Christianity Today

Richard John Neuhaus, one of Chuck's closest friends and cofounder with Chuck of Evangelicals and Catholics Together, once gave an explanation of the phrase contra mundum that Chuck liked very much. We are "against the world," he said, precisely in order to be "for the world." Our primary message to a fallen world is one of grace and redemption, God's great yes in Jesus Christ.

But there are occasions, as Karl Barth reminded us, when, in order to be faithful to the whole counsel of God, we must also say "no" to the world. We earn the right to say no only when we first have engaged in washing feet. As the founder of a worldwide ministry for prisoners and their families, Chuck demonstrated the love of Christ to those most scorned by the world. He had a prophetic voice because he first had a servant's heart. He was against the world for the world.