Ten years ago when Charles Colson's top-selling Against the Night appeared, he described the demise of Western culture as the "new dark ages." The book describes in particular the ominous shadows that have engulfed politics, family life and education. Today as we face the new millennium, the book is still pertinent, as the darkness has not lifted. It seems in many ways to have thickened. Against the Night, however, is not pessimistic. It gives Christians hope that as we regain our vision of living in God's kingdom and being God's people, we will be a light in the darkness.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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Book Description
Editorial Reviews
From Library Journal
"A crisis of immense proportion is upon us": the erosion of traditional values in the institutions of family, state, and church. This is Colson's premise in this spiritual call-to-arms, whose ideas were first presented as lectures at Wheaton College. He starts with a critique of Enlightenment assumptions, exposes the relativism and decadence he finds to be rampant today, and closes with a challenge to Christians to stem the tide. This resembles Dee Jepsen's What's Happening to My World ? ( LJ 4/1/89) in its stress on attitudinal change rather than practical strategies, but differs in its intellectual rigor and strong, persuasive style. Recommended for general and church/theological libraries.
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
About the Author
Charles Colson, former aide to President Nixon, founded Prison Fellowship Ministries in 1976, after doing a prison term himself. It has since become the world's largest outreach to prisoners, ex-prisoners, and their families. Colson is also a popular speaker and author, having written 23 books, which collectively have sold more than five million copies. His radio feature "BreakPoint" is aired daily on some 1,000 outlets nationwide.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
26 of 27 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:Paperback
I've always enjoyed Chuck Colson's writings. The style is easy to read and clear, like you would be having a conversation with the author. When he was with President Nixon's Cabinet, he was going the way of all politians - POWER. But some humbling time in jail gave him time to think about the important things in life. Family, God, and his spiritual condition. He turned his life around and changed the way he was headed by receiving Jesus Christ as Savior, Lord, and Life. Making a new committment to serve Jesus and others, especially fellow prisoners. His work with justice, jails, and Jesus are very well acknowledged now. (search: colson, prison fellowship)
In his book Against the Night, you are shown what the darkness looks like and how to compare it to the Light. Quickly you are given practical examples and stories of how insignificant people, in the world's eyes, made a change in their life and the lives of others by caring about what was happening around them, to others, and shown that a little caring followed by a little action can make big changes for the betterment of all of us.
I would recommend this book highly to anyone and to everyone who wants to come Against the Night.
In his book Against the Night, you are shown what the darkness looks like and how to compare it to the Light. Quickly you are given practical examples and stories of how insignificant people, in the world's eyes, made a change in their life and the lives of others by caring about what was happening around them, to others, and shown that a little caring followed by a little action can make big changes for the betterment of all of us.
I would recommend this book highly to anyone and to everyone who wants to come Against the Night.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
While the barbarians who pillaged the Roman empire could be identified by their physical appearance, today's barbarians have no such distinguishing marks. The warfare is mental and spiritual. It is an insidiuous mindset that is at work destroying individuals, families, communities, churches, universities, and nations. In essence that mindset could be summarized as "selfish materialism," i.e., the assumption that one lives for oneself and this life is all there is to existence.
The tentacles of this monster extend to every area of modern life, including the church. Colson gives convincing examples in presenting his case. Christians of previous generations knew they were living for something greater than "self." That reality is not so apparent anymore. One has to cultivate it.
In the concluding section, he argues that Christians must fight the good fight regardless of the outcome. Being in the world, but not of the world, Christians of earlier generations preserved culture, not because that was their primary goal, but as a side-effect of seeking to obey God. He concludes the same is expected of this generation.
The tentacles of this monster extend to every area of modern life, including the church. Colson gives convincing examples in presenting his case. Christians of previous generations knew they were living for something greater than "self." That reality is not so apparent anymore. One has to cultivate it.
In the concluding section, he argues that Christians must fight the good fight regardless of the outcome. Being in the world, but not of the world, Christians of earlier generations preserved culture, not because that was their primary goal, but as a side-effect of seeking to obey God. He concludes the same is expected of this generation.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Against the Night is destined to become a classic. To me, everything that Chuck Colson has written previously or since pales by comparison. Something happened to Colson in this book. He is becoming less typically fundamentalist or even evangelical and becoming more catholic in the broadest sense. (Maybe that is why he wrote the introduction to Evangelical Catholics the previous year.) Maybe it is because the book began as lectures at Wheaton College for the annual Allies for Faith and Renewal Conference that brings together Protestants, Roman Catholics, and Orthodox traditions. Or maybe it is due to the influence of Wheaton grad Michael Gerson, who provided the "intellectual grist" and research for the book. I don't know, but I do know that this book will stay in print for generations to come.
Colson describes a culture in decay. He traces the intellectual, social, cultural, and spiritual roots to this decay, making an analogy to Roman society. He examines the relativism, intolerance, immorality, will to power, hedonism, and welfare statism of both Roman and modern society. The modern barbarians have enetered the classroom, our political institutions, and our pews. Colson then outlines a plan to transform both the church and the culture.
Against the Night is not outlinish, not does it prescribe trite techniques to plug the dike of cultural decay. His solutions are moral and spiritual, rather than political. His mentors in the book are Kirk, Dawson, Chesterton, Elliot, and a host of traditional Catholics. His faith is rooted in a Christian tradition that has transformed all of Western society. Every Christian should read this book, if not once, several times.
Note: this review is about the first edition.
Colson describes a culture in decay. He traces the intellectual, social, cultural, and spiritual roots to this decay, making an analogy to Roman society. He examines the relativism, intolerance, immorality, will to power, hedonism, and welfare statism of both Roman and modern society. The modern barbarians have enetered the classroom, our political institutions, and our pews. Colson then outlines a plan to transform both the church and the culture.
Against the Night is not outlinish, not does it prescribe trite techniques to plug the dike of cultural decay. His solutions are moral and spiritual, rather than political. His mentors in the book are Kirk, Dawson, Chesterton, Elliot, and a host of traditional Catholics. His faith is rooted in a Christian tradition that has transformed all of Western society. Every Christian should read this book, if not once, several times.
Note: this review is about the first edition.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
Living in the New Dark Ages
This little book is a wonderful introductory text to the major issues facing people of faith living in America. Read more
Published 8 months ago by Josh Goode
3.0 out of 5 stars
Good message hard to follow
I understood what the author was trying to say but many times he used words that I have never heard of. Read more
Published 8 months ago by Artd
1.0 out of 5 stars
received package torn and book damaged
I have always found you to be dependable and rapid in processing my orders. This problem may have not particularly been your fault, however,the post office labled the torn package... Read more
Published on February 21, 2010 by Ernest Castro
5.0 out of 5 stars
Most marked up book (next to the Bible)
I have read this book twice, once when it came out in 1989, and once about 1998. I would mention that between the two readings, I lost my 1989 edition. Read more
Published on August 27, 2009 by Larry Gott
1.0 out of 5 stars
Does not live up to expectations
Colson has a good theme for this book but has so much unnecessary information that the reading is tedious. This is the "updated" version .... Read more
Published on October 21, 2005 by Over the Hill
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