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The determination to restore orthodox faith—the faith "that was once for all entrusted" (Jude 1:3)—brought about the Reformation, of which we are heirs. A new emphasis on orthodox doctrine could also transform the church and culture today.

Some years ago, I visited Athens and mounted the slippery rock called Mars Hill. At the top, I stood where I imagined Paul had confronted the Areopagus, the wise men of the cultural center of the world. Paul challenged them by referring to their own literature and false altars, and then boldly proclaimed the gospel, concluding that God had raised Jesus from the dead.

It's the same message I preach in prisons today. I think it's far more exhilarating to stand on a belief that has survived 2,000 years of persecution than to flit from one fad to another.

Few people accepted Paul's invitation that day to follow Christ. But billions have followed him ever since, because Christ has an unstoppable power. He has the power to break Satan's hold on our souls and joyfully transform our lives.

Orwell was right: In a crisis, we often have a duty to restate the obvious. And Easter is a good time for Christians to remind their doctrinally confused brethren of the obvious truths of Christianity.

The greatest challenge for serious Christians today is not re-inventing Christianity, but rediscovering its core teachings.

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April 2009, Vol. 53, No. 4