c. 2007 Religion News Service
(UNDATED) Following are various reactions to Tuesday’s (May 15) death of the Rev. Jerry Falwell at age 73 in Lynchburg, Va.
“Jerry Falwell was a close personal friend for many years. We did not always agree on everything, but I knew him to be a man of God. His accomplishments went beyond most clergy of his generation. … He leaves a gigantic vacuum in the evangelical world.”
_ Evangelist Billy Graham
“Jerry has been a tower of strength on many of the moral issues which have confronted our nation. Liberty University is a magnificent accomplishment and will prove a lasting legacy. Jerry’s courage and strength of convictions will be sadly missed in this time of increasing moral relativism.”
_ Christian Broadcasting Network Founder Pat Robertson
“A true giant of the faith has gone on to his heavenly reward. Our grief at our loss of his witness, energy and giftedness for the kingdom is mitigated by the fact that he is now with his Savior for eternity. Dr. Falwell’s home-going leaves an enormous gap in the leadership ranks of evangelical Christianity in America and around the world.”
_ Richard Land, president of the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention
“Falwell manipulated a powerful pulpit in exchange for access to political power and promotion of a narrow range of moral concerns. I appeared with him on news programs dozens of times over the years and, while I disagreed with just about everything Falwell stood for, he was a determined advocate for what he believed.”
_ The Rev. Barry W. Lynn, executive director of the Washington-based Americans United for Separation of Church and State
“We are from God and to him we return. Islamically, we can only say good things about those who have passed.”
_ Ibrahim Hooper, spokesman for the Washington-based Council on American Islamic Relations
“Dr. Falwell made big dreams reality _ by inspiring millions to political involvement, by dedicating himself to higher education, and most importantly, by fostering Christian outreach to the spiritually and physically needy through Thomas Road Baptist Church and its myriad ministries.”
_ Beverly LaHaye, founder and chairman of the Washington-based Concerned Women for America
“Jerry was a great fighter in the culture wars. He was both an exemplary evangelical and a renowned social activist, always exuding the kind of moral courage so often lacking in religious leaders of all faiths. He will be sorely missed.”
_ Bill Donohue, president of the New York-based Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights
“Dr. Jerry Falwell motivated millions of Christian conservatives to engage the cultural and political issues of the day through politics. With his leadership and vision, he changed the landscape of American politics. As a pastor and a patriot, Dr. Falwell loved Jesus Christ and he loved America.”
_ Jay Sekulow, chief counsel of the Washington-based American Center for Law and Justice
“I admired Rev. Falwell’s understanding that, despite our differences, there were areas of agreement between us, above all our deep and profound commitment to the safety and well-being of the State of Israel. It took courage for him to invite me to speak directly to Liberty University’s 9,000 students; he introduced me to his students with real excitement, and, when it seemed to him that they were acting inappropriately, he stood up and defended my right to speak, even when I was saying things with which I knew he would disagree. I deeply appreciate the genuine warmth and respect the he demonstrated for me.”
_ Rabbi Eric Yoffie, president of the Union for Reform Judaism, who was invited to speak at Liberty University a year ago
“In life we all have allies and opponents, and we can learn from both. Rev. Falwell challenged my beliefs and forced me to re-evaluate and reaffirm them. Though we often disagreed, I never wished to silence his voice.”
_ The Rev. C. Welton Gaddy, president of The Interfaith Alliance, based in Washington
“Dr. Falwell was a great Christian statesman, a visionary who recognized decades ago that Christians had the moral duty to be involved in our culture and that included the political arena. Rev. Falwell’s creation of the Moral Majority was a turning point in history for the church in America, and his legacy will last for decades to come.”
_ The Rev. Louis P. Sheldon, chairman of the Washington-based Traditional Values Coalition
“Some media pundits tended to think of Falwell as representative of American Christianity, but most church leaders, while claiming him as a `brother in Christ,’ strongly differed with many of his outspoken views, including his puzzling denunciation of the Teletubbies children’s TV program. He did perform the valuable contribution of taking stands that forced mainstream Christians to re-examine their positions and test their convictions.”
_ The Rev. Bob Edgar, general secretary of the New York-based National Council of Churches
“The Rev. Jerry Falwell and I were arch enemies for 15 years. … My mother always told me that no matter how much you dislike a person, when you meet them face to face you will find characteristics about them that you like. Jerry Falwell was a perfect example of that. I hated everything he stood for, but after meeting him in person, years after the trial, Jerry Falwell and I became good friends.”
_ Hustler Publisher Larry Flynt, who was sued by Falwell and eventually won a Supreme Court decision that made parody protected speech
“Despite our many disagreements through the years, we were saddened to learn of the loss of the Rev. Jerry Falwell. He was a passionate leader of Christianity in America and a dear friend of Israel. Rev. Falwell will always be remembered as one of the most influential leaders on the American religious scene.”
_ Abraham H. Foxman, national director of the New York-based Anti-Defamation League
“As a 16-year-old boy, I was in the crowd at the convention center in Miami Beach when Dr. Falwell joined singer Anita Bryant in holding a rally to involve Christians in the struggle against a gay rights ordinance adopted by Dade County. I had never heard of Jerry Falwell until that night _ and after that experience I would never forget him.”
_ R. Albert Mohler Jr., president of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Ky.
“Jerry Falwell was one of the first national Christian leaders to embrace and endorse Operation Rescue. … As a result of his help, we were able to recruit thousands of evangelicals into the pro-life movement.”
_ Randall Terry, founder of Operation Rescue, an anti-abortion organization based in Wichita, Kan.
“The death of a family member or friend is always a sad occasion and we express our condolences to all those who were close to the Rev. Jerry Falwell. Unfortunately, we will always remember him as a founder and leader of America’s anti-gay industry, someone who exacerbated the nation’s appalling response to the onslaught of the AIDS epidemic, someone who demonized and vilified us for political gain and someone who used religion to divide rather than unite our nation.”
_ Matt Foreman, executive director of the Washington-based National Gay and Lesbian Task Force
“Dr. Falwell defined himself. He was a bold, unapologetic, uncompromising voice for biblical truth that pushed the envelope and challenged secular culture to its limits. He was a great inspiration to younger leaders like myself.”
_ The Rev. Rob Schenck, president of the Washington-based National Clergy Council
“We cannot and must not lionize Rev. Jerry Falwell because he is now dead. We expect that some politicians beholden to the religious right, who perhaps owe their political careers in part to Falwell, will praise him for his religiosity or avuncular style. The truth is, however, that the Rev. Jerry Falwell was a dangerous man who opposed and worked against many of the key values underpinning our secular American democracy.”
_ Ellen Johnson, president of American Atheists, based in Parsippany, N.J.
“Jerry Falwell was an entrepreneurial, energetic and opinionated fundamentalist, who was almost always wrong, but never in doubt about the righteousness of his cause. He sharpened the attitudes of friends and foes, never allowing Christians to have dull edges. He deserves applause for that accomplishment alone.”
_ Robert Parham, executive director of the Baptist Center for Ethics, based in Nashville, Tenn.
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