Is there a word which falls upon the human consciousness with a more resounding "thud" than the word "Repent"? "Oh no," you say. "It is the theme of the prophets, the touchstone of the gospel, and the initial requirement for entrance into the kingdom." That is true, but it is also true that the inherent dynamic of "Repent," one of the foremost action words in the vocabulary of humankind, has been neutralized by a generation no longer arrested by its appeal.

A concrete sign in the shape of a cross stands alongside a public roadway as a permanent purveyor of the ancient message, condensed simply to one word: "Repent." Billboards, bumper stickers, lapel buttons, placards, and announcements in the print media bear a similar abrupt inscription: "Repent." A bearded man, weathered, unkempt, and …