Essay Undergraduate 618 words

Colson's "Any Ol' World View Won't Do": A Critical Analysis

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Abstract

This paper analyzes and responds to Chuck Colson's essay "Any Ol' World View Won't Do," in which Colson argues that American Christians fail to apply Biblical teachings consistently in their daily lives and moral reasoning. The paper summarizes Colson's central problem, position, and supporting evidence — including divorce rate statistics and polling data on moral relativism among Christians — before critically examining the assumptions underlying his arguments. Key weaknesses identified include Colson's presumption of a clear and unified Biblical moral code and his oversimplification of the diversity within American Christianity. The paper also challenges his insistence on applying an absolute Biblical morality in a contemporary context.

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What makes this paper effective

The paper follows a disciplined analytical structure: it summarizes the source text's problem, position, and evidence before moving into critique, making the argument easy to follow.
The critique is grounded in the source material itself — the author identifies specific logical gaps and unstated assumptions rather than simply disagreeing with Colson's conclusions.
The paper remains concise and focused, avoiding digression while still addressing multiple distinct weaknesses in Colson's reasoning.

Key academic technique demonstrated

This paper demonstrates assumption analysis — a critical reading technique in which the writer identifies premises the author takes for granted but never explicitly defends. By surfacing Colson's assumption that a single, clear Biblical moral code exists and that American Christians share a unified belief system, the student shows how unstated premises can undermine an otherwise evidence-backed argument.

Structure breakdown

The paper opens by defining the problem Colson identifies, then moves to his stated position, followed by the evidence he marshals. The final two sections shift from summary to critique, first identifying hidden assumptions and then challenging the practical applicability of Colson's prescriptions. This summary-then-critique structure is a standard format for analytical response essays at the undergraduate level.

Introduction: Colson's Central Problem

The problem that Chuck Colson addresses in his brief essay Any Ol' World View Won't Do is the lack of genuine application of Christian principles in daily life and in basic worldviews. While Christians are often good at quoting the Bible and are generally aware of the laws and expectations of their faith, Colson asserts that, by and large, American Christians do not actually hold views of morality, values, and behavior that are consistent with — or even grounded in — Biblical teachings. Failing to properly live and believe as Christians renders the faith almost empty, according to Colson. The truly fundamental problem he identifies is that a failure to genuinely live as Christians is eroding the significance and meaning of Christianity in America, while also leaving American Christians without the full benefit and true expression of their religion.

Colson's Position and Call to Action

After defining the problem, Colson makes his position quite clear: he believes that Christians in America need to begin living according to the values, beliefs, and explicit moral code of the religion as taught in the Bible. Colson argues that there needs to be more personal and contextual relevance for the teachings of Christianity — that is, a more direct, personalized, and behavior-bound application of Christian beliefs and principles in daily behavior and life choices. This, he contends, will help American Christians to "win the culture war."

Evidence and Arguments Colson Presents

In supporting his position, Colson makes several key and highly interrelated arguments. He draws on opinion polls and demographic statistics to demonstrate the divergence of American Christian thoughts and behaviors from those actually advocated by the Bible and the teachings of the faith. His evidence includes the higher-than-average divorce rate among born-again Christians, the even higher divorce rate among fundamentalists, and the fact that many Christians believe morals are relative — something he asserts only secularists ought to believe. Colson also argues that the lack of influence the Church has in American society is a direct result of the lack of true personal adherence practiced by the Church's followers, though he provides little concrete evidence for this particular claim.

2 Locked Sections · 190 words remaining

Assumptions Underlying Colson's Arguments · 120 words

"Colson presumes a unified, clear Biblical moral code"

Critical Weaknesses and Counterarguments · 70 words

"Absolute Biblical morality is impractical in modern context"

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Key Concepts in This Paper

Christian Worldview Biblical Morality Moral Relativism American Christianity Culture War Divorce Statistics Assumption Analysis Religious Diversity Faith Application Absolute Morality