Christians We do that by being faithful. We that Christ challenges us to live a holy are not notably shiny. Our lives don’t keep practicing the “workout routines” and a humble life, a transformed life look much different from those of the Scripture teaches: private prayer and that shines its light into the darkness, a world. Well, it hardly seems worth it bible study, corporate worship, fasting, light that is different from those in the to try. Since everyone is forbidden to care of the poor. One of the insights of world. The ‘50s couldn’t be thought of have an opinion about anyone else, Eastern Christianity is that sin starts really as such a perfect time to raise why bother with anything morally with a thought (James 1:14-15). Sin kids because look what happened challenging? begins with a thought, and habits like when those same kids hit the ‘60s. Advertising catechizes us, 24 hours the ancient Jesus Prayer teach us how History will continue to roll around

a day, to prioritize comfort and amuse- to recognize an unwanted thought — and around that dial, but at all times, THE WASHINGTON TIMES ment, and coaxes us to see our failings whether of pleasure or despair or fear God is at the center. He is always fully as excusable little foibles that we — and turn it away. You don’t fight it present to every Christian, of every ought to indulge. In accepting those — that can just backfire. But, standing age, every era. Not even a whisper views, we’ve gotten out of step with beside the Lord at the entrance of your away. Whether we face our culture’s our fellow Christians throughout time. mind, you can recognize a thought and approval or disdain, God has placed us In talking about repentance, you turn it away. The word for “repen- This icon, called the “Christ of Sinai,” has in the time that He thinks we are able have to talk about sin, and I wanted to tance” in biblical Greek is metanoia, been in Saint Catherine’s Monastery since to bear. recommend an understanding that is and it means the transformation of it was built 1,500 year ago on Egypt’s The early Christians didn’t have

| a little different, one that comes from your nous. St. Paul said, “Be trans- Mount Sinai. There’s a meaning to the pen- the power to do anything in the public Friday my Eastern Orthodox tradition. formed by the renewal of your nous” etrating quality of Christ’s gaze, says author square except die. But they did that with We don’t see sin as being like break- (Romans 12:2). Frederica Mathewes-Green. such grace that they drew the whole

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ing a rule. It’s more organic than that, This is a complex therapeutic pro- world to Christ. If we follow in their A and more communal. cess, and it is going to happen in the footsteps, we cannot go far wrong. pril Sin is sickness. Though we’re born order God knows best — which might innocent, we have a genetic weakness, not be the order we expect. under this gaze. Frederica Mathewes-Green is a pro- 29

• so to speak, and catch the infection in Sins form an interlocking structure But there’s actually a bit of humor lific author, public speaker and expert 2016 time. And as we grow, we add our own within our frail and foolish selves, and in this. In the crook of the eyebrow, a on the Eastern Orthodox Church. sins to the world’s store of misery. that framework has to be dismantled little lift at the corner of the mouth, This excerpt is from her April 9, So sin is infection, not infraction. in the right order. A sin we especially is an expression that says, “Oh, I’ve 2016 remarks at the Wilberforce It’s like air pollution; it’s something want to get rid of might be held in got your number.” This is the eye that Weekend in Arlington, Virginia. 11 ‘Does the West care about us? Does the church care about us?’ In China, there are Catholic bish- modern-day Nasiriyah. Rebecca was then took over Mosul. Several weeks ops under house arrest. There are from northwest Iraq. Jacob spent 20 later, he took his wife to the hospital hundreds of Protestant pastors in jail. years in Iraq. His sons, the 12 tribes of in Mosul to get cancer treatment. ISIS I went to Tibet in the mid-’90s; 130 Israel, lived in Iraq. Daniel, the great said they would not treat his wife un- Tibetan monks this last year have man of the Bible, was buried in Iraq. less she denied Christ and converted poured kerosene on their bodies and Ezekiel, who spent most of his life in [to Islam]. She refused and he refused. lit a match to protest what the Chinese Iraq, in Babylon, is buried in Iraq. I don’t know what I would do, quite government is doing. Christian lawyers The revival that took place in the frankly. I’ve been married 55 years. We have been arrested over the last month, book of Jonah took place in present- have had cancer in my family up and and the church in the West is silent. day Mosul, that ISIS now controls. Last down. If they told me that, I would In Nigeria, where we visited last year, eight months ago, ISIS blew up have rationalized and said, “You know, month, we spent a week up in the Jonah’s tomb. Have we said anything? God, you really know my heart, you Boko Haram area. Boko Haram is kill- In 2003 the Christian population in know I’m not really converting.” ing Christians, Boko Haram is burn- Iraq was 1.5 million. Today, we are at But he did not deny Christ, and his ing villages, Boko Haram is targeting roughly 250,000 …. In 1948 the Jewish wife did not deny Christ. churches, killing thousands. You re- population of Iraq was 150,000. When We reposition that with when we member the outcry of the White House we were there, I said, how many Jewish were in Israel, back in November. We By Rep. Frank R. Wolf and of the West when 200-some Chris- people are left? They said, officially went to the little town of Capernaum The Bible has much to say about tian girls of Chibok were kidnapped by perhaps 10 individuals. The same thing and we saw where they said was the persecution, oppression. … In Luke Boko Haram. The White House had a — as the church is silent, the same site of Peter’s house. And the guide 4:18, Jesus reads to the synagogue in weekly breakfast and a radio address, thing is happening to the Christian said … Peter came and visited here, Nazareth from Isaiah. He said, “The and they said, #BringBackOurGirls. community. The Catholic group out of and Jesus came and visited here, and Spirit of the Lord is on me because he And then there has been silence. England did a report last month that Jesus ate with Peter. Right over there anointed me to preach good news to It will be two years that the girls said if the current trend continues, is where Peter heard Jesus give the the poor. He has sent me to proclaim have been gone. The church in the there will be no Christians left in Iraq Sermon on the Mount, and right over freedom for the prisoners and recovery West has said nothing. Said nothing. in six years. there is the Sea of Galilee, and Peter of sight for the blind, to set the op- We met with a missionary from We were with Sister Diana and the saw Jesus walk on the water, and yet pressed free.” America there who has been there for Dominican sisters, who are so won- what happened? Peter denied Christ In Ecclesiastes 4:1, it says, “Again I 30 years, and he said, “We are counsel- derful, who speak Aramaic, the same three times. looked and saw all the oppression that ing the families, and here’s what we are language of Jesus. We had dinner with And yet a construction worker and was taking place under the sun. I saw telling them: Your daughters may never them, and the question they ask, they his wife in Iraq, who never saw Jesus, the tears of the oppressed and they come back. If they come back, they said, “Mr. Wolf, does the West care they did not deny Christ. And the have no comforter. Power was on the will have been raped over and over and about us?” And then I think perhaps church in the West is silent. TMENT side of their oppressors.” over. Likely they will be pregnant, may the most profound question Sister

PAR America’s first freedom, religious very well carry HIV/AIDS. And lastly Diana asked. She said, “Does the Rep. Frank R. Wolf (Virginia Republican) E D freedom, has never been under more — tell this to a Christian parent — they church in the West care?” was a member of the House of Representa- Y

C assault at home and abroad than it is will have been forced to convert to To a person, everyone we talked to tives (1981-2015), where he authored the A today. I think what remains to be seen Islam.” expressed a pervasive sense of aban- International Religious Freedom Act. He OC V is whether the people of God will And the church is silent. donment. They see the emergence of is founder and co-chair of the Tom Lantos AD rise to such a time like this. I believe In the Middle East, in Syria, 300,000 the caliphate in the cradle of Christen- Human Rights Commission and distin- personally that religious freedom is people have been killed. More bibli- dom. We went into one refugee camp guished senior fellow of the 21st Century MES I the modern-day human rights issue cal activity took place in Iraq than and we talked to a man, and he told us Wilberforce Initiative. This excerpt is from of our time, both internationally and any other country of the world other this story. His wife had breast cancer. his April 9, 2016, remarks at the Wilber- domestically. than Israel. Abraham is from Ur, ISIS came in, took over his village, force Weekend in Arlington, Virginia. NGTON T NGTON I SH A THE W

Y knees. sympathizer interviewed by a British au- Laden or al-Baghdadi) is “insufficient” to B ISIS has traded complexity for sim- thor. The teenager said, “I respect all my stop terrorist networks. That is because D Moore E From page C10 plicity and scale for frequency. All you brothers going out to fight. … The media they “consist of various small, dispersed

PAR need to participate in the ISIS jihad is a makes them out to be like these crazy groups that are linked in odd ways and E then they required them to travel to weapon and some civilians. people brainwashed by crazy people, do not have a clear leadership structure,” PR rudimentary training camps in obscure The final disruption is theological. but that’s not how we think about it at and confronting terrorists networks ON I parts of the world. In contrast, ISIS has, We will never defeat ISIS until we un- all. We have so much love and respect happens at “technological, social and in effect, outsourced training by turning derstand the role of religion in it. for them.” Another European teenager narrative levels.”

SECT cellphones into training camps, viewable ISIS recruits are particularly per- concurred, saying joining ISIS is “a way We chose — and are choosing — to

IAL by sympathizers in cities and countries suaded by the vision of the “Islamic to prove not just that you’re a proper ignore what’s changing about terrorism. EC

P the world over. You no longer have to State” or “caliphate” established by ISIS. Muslim, but a proper man.”

S live in a city you don’t know with a lan- Johnnie Moore is a noted author and A Recruits watched as ISIS captured a con- This disruption is real, and it will THE W TIMES ASHINGTON | guage you don’t speak (how do you even tiguous piece of land between Iraq and outlive ISIS. advocate for international religious free- get to Afghanistan in the first place?) to Syria that was approximately the size of Oh, and when another “expert” in the dom. He is the president of The KAIROS join their jihad. ISIS has eliminated the the United Kingdom, and they watched U.S. government says “they didn’t see Company and author of “Defying ISIS: most significant barrier of entry to jihad. as terrorist groups in Libya, Nigeria, this coming,” you can remind them that Preserving Christianity in the Place of The second disruption is tactical. Indonesia, Egypt, Yemen and Somalia the Rand Corporation was screaming Its Birth and in Your Own Backyard” When al Qaeda would plan an attack, pledged their allegiance to them. The about it all more than a decade ago. (Thomas Nelson, 2015). His Twitter han- pril 29 • 2016 A they would employ dozens — if not movement’s success makes them believe In a 2001 monograph, “Networks dle is @JohnnieM. This article is derived hundreds — of people to devise complex it’s prophetic. This even compels some and Netwars: The Future of Terror, from his April 9 remarks at the Wilber- plans that took years to execute. Those of them to sympathize with the Islamic Crime, and Militancy,” Rand experts force Weekend in Arlington, Virginia.

Friday • Friday plans almost always failed, but when State, whether or not they agree with described a kind of terrorism “emerg- they were successful (i.e., the 9/11 terror its brutality. You see this clearly in the ing in the information revolution,” in 12 attacks), they brought the world to its chilling words of one 16-year-old ISIS which wiping out the leader (think bin Be light!

America and around the world may be evangelicalism with a loving, grace-filled Tangentially, our prophetic light nothing other than a church either willing presentation of the Gospel message. In requires an unshakable stand. This to sacrifice truth on the altar of politi- form, it elevates the idea that Christi- Christ-rendered exhortation compels us cal and cultural expediency or unable to anity is not about what we attempt to to embrace the transcendent and trans- elevate corresponding truth with love. impose, but rather what we propose: a formational reality that we may have In other words, the prophetic pre- personal relationship with God through “light,” but it may very well be hidden scription for these pathetic times resides the saving grace of Jesus Christ. under the “bowl” of anger, complacency, in the children of the cross committed to In its essence, to “be light” reminds us apathy and religious exuberance. Fur- reconciling righteousness with justice, that Christianity stands measured not by ther, the implicit yet convicting narrative sanctification with service, holiness with the variable of rhetorical eloquence, but reveals that the “light” is only as good as humility, conviction with compassion, rather by the constant of loving actions. it where it stands. rhetoric with tone, and truth with love. Correspondingly, in Matthew 5:14-16, For at the end of the day, if we are This reconciliatory prescription stands our Lord and Savior uttered a powerful to “be light,” then we must remove all By the Rev. Samuel Rodriguez captured in a simple two-word admoni- declaration, exhorting us to shine the vestiges of contention, bitterness, apathy, tion: “Be light.” light of this loving truth. “You are the complacency and anger while we shine Today’s complacency is tomorrow’s Accordingly, it behooves us to ask, light of the world. A city on a hill cannot on the stand of God’s word, projecting captivity. “What does it mean to ‘be light?’ How be hidden. Neither do people light a grace. For this we know for certain, as We cannot be complacent in these can you best define this idea?” To “be lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead, we stand on love and elevate biblical troubled times. As 21st-century Christ light” can best be described as the nexus they put it on its stand, and it gives light truth, the beauty of Christ will shine; followers, we cannot deny that we live of the Christian message; the place to everyone in the house. In the same beauty incarnate indeed! Then and only in difficult times: times of great moral where we reconcile the optic of redemp- way, let your light shine before men, that then can we proceed with the unbridled relativism, cultural decadence, spiritual tion with the metric of reconciliation. they may see your good deeds and praise certainty of this physical and spiritual apathy and ecclesiastical lukewarmness. In function, it serves to replace angry your Father in heaven.” undeniable fact: When light stands next For many, the obituary of Bible-believ- to darkness, light always wins. ing, Christ-centered Christianity seems, In conclusion, while religion requires for all practical purposes, written and us to get rid of darkness in order to poised to be published in the annals of prompt the light to shine, the life, death history. and resurrection of Jesus conveys the Yet there exists one fundamen- very opposite; be light and darkness will tal truth poised to thwart any and all flee. For at the end of the day, we stand premature burials of this powerful faith empowered by God’s Spirit to “be holy,” A S P EC IAL SECTI ON PR E PAR E D B narrative: The gates of hell cannot, may “be one” and “be light.” not, shall not, will not prevail against the Then and only then can we change church of Jesus Christ. the world. Be light! To that regard, I stand convicted and convinced that our Christian faith and Rev. Dr. Samuel Rodriguez is president our Judeo-Christian value system will of the National Hispanic Christian not only survive these troubled times, Leadership Conference, the nation’s larg- but, surprisingly, we may very well stand est organization for Hispanic Christian at the precipice of an awakening that will Evangelicals. (www.NHCLC.org.) This enable us to do nothing less than thrive. excerpt is from his April 9 remarks at Parenthetically, while our Bible-based, the Wilberforce Weekend, and is based Y THE W Christ-centered values and mores stand on his new book, “Be Light: Shining under unprecedented assault, the No. God’s Beauty, Truth, and Hope into a A 1 problem confronting the church in Darkened World” (Waterbrook, 2016). SH I NGTON T I MES AD Restore brokenness by welcoming home the orphans THE WASHINGTON TIMES

And part of the reason is because You say, “Why do you say that? Chris- widows and orphans in their distress, and VOC

we don’t have orphanages on the street tians adopt all the time.” And, of course, keep oneself unstained by the world.” A C

corner. Remember way back in the day, if we do. But with 100,000 orphans waiting As I thought about the three things Y D E PAR you were to drive home … past a build- for families, and 300,000 churches in the we are talking about here this weekend ing and it was St. Joseph’s, and it would United States of America, we can all do — promoting good, resisting evil and

remind you, you would think about those the math. If just one family in every third restoring brokenness — I thought about TMENT kids who didn’t have parents. Maybe church welcomes home one of these this idea of welcoming home the orphan. you’d pray for them. modern-day orphans, we don’t have Everybody can see how that promotes | Now our orphans are embedded, and orphans in the U.S. anymore. good. We are for the family. We know Friday • A pril 29 2016 they are hidden in the foster care system. Can you imagine the testimony and about child well-being. We know about And frankly, they are also the kids that so- the witness to abba, father, in this nation human flourishing. We know what God ciety says probably would’ve been better if we eliminated, because of the church designed for that. off being aborted and, number two, right of Jesus Christ, the roles of modern-day And then we talk about resisting evil. By Kelly M. Rosati now are really unadoptable. Because you orphans that nobody else wants? That is I would submit to you that one of the know what, they are teenagers, they are the opportunity before us. great evils that we need to, in fact, resist How many of you knew that we have sibling groups, they are kids with special The Bible says God is a gather to the is the evil of children suffering in our orphans in the United States? I encounter needs. fatherless. … And of course we know midst and us turning away. … If we are people every day who haven’t the foggiest I’ve got to tell you, not a lot of people James 1:27 says pure religion that God our followers of Christ, who live perfectly idea that we have [100,000] orphans who want those kids. Even in the church, not a father accepts as pure and faultless — need families in the United States. lot of people want those kids. pure and faultless — is this: “to look after » see ROSATI | C14 13 Strengthening our common bond in Jesus Christ if that will be possible because we want him?” where people would politely talk with one people to understand that even though the He said, “An evangelical Protestant?” another so as to negotiate away the truths Acton Institute is founded by a Catholic And I said, “Yes. But he’s a great defender of the faith so that we can talk about how priest, it’s not a Catholic organization. of the family.” He said, “Well, if you say so.” we liked one another so much. That’s a hard myth to crack. So Chuck came and gave, of course, a Chuck was a man of real faith, a real I wrote to Chuck, and when he came spellbinding speech. I don’t remember if conviction and a real honesty. He was also that night to a filled ballroom at the he quoted Abraham Kuyper in the halls of a man who is captivated by Jesus Christ, Amway Grand Hotel, the first thing he the Vatican, but I do remember that Chuck and it is that that drew he and I together, said to the gathered faithful was, “When I had an audience ... with John Paul II — along with people like Cardinal Avery received this letter from a Roman Catholic John Paul the Great, as Chuck would call Dulles and Father Richard John Neuhaus, priest in Grand Rapids, Michigan, I had to him — when John Paul was much older of happy memory. That was his ecumen- come personally to see if this was real, and and much more enfeebled. In fact, the ism. His idea of ecumenism was that as By Rev. Robert Sirico who was this priest who had the audacity Pope couldn’t stand. we move closer to Jesus Christ, we look Like so many of you, the name Chuck to begin an organization in a homeland of And Chuck and Patty came up to meet around and find that we have also moved Colson came to my consciousness in as- the Dutch Vatican.” the Pope, and in order to speak to the closer to each other. sociation with those troubled days of Wa- I told Chuck that night that I was still Pope, Chuck had to kneel down in front A lot of the disagreement still exists, tergate. I think we don’t need to apologize looking for the Sistine Chapel but had not and was directing his comments to the but our common bond in Jesus Christ en- for associating that period, Watergate, with yet found it in Grand Rapids....and that Pope’s ear. There was a photograph taken ables us to confront a world that is in need Chuck Colson any more than we apologize began a wonderful and enduring friend- of that. of the Gospel, perhaps now more than it for associating the road to Damascus with ship from that moment to the end. I remember later that day, I had picked has ever been before. St. Paul. I was instrumental in having Chuck up a copy of the actual photo and I showed I am proud tonight to say that I am a As it turns out, as I began to hear about invited to speak at the Vatican, and this it to Chuck, and he turned as white as a Catholic evangelical in the same sense that Chuck Colson in my own life, not knowing was a very unusual experience for a lot of ghost. I said, “What’s the matter, Chuck? Chuck Colson was an evangelical Catholic. him personally back then, a conversion these cardinals. As we were sitting plan- I thought you’d want to make use of this God bless you. began to take place in my life that resulted ning the event (it happened to be on the photo, that you had met the Pope.” He said, in my returning to the faith that I had family), and one of the cardinals, who is “But I am kneeling in this photo.” Rev. Robert A. Sirico is a Roman Catho- abandoned and eventually led to my going since deceased, said to me, “So Father, who So any of you who have seen that lic priest and co-founder and presi- to seminary and becoming a priest. do you think should be at this? In addition photo, you have seen the cropped version dent of Acton Institute for the Study of I knew the name Chuck Colson even to these names that we have, who do you of that photo. I will make available the full Religion and Liberty. He is a frequent before I began the Acton Institute, which think should be here?” version for a substantial donation to the lecturer and commentator on econom- Providence would appoint would be estab- I said, “Well, you know, Your Eminence, Colson Center. ics, civil rights and issues of religious lished in Grand Rapids, Michigan. For our I think we need to have one of the great Here is what I wanted to say in conclu- concern. This excerpt is from his April event the first year, we had Bill Buckley. leaders and defenders of the family in the sion, and that is that Chuck Colson was 9, 2016 remarks at the Wilberforce TMENT The second year I said, I really would like United States, and he is an evangelical no fake ecumenist. Chuck Colson was Weekend in Arlington, Virginia.

PAR to try to get Chuck Colson. I don’t know Protestant. Do you think we could invite not interested in the form of ecumenism, E D

Y C A we have a program called the permission to talk about the OC V ROSATI “Wait No More: Finding Fami- fact that we are also walking AD From page C13 lies for Waiting Kids.” through, and have been walking And we go into communities through for 15 years, issues of MES I comfortable lives while suffer- … we partner with state govern- severe mental illness, of chil- ing swirls around us, and we ments, local governments … dren having been born addicted are not people who run to the adoption agencies, churches, to crystal meth amphetamines, NGTON T NGTON I suffering, then I think we have everybody in that space who to children having been born

SH missed it. cares that there are orphans addicted to alcohol and the ef- A I have a friend named David. down the block from where you fects of fetal alcohol syndrome. When he was 4 years old, he live. And we get them together, I say it that way to remind THE W

Y and his 2-year-old brother went and we talk about God’s heart you that … these things are B into foster care. for the orphan; we talk about very, very important, and they D E David grew up his entire the needs of the kids. And then are part of the reason why

PAR life in care. He was in some 17 they get to hear perspectives families who do welcome home E different settings, ultimately in from moms and dads and from kids with severe trauma histo- PR a group home. And when he folks that were adopted. ries need the support of their ON I became 18, he was out on his And, at the end of the time, church families. Every one of own, walked out of the facility. they are able to actually begin my kids is so worth every bit of

SECT No job, no money, no family. the process of adoption on that the pain and the difficulty. And

IAL For those of you who have day. And we have seen God do God has used that pain and that EC

P had kids that are 18, it’s scary truly miraculous things as a difficulty to change us and to

S enough when they go off. Can A result. conform us into the image of THE W TIMES ASHINGTON | you imagine becoming an adult I’m real passionate about his son. who belongs nowhere and with this, not just because this gets no one? That was David’s story. to be my job, which makes me Kelly M. Rosati is vice presi- When he met and married his very blessed, but my husband dent of community outreach wife, no one came to their wed- and I were blessed that our four at Focus on the Family, and ding. Can you imagine? This kids came to us through adop- oversees its Adoption & Orphan pril 29 • 2016 A is the future that we are facing tion from foster care. In our Care Inititative as well as other if the church and followers of family we are Korean, Hawai- pro-family programs. This ex- Jesus Christ do not come for ian, Filipino, Chinese, Vietnam- cerpt is from her April 9, 2016,

Friday • Friday the waiting kids. ese, Micronesian, Italian and remarks at the Wilberforce But there’s lots of good Irish. So we are all mixed up. Weekend in Arlington, Virginia. 14 news. … At Focus on the Family, My kids have also given me God’s ‘counterintuitive’ plan to vanquish anger, fear, despair

somebody hijacked our America. And the midst of violent persecution. How do of chaos; Christ’s is a kingdom of shalom. fear — fear of the kind of world our chil- you walk worthy of someone you have Satan’s kingdom thrives on anarchy where dren are growing up in, fear of the kind given your life to, who isn’t interced- everyone does what is pleasing in his of world that our grandchildren will ing for you, in a world where you suffer own sight; Christ’s kingdom is organized be growing up in. Despair is fanned by and the pagans prosper? What would by a constitution under which mankind our feeling that we are helpless to turn motivate you to walk worthy of Christ thrives in a world of righteousness, peace the tide. In this environment, despair is in a world like that? Or to be strong in and joy (Romans 8). And Christ’s king- indeed easy to come by. the face of the intimidation of the power dom is eternal and victorious — vetted by So I find it interesting that Paul, of the Roman Empire? To say nothing the high point of redemptive history, the writing to marginalized, persecuted of persisting when you feel like you are resurrection of Jesus. Christians, called them to attitudes persisting to your own demise. Or to be On the Saturday before Easter, in a that are polar opposites to despair. In joyful? Grateful? Wall Street Journal op-ed piece titled Colossians 1:9-13, Paul urges followers The turning point of the text is that “The Challenge of Easter,” James Martin of Jesus to embrace five attitudes that all five of these Biblical expectations are wrote, “What difference does Easter seem counterintuitive to living in a dark built on that ultimate awareness that we make in the life of the Christian? The and troubling world. He writes, “And have been delivered from the domain of message of Easter is, all at once, easy to so, from the day we heard, we have not darkness and placed into in the kingdom understand, radical, subversive and life- ceased to pray for you, asking that you of his dear Son. We are no longer caught changing. Easter means that nothing is By Dr. Joseph M. Stowell may be filled with the knowledge of his in the grip of this dark world but are impossible with God. Moreover, that life I don’t need to tell you that we live will and all spiritual wisdom and un- now firmly planted in His kingdom! triumphs over death. That love triumphs in an increasingly dark and dangerous derstanding, so that you, first of all, may This text reminds us that there are over hatred. That hope triumphs over world… that something bad has hap- walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing just two kingdoms, and that we are despair.” pened to our world. And, given the state to him, bearing fruit in every good work involved in a struggle that is far above us So embracing our kingdom identity of our world, I find that the operational and increasing in the knowledge of God. and far below us. As Paul says in Ephe- dramatically alters our attitude. When attitude of a lot of Christians, who take That you might be strengthened with all sians 6, we wrestle not against flesh and Paul tells me in this text to walk worthy, our world seriously and who I’m highly motivated to do don’t see immediate solutions, that because I serve a worthy is increasing despair. victorious king. I can live in We need to remind his power because I belong to ourselves that Christ was a risen Christ whose power born into a dangerously dark had defeated death and hell, A S P EC IAL SECTI ON PR E PAR E D B world. Soon after His birth, and I get to participate in the the megalomaniac Herod is- victory. When life gets really sued a decree that every boy hard in this dark world, I can under the age of two should persist because I know that be slaughtered. Think of the someday every knee shall bow tragedy, think of the crying to my King, and when that day mothers and broken families. comes I want to know that I Jesus Christ Himself began his faithfully persisted to honor first years of life as a refugee his name. in Egypt, and as he began his And joy? My pervasive ministry, his cousin, John the sense of well-being as a king- Y THE W Baptist, was beheaded. dom person engenders that So living in a bad world is deep sense of joy. Gratitude? A nothing new. What we des- If Jesus Christ never does any- SH I NGTON T I MES AD perately need is to understand thing but deliver me from the how to navigate life in a world domain of darkness and grant like this. How to live fruitfully me citizenship in the kingdom with courage and conviction of his dear Son, I have some- in winsome ways that brings thing to be thankful for the rest

glory to God. Hunkering down of my life. All of this to say, THE WASHINGTON TIMES in a spirit of despair is not the if you are a kingdom person, VOC

answer. despair is not your vocabulary. A C

I have to admit that a spirit And when this world gets Y D E PAR of despair is easy to come dark and despair threatens our by. Most of us are very much soul, let’s remember the words aware that our nation has now of Jesus who said, “In this TMENT moved into a hostile secular- world you will have trouble. ism that’s robbing us of our But be of good cheer. I have | freedoms. Our stance on issues overcome the world.” Friday • A pril 29 2016 of human sexuality and the sanctity of power, according to his glorious might, blood, but against principalities, against life have marginalized us and rendered for all endurance with joy, giving thanks powers and the rulers of darkness in this Dr. Joseph M. Stowell is president of Cor- our voices of no avail. While we have to the Father who has qualified you to world. And it reminds us as well that nerstone University in Grand Rapids, often heard that sticks and stones will share in the inheritance of the saints in these two kingdoms have unique defining Michigan. He is a pastoral leader, former break our bones but names will never light. For He has delivered us from the cultures. Satan’s kingdom is a kingdom president of Moody Bible Institute, and hurt us, names do hurt us! It’s no fun domain of darkness and transplanted us characterized by darkness. But the King- author of several books, including “Rede- to be finger-pointed as bigoted, or to be into the kingdom of his beloved Son, in dom of Jesus is characterized by light! fining Leadership: Character-Driven Hab- called arrogant, or to be falsely dis- whom we have redemption and forgive- As Jesus claimed, “I am the light of the its of Effective Leaders.” This excerpt is missed as homophobic. ness of sins.” world.” The light of His kingdom dispels from his April 10, 2016 remarks at the Wil- With a lot of us, there’s a strange Think about what these attitudinal the darkness, dispels the danger, dispels berforce Weekend in Arlington, Virginia. mixture of anger and fear. Anger that challenges mean to Christians living in the disorientation. Satan’s kingdom is one 15 Live with hope, despite a world of apathy, hardened hearts your cross daily. work in the world, and in spite of the anything. But they mean everything to But frankly, many young people today overwhelming persecution the readers our Father. We draw near to God with full do not openly reject Christ; they just are undergoing, he urges them to activate assurance that He is there. He is! Try it. don’t care. They don’t even want to think that confidence — confidence to enter the That’s what God says. about, let alone to come to conclusions most holy place by a new and living way, Second, “we hold unswervingly to about, ultimate issues in life — like origin, Jesus Christ, the risen Lord. the hope we profess.” Hope is the most meaning, morality and destiny — the Second, this risen Lord was also their important of the three Christian virtues. very foundation of a worldview, the very great high priest, the one who is inter- You may say, in 1 Corinthians 13, the great- foundation of an individual’s life. Why ceding for them to God. ... These truths est of these is love. The greatest, but not bother? They just don’t care. remain for us. We must have confidence the most important. Even Peter says we I would rather stand toe to toe with because we have the same Jesus as our are always ready to give an answer for — a radical Muslim (which I have done a intercessor. And because these are true what? Hope (1 Peter 3:15). Why? Because number of times) or a radical atheist than for us, the following instructions apply to hope is very visual and very visible to somebody who doesn’t care. Because you us as well: people when they see how you live, how can’t make people care. First, “let us draw near to God with you respond, how you treat people. We It’s called apatheism. Bill Maher, a full assurance of faith”... Serving Christ hold unswervingly to this hope because it well-known celebrity who holds this means we know Christ. It is a vision. It is real. It’s not a maybe. And then third, “therefore, we con- By Dr. Bill Brown sider how we can spur each other, first to love and then to good works.” That’s what One of the reasons I am involved we do with the Colson Fellows ... with with the Colson Center and Colson Fel- the Colson Center; that’s what many of lows program is because it is the heart you are doing in your lives. We draw near of what I’ve been doing most of my life: to God. We have hope. It’s so visible, the speaking and writing on issues related to way that we live, and then we are looking worldview.... around for opportunities to serve, to care, In America, we find ourselves in a cul- to love. ture where the Christian worldview is no Notice, in these instructions, written longer the default. Our culture no longer in times of severe persecution, there is TMENT has even a modicum of biblical literacy not one word of animosity, vitriol or out-

PAR and understanding of Christian ethics, or rage. That’s not what Christians do. That’s E D an appreciation of our religious history. not what Jesus did... Y

C We are in a wasteland between two This approach is in the mission state- A mountain ranges. One is that of reli- ment of the Colson Center.... [which] OC V gious fundamentalism; not just Muslim exists “to ignite hope by informing, AD fundamentalism but many times Chris- equipping and uniting the body of Christ tian fundamentalism, where moralism to live the Christian worldview in this MES I is confused with evangelism, and where cultural moment.” ... Does that sound legalism replaces grace. Pointing the good? There’s no outrage in there either. finger and shouting is quite an ordinary We want to ignite hope. ... I like the word NGTON T NGTON I strategy. ignite; let’s get hope burning!

SH The other mountain range is funda- We can ignite hope by informing. Lis- A mentalist atheism: same tactics, different ten to BreakPoint. Every day, you can hear message. a biblical perspective of life in the world. THE W

Y And here we are in the middle, where And you don’t hear any outrage in there B people go from place to place, finding either, do you? D E something they want to believe in, or We can ignite hope by equipping.

PAR maybe not. It really doesn’t matter. That’s what we do in the Colson Fellows E To be a Christian today, to understand program, to equip you to serve substan- PR the person of Jesus Christ and what he position, has a short piece on YouTube is hope that drives us, and it comes from tively in a confusing and hopeless culture. ON I has done and what it means to com- describing how he used to be an atheist a personal relationship with Christ, an And we can ignite hope by uniting. mit ourselves to him, takes a little bit but now he just really doesn’t care. intimate relationship with Christ that we Some Christians don’t like that, but we

SECT of thought. You have to think about it And this group is much larger than we renew regularly. It begins on our knees. unite the body of Christ for the vision

IAL because we have more information than think. The flood of information from the I think of William Wilberforce. We Christ laid out for us. To do what? To live EC

P ever. Internet does not make people smarter; it talk about those decades he worked in the Christian worldview in this cultural S

A Teenagers and preteens today are has hardened their hearts. This disincli- perseverance for the elimination of the moment. May God give us the strength, THE W TIMES ASHINGTON | actually reading more than they have ever nation toward God, combined with the slave trade and slavery. Every day, he was the favor, the power to do just that. read. Most of it is online, but they are cultural and spiritual milieu in which on his knees, and that’s where we start. reading more, getting more information we find ourselves, results in a growing And your prayers matter! When I realized William E. (Bill) Brown, Ph.D., is senior and more challenges to faith. This is not antagonism toward people who really that God exists beyond time, and He is fellow of worldview and culture at the only in the moral sector but even in the believe something, who really want to not limited by our sequential time struc- Colson Center for Christian World- philosophical and religious sector. And follow Jesus Christ.... ture, that’s when I came aware that God view. He is an academic, filmmaker and pril 29 • 2016 A they are not sure what to do with it. In this context, the writer of Hebrews gives me His full attention when I pray. prolific writer, with a popular Web log, Because of this confusing social and 10:19-21 gives us some admonitions. The That’s what He has promised. It doesn’t Radical Life, at www.williamebrown. spiritual world we live in, we actually times were difficult for this readers of his take God any time when you pray. org. This excerpt is from his April

Friday • Friday have to think about what we believe; not letter. He spent the first nine and a half When you start talking to Him, He 10, 2016 remarks at the Wilberforce just once but continually. Every day. And chapters describing why we have confi- is there. Sometimes we are not aware of Weekend in Arlington, Virginia. 16 I think that’s a good thing. It’s taking up dence in the person of Christ and in God’s that and we think our words don’t mean Remembering Colson and his three ‘lodestars’

We have dealt with the three issues Colson in that encounter, and I vowed be engaged. That would be a call I think in the Manhattan Declaration — reli- that I would never use the word ‘hate’ Chuck Colson would want to say to us gious freedom, the sanctity of life and about people in politics with whom I at this moment in our history. marriage, and the ECT process. Now disagreed.” The third figure was Dietrich Bon- we have turned outward to deal with Chuck Colson was a forgiven sinner. hoeffer, who in 1937 said, when Christ another question that may be more ur- Because he had experienced forgive- calls a man, he bids him come and die. gent, or prior to those others, and that is ness, he knew how to extend it to oth- So if we follow Chuck Colson, we’re the question of what is Christianity in a ers. He was a lawyer. He was also a very going to keep in mind these lessons culture that is at loss to define anything good student of the Bible and theology. from these great three figures. about the truths of anything. We want He loved history, and the three figures Another figure in American theol- to ask that question today as Evangeli- in history who were his lodestars in ogy who has had a great influence was cals and Catholics Together. many ways, who gave him inspiration, Richard Niebuhr. Niebuhr once said Chuck was a remarkable person in include William Wilberforce. this, “Nothing which is really true or many, many ways. He was a forgiven William Wilberforce was a young beautiful or good makes any complete sinner. He had experienced forgiveness member of Parliament who devoted his sense in a given context of history, and and he knew how to extend forgiveness life to the abolition of the slave trade. It therefore, we must be saved by faith. to others. Many of you were present didn’t happen quickly. It didn’t happen Nothing which is worth doing can be By Dr. Timothy George at the [2012] memorial service we had in a short or easy process. It took a long achieved in our own lifetime, and so we It was in the early 1990s when I was for Chuck at the National Cathedral. time, enormous effort over many years. must be saved by hope. And nothing, working on a project. I closed the door I told the story about Lanny Davis, a William Wilberforce was a reformer however virtuous we do, can be accom- to my office and said to my secretary, Democratic political operative on the with a long view, and I think that’s what plished alone. And so we must be saved “No matter who calls, I don’t want to be opposite side of every issue from Chuck Chuck Colson would ask of us who fol- by love.” interrupted.” Colson, whom Chuck had approached low in his steps. These three remain, faith, hope, love. A few minutes later, I was at a national prayer breakfast dinner. Abraham Kuyper has been men- The greatest of these is love, and Chuck interrupted. He said to him, “I’ve wanted to talk to tioned two or three times, and that Colson was a man of all three, of faith, There she was, my wonderful secre- you for a long time. I want to ask you to would please Chuck enormously that of hope and of love. tary, LeeAnn Little, saying, “There’s a forgive me.” Abraham Kuyper is being spoken of at guy on the phone who says he’s got to “Forgive you? For what?” Lanny this meeting. One thing we forget about Timothy George, Ph.D., is founding dean talk to you.” I said, “Who is it?” She said, Davis asked. Kuyper is that he was a theologian but of Beeson Divinity School and professor of “I don’t know, but he’s very insistent.” “Well, I’m the one who put you on the Divinity history and doctrine. He is active A he was also a prime minister of the S P

It was Chuck. enemies list during the Nixon days, and Netherlands. In his day, there were two in Evangelical-Roman Catholic Church EC

Chuck Colson was calling and the that was wrong. Will you forgive me?” great problems that he wanted Chris- dialogue and was a co-author, with Chuck IAL

first thing he said to me is, “Who is “Of course I forgive you, Mr. Colson.” tians to resist. One was utopianism, Colson and Prof. Robert George of the SECT Timothy George?” I said, “Well, I’m a Lanny Davis was present when I told the bringing of God’s kingdom to earth Manhattan Declaration. This excerpt is I

Baptist theologian, I’m a scholar, I’m that story at the National Cathedral. He by human effort. He knew that was a from his April 9, 2016 remarks at the Wil- ON

an historian.” He said, “Well, you’re came up afterward and spoke to me, fatuous dream. The other was sectari- berforce Weekend in Arlington, Virginia. PR also the one who wrote that editorial in tears in his eyes, and said, “I learned anism, withdrawing from the world into E Christianity Today about Evangelicals something really important from Chuck a holy huddle. Kuyper said we have to PAR

and Catholics Together [ECT]. And E D

I had said something good about it. I B Y

think I was the only person who said THE anything good about it at the time.”

So Chuck said, “You’ve got to come W A and join this project.” Which really at SH I that time was just beginning, begun by NGTON Chuck and Richard John Neuhaus, with a vision to bring it together people of

T I deep conviction, Catholics and Evangel- MES icals, to deal with some of the pressing AD

moral issues of our time. THE WASHINGTON TIMES V

My editorial called ECT an “ecumen- OC

ism of the trenches.” And it’s a phrase A C that both Chuck and Richard picked up Y D

and used a number of times to describe E our project. But over time, “ecumen- PAR ism of the trenches” became something TMENT more. As we were together, facing a common enemy, we began to turn

| toward one another in love and respect Friday and greater mutual understanding, to affirm that we are indeed brothers and

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sisters in Jesus Christ. A

Well, two of the things that Chuck pril most cared about were Evangelicals and

Catholics Together, and the Manhattan 29

•

Declaration. I’m so happy to be here 2016 tonight to say both of those initiatives ... continue today and are growing and are strong, under the leadership of the Colson Center... 17 Recovering William Wilberforce’s impact on civilization

achieved both in his lifetime. An amazing arrived thus far in my investigation of 8. Prisoner rehabilitation and re-entry accomplishment for anyone, and some- the slave trade, I confess to you sir, so 9. Broadening philanthropy thing that greatly impacted the British enormous, so dreadful, so irremediable 10. Faith leadership Empire and the world. did its wickedness appear that my own In the latter category of faith leader- However, Wilberforce has been mind was completely made up for the ship, Wilberforce helped establish the pushed out of the history textbooks in abolition. A trade founded in iniquity, Church Missionary Society, which later America. How odd, considering that and carried on as this was, must be abol- sent Eric Liddell (of the film “Chariots when Wilberforce died, free blacks in ished, let the policy be what it might, let of Fire”) to China, David Livingstone New York City wore black armbands in the consequences be what they would, I to Africa, and William Carey to India, his honor for 30 days. Benjamin Hughes, from this time determined that I would where he, among other things, founded a black pastor, gave a stem-winder of a never rest till I had effected its abolition.” universities and improved the lives of so eulogy for Wilberforce. Abraham Lin- But Wilberforce was so much more. many. coln, in a 1858 campaign speech for the While not being recognized as such, Wil- Wilberforce also provided a provok- U.S. Senate, said, “Schoolboys know Wil- berforce invented modern-day philan- ing and thoughtful book on “Practical berforce and Granville Sharp advanced thropy, as he was one of the first wealthy View of the Religious Practices of the [the abolition] cause forward.” This was individuals who had a systematic way of Higher and Upper Middle Classes as amazing, since Wilberforce had never approach charitable giving. Not only did Compared with Real Christianity.” This By Chuck Stetson been to the U.S. Wilberforce give to charities, he also cre- book was a best-seller for nearly 50 However, today only 3 percent of ated many, including the Royal Society years, with 13 editions printed in England Chuck Colson loved William Wil- Americans and 10 percent of the British for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, and 26 in the U.S. It is still one of the best berforce for many reasons, and in 1988 know about Wilberforce. which is my wife’s personal favorite. He books ever published by a lay person de- started a Wilberforce Award to honor Yet, William Wilberforce’s reputation also was actively engaged in 69 charities scribing how a Christian should engage the individual who, as a Christian in as a leading British parliamentarian had — vice president of 29, on the commit- the world. It is a book that needs to be the footsteps of Wilberforce, stood up reached America because he had, as a tee of five, a governor of five, treasurer of read today and taken to heart. for doing the right thing in challenging man of faith, used his political and social one and patron of one. We need to recover and understand times. The first honoree was Benigno influence to change the world. Wilber- Philanthropic foundations today have who William Wilberforce was. Thank Aquino, who heroically stood up to force led the effort to abolish the slave much to learn about giving from William God that Chuck Colson discovered Filipino dictator Ferdinand Marcos and trade in Britain, a measure which passed Wilberforce, as he did it so well and was Wilberforce and brought him to our at- was later assassinated by Marcos at the in Parliament and was affirmed by King engaged far beyond what most philan- tention again, and that the Colson Center now-renamed Manila Ninoy Aquino George III on March 25, 1807. Wilber- thropic foundations do today. continues the tradition that Chuck International Airport. force then turned to abolishing the slave The breadth of his giving to improve started, which is to each year bestow Over the years, there were many trade in the British Empire. Upon his the world around him is breathtak- a Wilberforce Award on a deserving, TMENT other awardees, as listed below. deathbed in July 1833, he received news ing. Below is a list of 10 categories modern-day hero.

PAR I remember first attending the Wil- that Parliament had passed a law, effec- that he gave to; for more informa- E D berforce Award dinners in the late 1990s. tive in 1834, abolishing slavery in all of tion go to www.thebetterhour.org/tb/ Chuck Stetson is the CEO of Essentials Y

C Who is this guy, William Wilberforce? the British Empire. essayconcern. in Education, a philanthropic foundation A I had no idea. As I started to research Many people think in the short term; 1. Human rights committed to addressing the increasing OC V Wilberforce, I found a fascinating man, they want to get things done promptly. 2. Literacy programs gap between what people need to know AD who on Oct. 28, 1787, had written in his Wilberforce’s campaign to abolish 3. Universal education and what they are being taught. He is diary, “God Almighty has set before me slavery was a 46-year-long quest that he 4. Arts also the third-generation CEO of the MES I two great objects: the suppression of never gave up. 5. Encouraging the talents and gifts of Stetson Family Office and the founding the slave trade and the reformation of In his famous speech to Parliament others CEO of Private Equity Investors, Inc., manners.” in May 1789 that initiated the campaign, 6. Science which provides liquidity to investors in NGTON T NGTON I Interestingly enough, Wilberforce Wilberforce said: “As soon as ever I had 7. Health care illiquid private equity investments. SH A THE W Y

B 2002: Hon. Christopher H. Smith D E Wilberforce Award Winners: PAR E 2016: Chuck Colson (1931-2012) 2001: Hon. William E. Simon (1927-2000) PR 2015: Professor Robert P. George 2000: Bishop Macram Max Gassis ON I 2014: Reverend Canon Andrew P. B. White 1999: Dr. John M. Perkins 2013: His Eminence Cardinal Timothy Dolan 1998: Fr. Richard J. Neuhaus SECT

IAL 2012: Joni Eareckson Tada 1997: Mr. Michael J. Horowitz EC

P 2011: Dr. Wayne Gordon 1996: Hon. Kay Cole James S A THE W 2010: Ambassador Tony P. Hall 1995: Baroness Caroline Cox of TIMES ASHINGTON | 2009: Bishop John Rucyahana Queensberry 2008: Hon. Albert H. Quie 1994: Hon. Sam Nunn 2007: Mr. Gary Haugen 1993: Dr. Jorge Crespo Toral 2006: Hon. Joseph R. Pitts 1992: Rev. Gábor Roszík pril 29 • 2016

A 2005: Mr. Constantin Asavoaie 1991: Hon. William L. Armstrong 2004: Dr. Phillip E. Johnson 1990: Hon. Frank R. Wolf 2003: Hon. Sam Brownback 1988: Benigno S. Aquino, Jr. (1932-1983) Friday • Friday 18 Chuck Colson: A man of faith and reason

celebrate his life and all the good that he Chuck was so dedicated to, another prin- And so, led by his example, let’s do just did for all of us. ciple again very deeply under attack. that. Chuck liked to recall the image that Chuck was a very, very dear friend and Or religious freedom and the rights of was the opening lines of the great encycli- a great hero, a great Christian hero. He conscience. Chuck was very early in see- cal, fides et ratio [faith and reason] of Pope was a disciple of Jesus who was so close to ing the attacks that would come against John Paul II. He was the pope whom Chuck him. His relationship with our Lord was so religious freedom, and so he brought us and I both greatly admired. We called him deeply personal that I can’t help but think together to form the Manhattan Declara- “John Paul the Great.” of Chuck as an apostle. tion. It was Chuck’s declaration that drew The pope’s image is this: “Faith and I think of him, in fact, as the apostle us as a family to pledge ourselves that we reason are like two wings on which the of faith and reason because Chuck was a would honor God’s law, even above the human spirit ascends to contemplation Christian who understood that faith and law of men. That we would, of course, of truth.” How much Chuck liked to quote reason go together in living a Christian life. render unto Caesar ungrudgingly what that image, and I do too. And faith and reason are especially neces- is Caesar’s, but never render unto Caesar Let’s bear it in mind as we remember Princeton law scholar Robert P. sary today as we struggle in the face of the what is God’s. Chuck this evening, as we celebrate his life. George gave this message by video to many problems that we are encountering And so we are inspired by Chuck’s Let’s commit ourselves to bring faith and the April 8-10 Wilberforce Weekend in our society — problems that Chuck memory and by the great example he reason to bear in our lives as Christians, conference, where iconic Christian foresaw (he was so prescient) and which set for us. That inspiration will carry us as we share the Gospel with others, in our leader Chuck Colson was posthu- he called upon us to take leadership roles through. lives as citizens, and as we stand up strong, mously honored with the 2016 Wil- in addressing. Chuck knew that we need to be always proud, persevering, unbending for the berforce Award. Think of the sanctity of human life in prepared to give a reason for the hope great principles of the sanctity of human Scarcely a day goes by when I don’t all stages and conditions, a value, a foun- that was within us, as Scripture says. He life, marriage and family, and religious remember and miss and feel the inspiring dational principle that has been so severely called upon us, as Scripture calls upon us, liberty and the rights of conscience. spirit of my late, beloved friend Chuck under assault for the past 45 or even 50 to renew our minds. He knew that we had God bless you all. Colson. I am so sorry I can’t be with all of years. Or marriage and the family, another to be intellectually prepared to address the you this evening to remember Chuck and foundational, fundamental principle that great issues of our day.

A passionate leader and ‘fully present’ father and family man A S P EC

right up against my dad’s stone. And I Something happened to my dad when dad’s heart when the decision he made IAL

picked that reed up. It was not bruised or my son Max [came around] — some of was for Christ. None of this was easy or SECT broken. It was whole. you know I have a really awesome son. comfortable or convenient. But our dad I

Our dad had a deep passion to raise Max is 25, with autism. Nobody could was obedient to the call of Christ, and he ON

up other Christian leaders, to speak into get my dad to clear his schedule. Nobody would not have done it any other way. PR their lives, to encourage them, to develop could get my dad to stop working — And like his hero, William Wilber- E them. And from that desire, the Col- except Max. When we would come for force, God accomplished great things PAR

son Center was born. He wanted other a week, the phone calls stopped, writing through Chuck Colson. He lived, he lives E D

people to understand the truth of Jesus stopped, the staff had a vacation. I think in a strong, steady pulse of life in Christ. B Y

Christ and how that impacts the way we there were parties in the office because Someone said to me this morning, we THE see all of life, and how that impacts the ‘Max and Emily are there.’ can finally give Chuck Colson the award

way we live.... But it was glorious because we just he never would’ve accepted. You know W A I used to love to sit at the break- had time together. My dad would get he would have fought against this. But SH I By Emily Colson fast table with my dad. The table, you down on the floor and play trains and I think there’s one way he would have NGTON couldn’t even see. It was covered with Legos with Max. He played a hiding readily accepted.... It would honor our It is truly an honor to be here, to be newspapers. Some of you know what that game and hide under the bed to surprise dad greatly to share the recognition of

T I here together as a family .... especially in looked like with my dad. It was covered Max because it just gave Max such joy. this award with ... volunteers, friends, co- MES light of the 40th anniversary of Prison with newspapers and a yellow legal pad He spent a whole day one day just side- laborers in Christ, those who will stand AD

Fellowship and the 25th anniversary of and his pen, and his black address book by-side with Max, teaching him how to on the truth of Christ... THE WASHINGTON TIMES V

BreakPoint. You have given our family a and his telephone and his 3x5 cards that wax a car. I’m not sure who had a better Those who persevere for the sake of OC

great gift.... would come in and out up his pocket time. Their relationship deepened my the Gospel, those who are obedient to A C

We remember those early years of with ideas. dad’s understanding of the sanctity of the call of Christ, those who know that Y D

Prison Fellowship. ... My dad took [me It was like we would get caught in the human life. God is able to do immeasurably more E and my brothers] into prisons. We saw backdraft of his energy. It was awesome, A few years back, as you heard Presi- than all we ask or imagine, you are Chuck PAR things that we never dreamed we would wasn’t it? But I loved to sit there in the dent Bush say, we went to the Oval Office Colson’s legacy. TMENT see. The joy in that prison when the men morning, and sometimes he would read with my dad and [wife] Patty. It was And may we say, with the Apostle praised God was unlike anything I’ve ever something to me from “Streams in the really exciting for our dad to receive a Paul, I have fought the good fight, I have

| experienced. We could tell every time we Desert” or something from the Bible. He 2008 Presidential Citizens Medal. It was finished the race, I have kept the faith. Friday went into a prison with our dad why he was such an encourager to me in my own great. It was so exciting. We got in there, And as our dad would encourage us, would say he loved to preach in prison life. My dad made me feel like nothing waiting to go into the Oval Office, and remain at your posts and do your duty.

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more than any other place in the world. too terrible could ever happen in the we walked in the Roosevelt Room. And God bless you, and thank you. A

There’s a Scripture that’s always been world. as soon as we walk in, Dad pointed to a pril used with Prison Fellowship, from Isaiah: As many accomplishments as our chair and he said, “That’s my seat.” He Emily Colson is a speaker and author

“A bruised reed He will not break, and a dad had, he was fully present for us and said, “That’s where I sat every morning in of “Dancing with Max: A Mother and 29

• smoldering wick He will not snuff out.” the family, hopping on a plane or on the White House for briefings.” He said, Son Who Broke Free” (Zondervan, 2016 The first time I went back to Quantico the phone when there was any kind of “That’s where we sat when we thought 2010). This is an excerpt from her April Cemetery to see my dad’s gravesite ... I a need, or even when there wasn’t. He the decisions we were making would 9 remarks to the 2016 Wilberforce sat on the grass for the longest time. And loved being with his family and we loved change the world.” Award Dinner, which honored her fa- then I saw it. Someone had placed a reed being with him. Well, it turns out God changed our ther, Charles W. “Chuck” Colson. 19 Tributes from Colson Fellows

By Dr. D. Michael Lindsay the ways that their Christian worldview allows them to excel in an increasingly “The Colson Fellows program was pluralistic culture.” a tremendous blessing in my spiritual, personal and professional development. D. Michael Lindsay, Ph.D., president I greatly benefitted from the opportu- of Gordon College in Wenham, Mas- nity to meet extraordinary people from sachusetts, and author of “Faith in the around the country, while also being Halls of Power: How Evangelicals Joined exposed to great thinkers who integrate the American Elite” (Oxford University Christian reflection into cultural analysis Press, 2008) and “View From the Top: that touches every part of our lives. I An Inside Look at How People in Power highly recommend this program for See and Shape the World” (Wiley, 2014). anyone who wants to better understand

By Brett Fischer family. I often tell people that participat- Lane Camp essentially combines two ing in Chuck Colson’s 2006 program sets of families: one raising kids with “The Centurions Program, now the challenged me to think differently about disabilities and one raising kids with- Colson Fellows program, transformed my service to these children. Also, after out disabilities. We intentionally build my life. Since 1997, I’ve been practic- years of thinking of how to make a big- ‘deep relationships’ through the camps, ing as a pediatric physical therapist in ger impact, I realized there wasn’t really provide worldview training at camp, and a very small, rural Indiana community. a platform for families raising children then facilitate programmed ‘relationship I love to help children reach past the with disabilities to receive Christian building opportunities’ throughout the limitations the world places on them. worldview training. So by faith, in 2012 calendar year.” However, over the years of serving these we started a nonprofit ministry, Victory families, I’ve seen how the pressures Lane Camp, which merged pediatric Brett Fischer, MPT, founder of Vic- and stressors of raising a child with a physical therapy, worldview educa- tory Lane Camp (www.victorylan- disability becomes overwhelming to the tion and community building. Victory ecamp.org) in New Castle, Indiana.

By Ted Seymour with businessmen and people of other TMENT cultures. I found I was articulate in many

PAR “I had the joy and great privilege to subjects because of the Centurions pro- E D attend the Centurions program when gram. I made many friends and had the Y

C it was first launched. Meeting Chuck opportunity to share my faith in Christ A Colson was a treat; I enjoyed his sense with Hindu, Muslim and other religious OC V of humor and insight. It did three things backgrounds.” AD for me: (1) Made me read and study books and see movies I would never had Ted Seymour, president and CEO MES I an interest in. (2) It created a unique of Active Outreach Mission fund hunger to know more about God’s Inc., in Boca Raton, Florida. world. (3) In my international travels, it NGTON T NGTON I provided ease in conversations on flights SH A

By Steve Fedyski extraordinary training heightened my episodic television shows, and Pure Flix THE W

Y understanding that we must rely on the Digital platform, which streams faith and B “The Colson Center’s Centurion impact of the Gospel, but also follow family-friendly content 24/7, 365 days/ D E Program provided me an inspirational, the New Testament pattern of engag- year (pureflix.com), will speak the voice

PAR foundational, and practical educational ing the pagan culture physically and of truth, hope and love of Christ.” E experience that was a catalyst for per- also conceptually. As a Centurion, I am PR sonal and cultural change. I learned false well positioned to influence the global Steve Fedyski, COO of Pure ON I ideas are the greatest obstacles to the re- culture for Christ as an overseer of Flix Entertainment. ception of the Gospel. Gaining a greater global operations for Pure Flix Enter-

SECT grasp of Christianity as a worldview has tainment (the world leader in producing

IAL been important not only for pre-evange- and distributing faith and family media EC

P lism but also for apologetics (a defense with worldwide blockbuster films like

S or vindication of what we believe). This

A ‘God’s Not Dead’). Our theatrical films, THE W TIMES ASHINGTON |

By Nancy Schulze kitchen table in America. Good-sound- replace their worldview, now saturates ing, well-intentioned ideas can turn into almost every aspect of culture. If we are Nancy Schulze, a Colson Fellow, speaker, “Applying knowledge gained from the just the opposite in the long run. Our to reclaim and rebuild America on her founder of the Congressional Wives pril 29 • 2016

A Colson worldview study to my area of Founders who — almost to a one — pos- founding principles, Americans must Speakers, and co-founder (with Vonette focus has changed the trajectory of my sessed a Christian worldview, created understand the difference between the Bright) of The American Prayer Ini- speaking career and launched a mission a system that facilitated the flourishing worldviews that drive ideas, debates and tiative. She is the wife of nine-term

Friday • Friday to help others understand the impor- of human potential unlike any other policies in this country and the world. Congressman Dick Schulze, retired. tance of worldview in relation to policies in the history of mankind. An oppos- The Colson Center is leading the way.” 20 that affect every person around every ing worldview, which has attempted to Tributes from Colson Fellows because truth, beauty and goodness how you value humans. Is the beggar an are found ultimately in Jesus Christ, embarrassment or an eternal being made through, by and for whom all things in the image of God? The Colson Cen- were created and hold together. The ter’s Centurions program was an ‘Aha!’ faculty and the weekend conferences experience for me. I’d not realized my were superb, as were the materials and own worldview inconsistencies. Today, the fellows one engages with. The pro- Oklahoma City sees Christian leaders gram is well thought out, and will surely stepping up in greater strategic unity to benefit those who seek to live Coram seek the welfare of our city (Jeremiah Deo [in the presence of God] and love 29). We seek consistency in our col- our neighbors to Christ.” lective ‘Christian’ worldview. Humans should flourish better because God’s kids Chee Kin Tang, a Malaysian-born se- are in town. How about your city?” nior resources management officer at the World Bank. He is also a volunteer Wes Lane, former district attorney in By Chee Kin Tang board member at the Rockville Preg- By Wes Lane Oklahoma City, is the author of “Amaz- “The Colson Fellows program was nancy Clinic, a pro-life crisis pregnancy “Everybody has a worldview typically ingly Graced: A Prosecutor Journeys a fantastic experience in helping me facility; and volunteer at LinkAcross, revealed by how and what we do. The Through Faith, Murder, and the Okla- think more biblically in all areas of life. a nonprofit operating in Macedonia ‘obvious’ is revealed by a kid stealing homa City Bombing” (Winepress, 2010) It opened my eyes as to how coherent, in the health care, economic develop- your car or Mother Teresa’s work in and president of Salt and Light Leader- comprehensive and corresponding to ment and community building sectors. India. The ‘not-so-obvious’ perhaps ship Training, Inc. (www.sallt.com). reality Christianity is. It also challenged by how a country conducts its airport me to engage culture with confidence screenings. It really has a lot to do with

Five questions reveal one’s worldview R A S P EC IAL SECTI ON PR E PAR E D B at those competing worldviews. Under- developed animal that can be programmed most productive and generous people the standing the difference is critical to the and conditioned like Pavlov’s dog. “He who world has ever known. Ever. future of the country. controls education controls the future.” Americans are a caring and compas- Karl Marx, the “father” of socialism and The last question: Where do we go sionate people, not wanting anyone to be communism, was an avowed atheist who when we die? Well, when you’re dead, left behind. They responded to the call for believed that all of life is matter — a house, you’re dead. Back to the primordial swamp. a “War on Poverty,” which, for many, has the sky, an animal, you, me. No soul, no The founders of America had a differ- evolved into an expectation for free health spirit, no Creator. Just matter. Marx’s idea ent view of the world. care, free birth control, etc. and now free that there is no God was helped along by Question one: Where did we come college education. Any resistance is framed Charles Darwin. from? In their own words: “The Creator,” as immoral and unfair, a heartless disregard If, through an elaborate series of muta- “Providence,” “the Almighty,” “our Lord.” for minorities and the poor. But history has tions and mistakes, man simply evolved out Question two: What went wrong with shown that the “redistributive” i.e. social- of a primordial swamp, Marx was home the world? Almost to a one, the founders ist worldview gaining traction in America free with his idea that there is no God and were men of profound faith. Over half the has failed the poor (and everyone except Y THE W man is the highest authority on the planet. signers of the Declaration of Independence the ruling class) every time it has been By Nancy Schulze What is beyond the planet? Just matter. were graduates of seminaries or Bible tried. It always results in a loss of incentive, A Your worldview is, quite simply, your Marx’s answer to question two — What schools. Most were members of Orthodox creativity and productivity in the poor, SH I NGTON T I MES AD view of the world. It is your belief system went wrong with the world? — was that Christian churches. They were highly bibli- the wealthy and those in between. And it — the lens through which you see all of some people have more than others. It’s cally literate and had a keen understanding always results in the loss of freedom. life. Everyone has a worldview, whether all about the material. In communist of man’s susceptibility to both good and In the move to transform America they’ve thought it through or not. North Korea, there are no locks on doors. evil, and how often he opts for evil. from the founders’ worldview to that of Your worldview is important because Government can come into your home, Question three: What will it take to the secular left, virtually every aspect of

it drives what you think, say and do. To unannounced, and take inventory. If you fix things? A government that takes into American culture has been permeated with THE WASHINGTON TIMES determine your worldview, simply answer have more than your “fair share,” they can account the realities of human nature. One new “spins” on the meaning of freedom, VOC

five questions: punish you and confiscate your overage. that would provide as much freedom as rights, equality, justice, etc. A C

⦁ How did we get here? Question three: What will it take to fix possible for man to fulfill his own destiny Education was the key, and education Y D E PAR ⦁ What went wrong with the world? things? According to Marx, it’s the right within the bounds of civil and moral law. will be the key to reclaiming and rebuild- ⦁ What will it take to fix it? political and economic system, where In a world where kings and emper- ing America on her founding principles.

⦁ What is my role in this life? government owns the means of producing ors dictated the rights of peasants and Those principles so unleashed the power TMENT ⦁ Where do we go when we die? goods and services (communism) or con- commoners and ruled with iron fists, the of freedom and human potential that 200- If you are unclear about your world- trols them through regulation (socialism). founders established this country on two plus years ago the American spirit was | view, it’s easy to fall for good-sounding Government collects the fruit of people’s radical and revolutionary ideas: that all born, a spirit that has done more to raise Friday • A pril 29 2016 ideas that may not ultimately line up with labors, and the ruling class determines men are created equal, and that our rights the quality of life for more people in more what you really believe. Lack of clarity can how things are redistributed so everyone don’t come from other men but from God. places than any other country in the his- leave you vulnerable to someone else’s is “equal.” Marx said, “From each accord- For question four, the founders believed tory of mankind. It is time for America to agenda and view of the world. ing to his ability, to each according to his their role was to establish a country from be America again. For decades, the worldview under needs.” scratch on principles that were in large which America was birthed has been Question four: What is my role in the part borne out of Scripture, i.e., out of their Nancy Schulze is a Colson fellow, under relentless pressure to give way to an- world? Marx spent the better part of his biblical worldview. speaker, founder of the Congressional other worldview. Some call it “fundamental life attempting to convince the world that Question five, where do we go when we Wives Speakers and co-founder (with transformation.” his system was the fairest way to achieve die? Well, they believed that depends on a Vonette Bright) of The American Prayer We are now at critical mass. At the risk social justice. Education was the key. few decisions you make while you’re here. Initiative. She is the wife of nine-term of oversimplification, let’s take a brief look He believed that man is simply a highly The founders’ worldview produced the retired congressman Dick Schulze. 21 The power of a good idea

political system of his day, and he called hopes for the well-being of my country In the end, Wilberforce’s opponents “vice and wickedness” by their true depend not so much on her navies and were forced to concede the obvious: names. He refused to accept politically armies … as on the persuasion that she God defines a man and woman, and we correct definitions of sin and contrasted do not. It was the victory of an idea, not the hubris of government with what he one of political or military conquest (of called the “humiliating language of true Wilberforce believed that “navies and armies”), but that of a good Christianity,” i.e., the call for personal idea over a bad one. It was a victory of repentance and moral responsibility. men were defined by God truth over lies, of freedom over slavery, Wilberforce believed passionately and not God by men. He of sanctification over sin. in his worldview. He was confident in challenged his culture Ideas do indeed matter, and in this it as the only solution to the corruption case we see the power of an idea lived rampant in his land. He, however, did for assuming it had the out in humility, balanced with integrity not advocate imposing his views with authority to define what was and measured with grace can indeed force. To the contrary, he believed in the human and what was not. In change the world. In his example, Wil- By Dr. Everett Piper power of persuasion and the example of berforce leaves us with the hope that in personal integrity. He wrote that Chris- the face of slavery as well the midst of a culture that arrogantly de- As a college president, I have often tians should “boldly assert the cause as the exploitation of women clares, “We are as God! We can redefine argued that ideas have consequences. of Christ in an age when so many who and children, Wilberforce right and wrong, marriage and morality, For good or for ill, ideas matter. People bear the name of Christian are ashamed and even male and female,” the “prayers are unavoidably blessed or cursed of Him.” Thus, he made it clear that his boldly and clearly said no of many who love and obey the Gospel by their guiding principles — by the ideas would prevail only if they were individual had the right to of Christ … may yet prevail.” import of their ideas. In many ways, we grounded in — and proven by — the define, or redefine, “a man” inevitably do practice what we preach. lives of those who espoused them. or delimit his or her moral Everett Piper, Ph.D., is president of “[That] thing a man does practically Wilberforce concluded (knowing that Oklahoma Wesleyan University in believe … the thing a man does practi- he could commend belief but not com- worth and responsibility. Bartlesville, Oklahoma. He is a daily cally lay to heart, and know for certain mand it) by saying: “The national diffi- and weekly radio commentator in Tulsa … is in all cases the primary thing for culties we face result from the decline of still contains many who love and obey and author of “The Wrong Side of the him, and creatively determines all the religion and morality among us. I must the Gospel of Christ. I believe that their Door: Why Ideas Matter” (Oklahoma rest.” (Carlyle). confess equally boldly that my own solid prayers may yet prevail.” Wesleyan University Press, 2009). I often lean toward waving a flag of danger and, thus, warning of bad ideas and the bondage and dysfunction they TMENT bring, of hedonism’s uncanny gift of deception and of the destructive consequences of what M. Scott Peck called Y D E PAR

C the diabolical human mind. A Today, however, I would like to focus VOC on the power of a good idea. Rather than bemoan those that are bad, I’d like to champion an idea that bore its fruit over 200 years ago on the streets of London. Its promoter was a young British parliamentarian named William Wilberforce, and here was his idea: God is God and

NGTON T I MES AD SH I NGTON we are not. A You see, Wilberforce believed that men were defined by God and not God

Y THE W by men. He challenged his culture for assuming it had the authority to define what was human and what was not. In the face of slavery as well as the exploitation of women and children, Wilberforce boldly and clearly said no individual had the right to define, or redefine, “a man” or delimit his or her moral worth and responsibility. Such things were God’s alone to judge. For two decades, Wilberforce fought

E D B I ON PR E PAR IAL SECT A S P EC tirelessly in the British Parliament THE WASHINGTON TIMES THE WASHINGTON

| for his idea. He was beaten back time and again. He was ridiculed. He was accused of economic treason. He was insulted. He was ostracized. His political career suffered and was all but lost. His influence waned, and his voice was muffled. But he held fast to his idea. He relentlessly pursued it, defended it and promoted it. He believed in its power. Shutterstock Friday • A pril 29 2016 Friday He boldly declared that he would not be silenced. He confronted the “corrup- William Wilberforce (1759-1833). Engraved by E.Scriven and published in The Gallery Of Portraits With Memoirs encyclopedia, 22 tion … of human nature” endemic in the United Kingdom, 1833. ‘Resisting evil’ means rising above anger

Let me share a true story about some- leave Romania”: ‘truth about the truth about the Truth.’ one who embraced the opposite of anger. “My last deed before leaving was to Christian people live in these many truths Meet Richard Wurmbrand. He is the he- go to the grave of the colonel who had about the Truth, and, because of them, roic Romanian evangelical pastor who spent given the order for my arrest and who had have not ‘the Truth.’ Hungry, beaten, and 14 years in prison, including three in solitary ordered my years of torture. I placed a drugged, we had forgotten theology and the confinement, and suffered starvation and flower on his grave. By doing this, I dedi- Bible. We had forgotten the ‘truths about torture for the crime of boldly preaching cated myself to bringing the joys of Christ the Truth,’ therefore we lived in ‘the Truth.’ the Christian Gospel in what was then a that I have to the communists who are so “It is written, ‘The Son of man is com- brutally repressive, communist nation. empty spiritually. ing at an hour when you do not expect In 1966, two years after his final release “I hate the communist system but I Him’ (Matthew 24:44). We could not think from captivity, Wurmbrand testified love the men. I hate the sin but I love the anymore. In our darkest hours of torture, before the U.S. Senate’s Internal Security sinner. I love the communists with all of the Son of Man came to us, making the Subcommittee. He stripped to the waist to my heart. Communists can kill Christians prison walls shine like diamonds and reveal 18 deep wounds covering his torso, but they cannot kill their love toward even filling the cells with light. Somewhere, far the result of years of unspeakable abuse. those who killed them. I have not the away, were the torturers below us in the And yet, as Wurmbrand explains in his slightest bitterness or resentment against sphere of the body. But the spirit rejoiced By David Kupelian classic book, “Tortured for Christ,” he and the communists or my torturers.” in the Lord. We would not have given up his fellow Christian prisoners understood How is such an attitude possible? this joy for that of kingly palaces.” In considering the Wilberforce Week- that the communists were themselves Explains Wurmbrand: Richard Wurmbrand refused to hate, end themes of “promoting good, resisting prisoners. “I have seen Christians in communist choosing instead to forgive and therefore evil and restoring brokenness,” one big So genuine was Wurmbrand’s concern prisons with 50 pounds of chains on their to love his tormentors. In resisting evil, thing comes to mind that’s essential to ac- for the souls of his tormentors that, over feet, tortured with red-hot iron pokers, he promoted goodness and helped restore complishing all three: giving up anger. the years of his incarceration, he con- in whose throats spoonfuls of salt had the lives and souls of many broken people. It’s no coincidence the word “mad” verted many to the Christian faith; some been forced, being kept afterward without can mean both angry and insane — since actually ended up in prison with him — water, starving, whipped, suffering from David Kupelian is a veteran journal- becoming very angry can amount to a sort and were glad for it! cold — and praying with fervor for the ist, vice president and managing edi- of temporary insanity, wherein we think, Contemplate, if you can, Wurmbrand’s communists. This is humanly inexpli- tor of online news giant WND, and the R speak and act very differently than when last act before leaving Romania after cable! It is the love of Christ, which was bestselling author of several influential A S P EC IAL SECTI ON PR E PAR E D B we’re calm and centered. years of living 30 feet underground in a poured out in our hearts.” books, including “The Marketing of Evil,” Our anger hurts our children, breaks communist prison — no sunshine or fresh Wurmbrand shares with the reader “How Evil Works,” and most recently, up families, poisons relationships, under- air, always hungry, treated brutally and the presence of God he experienced in his “The Snapping of the American Mind: mines businesses and wrecks our health. sadistically day after day, year after year. prison cell: Healing a Nation Broken by a Lawless Truly, a great deal of evil enters this world “In December 1965,” writes Wurm- “God is ‘the Truth.’ The Bible is the Government and Godless Culture.” through the portal of angry minds. brand, “my family and I were allowed to ‘truth about the Truth.’ Theology is the Focusing on winning the culture, not the culture war

Western civilization was already nearing “If the process continues over the next from its Judeo-Christian heritage and is Y THE W this tragic end. several decades more or less as it has adrift in an emulsifying sea of Postmod- “The contraction of the West cannot gone on during the several decades just ernism, or what author Chris Stefanick A be explained by any lack of economic re- past, then — this is a merely mathematical calls “absolute relativism.” SH I NGTON T I MES AD sources or of military and political power. extrapolation — the West will be finished; My organization would not conduct We must conclude that the primary causes Western civilization, Western societies and such testing if we thought all hope was lost. of the contraction of the West — not the nations in any significant and recogniz- Neither are we content to watch Ameri- sole causes, but the sufficient and deter- able sense, will just not be there anymore. can conservatives fight cultural battles at mining causes — have been internal and In that event, it will make a reasonable the polls when they’ve already lost their

non-quantitative: involving either struc- amount of sense to say: ‘The West commit- children in the classroom and on the Inter- THE WASHINGTON TIMES

tural changes or intellectual, moral and ted suicide’ ” (pp. 24, 25). net. We truly believe that our great Land of VOC

spiritual factors” (pp. 23, 24). The world has now passed through the Free can be restored ... if we’ll focus on A C

“Even today [1985], when the Western “the next several decades” Burnham wrote winning the culture, not the culture war. Y D E PAR dominion has been cut to less than half about, and if anything, the West is swirling My colleague, James Gilbert, co- By Dan Smithwick of what it was in 1914, Western economic faster and faster down into a Postmodern- founder of our sister organization, world-

resources — real and available resources ist abyss, where, in the name of multi- viewguys.com, has observed that “a sleep- TMENT One of my favorite books — and one — and Western military power are still culturalism, national identities are not ing man never sets his own alarm.” To that I regularly challenge private schools to far superior to those of the non-Western harmonized but erased. end, the aim of the Worldview Guys is not | make mandatory faculty reading — is Dr. regions” (p. 23). Since 1988, our Nehemiah Institute to sound a call to man the lifeboats, but to Friday • A pril 29 2016 James Burnham’s 1964 classic, “Suicide of Burnham considered World War I a has conducted onsite worldview testing grab an oar, so that together we can guide the West” (Encounter Books, 2014). tipping point. at American churches and Christian high America’s youth back to better, brighter The book’s primary thesis is that cul- Prior to July 1914, “the domain of schools, and the 7 million data points we shores. Ours is a big boat, and it flies the tures “commit suicide” when they buy into Western civilization was, or very nearly have collected reveal an ongoing “world- flag of the Cross. We hope you’ll join us. unworkable ideologies. Burnham called was, the world,” he said, citing the Russian view shift,” as more and more American his book, “a set of variations on a single Revolution of 1917 as the beginning of the youth reject traditional Christian values Dan Smithwick is the founder of Ne- and simple underlying thesis, that what West’s geopolitical disintegration. In the in favor of what they perceive as a more hemiahInstitute.com, a nonprofit or- Americans call ‘liberalism’ is the ideology near-century since, Western influence has socially just system of socialism. ganization specializing since 1986 in of Western suicide” (p. 26). steadily waned, and the moral and spiritual The picture painted is remarkably worldview assessment and curriculum Even in my 1985 edition of the book, forces that have long undermined our similar to what Burnham predicted in for churches and high schools. He can be Burnham expressed his belief that society are now on public display. 1964. The West has become unmoored reached at [email protected]. 23 TMENT Y D E PAR C A VOC NGTON T I MES AD SH I NGTON A Y THE W E D B I ON PR E PAR IAL SECT A S P EC THE WASHINGTON TIMES THE WASHINGTON

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