Colson and Day Religious Awakenings in Different Ways
Dorothy Day and Charles Colson experience their respective religiousawakenings in substantially different ways. Day, a bohemian and socialactivist prior to her conversion, sees her post-conversion life as infusedwith a deeper meaning and understanding that comes from a knowledge of Godand human tradition. Colson, who was an arguably unethical and self-centered individual prior to his conversion, sees his post-conversion lifeas living in subservience to the will of God, and that loving otherindividuals and God is a fundamental part of this obedience to God's will. Charles Colson is a former Nixon aid who went to jail for hisinvolvement in the Watergate scandal, and an influential born-againChristian who founded the Christian Prison Fellowship foundation. Colsonconverted to Christianity while facing jail for his part in the illegalwiretapping of Democratic headquarters. After his release from jail, hebecame actively involved in Christian ministry for prisoners, and foundedthe Prison Fellowship Ministries, which provides assistance to prisoners,victims of crime, families, and ex-cons. Colson has written many books,including the influential Loving God (TownHall.com).
Incontrast, Colson's religious awakening came from an understanding of thepersonal futility of his life, and his social conscience was awakened byhis conversion. We scornnobility in name and fact. I sang hymns with the family next door. She writes, "I became disgustingly, proudlypious. In speaking of social activism, Colson notes theimportance of obedience to God: "the life lived in Christ-we care forwidows and orphans, hug people who are dying with AIDS, hate the sin butlove the sinner, feed the hungry, clothe the naked-do those things Jesuscommanded us to do" (Assemblies of God USA). Chesterson, argues that tradition is a profoundly important as"democracy extended through time", and that "Tradition refuses to submit tothe small and arrogant oligarchy of those who are walking about" (Day, 16). Day's social activism began during her bohemian lifestyle prior toher conversion to Catholicism. Colsonconverted to Christianity before going to jail, largely out of anunderstanding of the futility and loneliness of his life. He argues for complete obedience to God'swill and his word. Writes Day of her childhoodbefore her conversion, and her early disinterest in church as a child, "Ido not remember going to church in those years (childhood), but MaryManley, the girl who worked for us, was a Catholic, and she told me yearsafterward that she took me once to Mass and I stood in the pew looking allaround and she did not take me again" (Day, 19). Day's religious awakening came as a result of a concern forthe poor that propelled Day towards her conversion to Catholicism. Social activism is profoundly important in the religious thought ofDorothy Day. In contrast, Day's understanding of the way to enact God's will comesmuch less from a complete obedience to the word of God, and more from anadoption and understanding of the love of God. In contrast, Colson believes that his life after his conversion isprofoundly different than his life prior to his conversion. Colson argues that Jesus' said that thegreatest commandments were those that commanded man to love God and to loveone another.
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Acceptance Essays
