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Chuck Colson dies at 80

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    Prison Fellowship founder passes away

  • Duration 4:16
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A Fox News alert evangelical christianity has lost an influential voice today the death of Charles chuck Colson.

The prison fellowship and -- center for Christian worldview founder died today at the age of eighty of course he went to.

Prison as a result of his participation in the Watergate scandal during the Nixon administration.

But he emerged from that and ministered to prisoners and others for the rest of his life.

James Rosen has more.

He was known as Richard Nixon's hatchet man the White House special counsel willing to walk over his own grandmother to reelect the president.

But after Watergate and seven months in prison Charles Colson would spend the next four decades.

As one of America's leading Christian missionaries working with the inmates in America's prisons.

I saw the world through the -- of people who are disadvantaged and marginalized and rejected.

The outcasts of society the untouchables and -- -- Born in Boston in 1931 -- attended Brown University through browns alumni association he would meet E.

Howard Hunt who years later Colson would recruit to the Nixon White House and -- would go on to supervise the Watergate break in.

A former marine captain and hard driving lawyer on Capitol Hill Colson joined the Nixon White House a special counsel.

Olson's chief task was to get Richard Nixon reelected by identifying and courting blue collar workers ethnics and other voters later -- Reagan Democrats he was a driving force behind the White House enemies list and the infamous plumbers group.

And his role in smearing anti war activist Daniel Ellsberg ultimately landed Colson in prison.

It was the worst for my wife to be -- because I didn't so probably is a marine officer and proud to serve my country.

And the flag waving patriot.

And I end up.

In the courtroom and -- -- the United States of America vs -- to vehicles.

-- like a hot knife.

Stabbing me.

It was in the small town of Weston Massachusetts outside of Boston.

On the night of August 12 1973.

But Colson after visiting a friend who had recently converted to Christ had his own epiphany.

I started drove up the driveway tonight it only got about a hundred yards before -- had to pull over and this 6 morning captain White House action tough guy.

God was calling -- -- could grow and improve and spent.

Probably half an hour and is probably that -- maybe an hour.

Talking to go on for the first time seriously in my life.

Intense skepticism greeted -- and announcement of his conversion but in 1976 -- published his first book a memoir of the Nixon years and a testament to Colson is newfound -- born again became a classic of its genre.

Helping to popularize the term used in its title breathing life into the emerging evangelical movement in American society and politics.

From the book came out Barbara Walters don't know from television.

And then Jimmy Carter was estimate -- when he was campaigning for president put it here.

That same year -- founded prison fellowship.

The ministry started with small groups of twelve inmates some of them violent release from prison for two week furloughs into the custody of Colson and his associate.

It's of the thousand inmates we took out in the first five -- -- -- in this ministry.

We have got a single incident.

It was a huge success.

Today prison fellowship operates in more than 100 countries in 1993 Colson joined Billy Graham Mother Teresa and Alexander Solzhenitsyn.

As a recipient of the prestigious Templeton -- I want to thank.

Chuck Colson and mark -- at the prison fellowship program which is.

I've been hosting in organizing the Angel tree program.

Since 19826.

Million boys and girls have received -- I gift on Christmas and I want to thank you very much.

-- underwent surgery in March to remove a blood clot on his brain he initially showed signs of recovering but in recent days his condition grew dire.

The subject of a biography and the children's book Paulson expressed concern about the commercialization.

Of evangelical christianity and his own image.

The worry about the what does it mean this as a Christian witness and I don't want my witness impaired -- Colson was eighty years old.

In Washington James Rosen Fox News.

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