Charles Colson, 1931-2012

It’s widely reported that Charles Colson once said he’d walk over his grandmother to get Richard Nixon elected to a second term. In the Nixon White House he was considered smart, effective, and ruthless—Nixon’s “hatchet man.” Then came Watergate, a prison sentence, and a conversion nearly as dramatic as St. Augustine’s or St. Paul’s.

Mr. Colson—who passed away yesterday at the age of 80—was among the most consequential Christians of the last 35 years. He was a prolific writer, a sought-after speaker, and a tireless advocate for unborn children. Having once been a prisoner, he started a ministry for lawbreakers. Having been touched by grace, he never felt anyone was beyond its reach.