Justice that restores II

Source: (2001) Crossroad News (November): 1-2. Downloaded 11 June 2004.

This is the second part of a review of Charles Colson’s book Justice That Restores (2001). The review is by David Schuringa, president of Crossroad Bible Institute, a ministry that serves prisoners through distance learning opportunities in Bible studies. In this article Schuringa looks at part two of Colson’s book, which deals with the true source of crime. Schuringa writes that Colson contrasts the Christian view of human nature with the modern view rooted in the Enlightenment. The Christian view is that humanity was created good but fell into sin, so that humanity is profoundly inclined to sin and evil. The modern view is that humanity is basically good and getting better. Hence, in the Christian view the true source of crime is in the person, whereas in the modern view the source of crime is outside of the person. Colson maintains that the Christian view is true. Therefore, crime is a moral failure and must be responded to as a moral failure.