Jerry Falwell 1933-2007

What to say about the passing of this brother in Christ whose name is a household word?

Jerry Falwell was the pastor of Thomas Road Baptist Church in Lynchburg, Virginia, the founder of Liberty University, the onetime leader of the now-disbanded Moral Majority, and a prominent voice for American evangelicalism.

Here is one example of the admiration, fascination, and outright fear and loathing elicited by the mere announcement of his death this afternoon. (Click on comments for the posting Jerry Falwell 1933-2007, today's date)

By all accounts a fine pastor, gifted preacher, and visionary leader, he lacked (in my view) a measure of discretion when the whole world watched. Yes, his secularist foes loved to snatch soundbites from context, but I wonder if any context can indemnify his ill-chosen remarks following 9/11 on Pat Robertson's 700 Club show. God judges sin; no argument from me on that. Yet since none of us can see within God's hidden counsels, offering guesses as to which sins may have caused the terrorist acts (as Falwell appeared to do) places unnecessary stumbling blocks before the spread of the gospel.

But enough of that. By God's work through him, many thousands came to know, to grow, and to be fruitful as followers of Jesus Christ. Let us rejoice in God's faithfulness to and through this our brother. Let us pray for his family and friends as they mourn. And let us thank God that Christ has conquered death!