Once again, it poured on Pasadena yesterday afternoon. My hopes for a leisurely run at the Rose Bowl dashed, I decided to run on the treadmill at the gym. (Sometimes, the thought of running in a downpour is more appealing than others.) I was reminded at once of why I loathe doing cardio workouts indoors. The first factor to overcome is the tremendous boredom; 40 minutes on a treadmill feels like 2 hours on the trails. My short attention span needs new and different things to look at; at 24 Hour Fitness, all I could do was watch the local news broadcast on the club’s giant televisions and marvel at just how poorly the show was captioned for the hearing-impaired.
I’m also someone who sweats profusely, and I run in constant anxiety that with every stride, I am spraying those nice folks trying to work out around me. Sigh. I’ll be out on the road this afternoon, come rain or hail or shine.
I did make it home in time to see the second half of the women’s basketball game between DePaul and Liberty University. I confess, I was rooting madly for the Liberty Flames. I love underdogs, and Liberty was seeded 13th in their regional while DePaul was seeded 5th. On the other hand, as ESPN’s cameras reminded us constantly, Liberty is Jerry Falwell’s university. Falwell sat near his team, beaming as his Flames pulled off the exciting upset.
As a self-described progressive evangelical, I’ve had to do a lot of praying for Brother Jerry over the years. I don’t know why, but I find him harder to like than any other figure on the Christian Right, Pat Robertson included. Perhaps based on the history of my own faith journey, I am more sympathetic to Pentecostals like Robertson than strict Baptists like Falwell; there’s something about charismatics that suggests fallibility and humanity. (The stories of the internecine battles between Falwell and Robertson are legendary; they are uneasy allies at best.) Falwell always strikes me as unappealingly smug.
Still, there’s little denying the remarkable job he has done at Liberty (which he founded in 1971), building it single-handedly into a medium-sized university with a slowly rising reputation. Mind you, Liberty is a long way from being considered in the same breath with the older, smaller stars of evangelical higher education like Calvin, Wheaton, and Westmont. Then again, Liberty has a far more aggressive mission than those more intellectually-inclined campuses. Liberty’s doctrinal statement is far more theologically conservative than at other Christian schools, reflecting the far right-wing of the Baptist tradition. And in a list of Liberty’s distinctives, Falwell makes it clear that Liberty has a very obvious political agenda. He writes that his school is different from all others because it has:
An uncompromising doctrinal statement, based upon an inerrant Bible, a Christian worldview beginning with belief in biblical Creationism, an eschatological belief in the pre-millennial, pre-tribulational coming of Christ for all of His Church, dedication to world evangelization, an absolute repudiation of “political correctness,†a strong commitment to political conservatism, total rejection of socialism, and firm support for America’s economic system of free enterprise.
Yup, the Gospel rings with the defense of America’s economic system of free enterprise. It’s just that the silly folks at other evangelical seminaries (not to mention the Catholics and the Mainlines) haven’t been able to do the proper textual exegesis to discover what Brother Jerry and his students know in their hearts to be true.
But I know that part of me likes to poke fun at Falwell because frankly, he embarrasses me. As an evangelical surrounded by folks more liberal on theological and cultural issues than myself, I find myself constantly lumped together with him. (If I had a dollar for every time a non-believer has said, "Hugo, now you’re sounding like Falwell", I could afford, well, a nice dinner out for my fiancee and myself.) I don’t like his style, I don’t like his politics, and I think he misreads Scripture and gives other evangelicals a bad name in the public sphere. But I also recognize that this embarrassment is, at least partially, my own sinful pride at work. I don’t want other folks to think I’m at all like Jerry Falwell because I think my views are subtler, more compassionate, more evolved, and frankly, more congruent with the spirit of Christ than his. That’s arrogance and hubris, and it’s something I need to cop to and for which I need to repent. Paul tells us that the body of Christ is a unit made up of many parts. The eye cannot say to the hand, "I don’t need you." And though it is hard for me to believe sometimes, progressive Christians cannot say to a Jerry Falwell, we don’t need you. Sometimes I have my own uncharitable suspicions as to which part of the body of Christ Falwell represents, but I know that he and I and our churches share the same God, often pray the same prayers, and are struggling to discern divine will in our lives.
So as part of my repentance, I rooted hard for the Flames. They played magnificently, led by the tremendously talented 6′8" senior center, Katie Feenstra. (Is it awful of me to worry about how a young woman that tall, and presumably without a huge income, affords nice clothes in her size?) Feenstra dominated DePaul, and I predict will give #1-ranked LSU fits in the next round of the tournament. Though I doubt that Liberty will be able to beat the best team in the nation, despite (and perhaps now because of) my own issues with their chancellor and founder, I’ll be rooting madly for the Flames in the Sweet Sixteen.
Paul tells us that the body of Christ is a unit made up of many parts. The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you.” And though it is hard for me to believe sometimes, progressive Christians cannot say to a Jerry Falwell, we don’t need you.
Fair enough. But who’s to say that he’s not the butt cheek of the body of Christ and you the chest.
I don’t think that it is pride to believe your Christianity is more faithful to Christ’s than his. That’s simple common sense. It would be pride if you thought you, and not God’s grace, were responsible for your more faithful Christianity.
Nice new side design.
What are the fruit behind you in your new photo? Oranges?
Persimmons.
Oh I haven’t heard of those before.
Do you like gardening?
Can’t stand gardening. Requires much to much patience. I do have immense appreciation for the gardening efforts of others. The persimmons are at my family’s ranch in Northern California; ’twas last Thanksgiving day.
*Points and laughts at the creationists*
I like the new design! And the photo is particularly nice.
I visit your blog every once and awhile and thought I should say hello. I appreciate the simplicity and sincerity of your expression of the faith. Charity is a good thing.
Have you been to the Eden project on any of your trips to the UK?
You give Falwell too much credit. He isn’t some small-congregation preacher trying to do his misguided best for his flock, he is an empire builder. I consider him to be more along the lines of Donald Trump than a typical pastor. And his blaming the 9/11 tragedy on feminists, gays, and other undesirables was not only cruel, but irresponsible in the mood of vigilante-ism in the weeks after 9/11. Falwell may be a member of the body of Christ, but he is just plain wrong on so many things, and I don’t see any reason to apologize for thinking so.
Yeah…about Brother Jerry. As a fewllow Baptist, I find myself explaining him often. I grew up in Virginia, married a good baptist girl from Huddleston, a town just outside of Lynchburg. She dashed away from the church as fast a s she could when she hit college. Can’t blame her, really. Strange that she married a pastor.
I tell people I am a Jimmy Carter Baptist, not a Jerry Falwell Baptist. That clears it up for most people. The subtleties may be lost, but I am not sure they need engaging with Rev Falwell.
“The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you.” And though it is hard for me to believe sometimes, progressive Christians cannot say to a Jerry Falwell, we don’t need you.”
Wow. I like reading you in general, but I love when you use applied scripture.
There are so many Christians in the public eye who make me wish they weren’t identified as such because I feel they contribute to negative images of Christianity. But I don’t get to boot them out. On the one hand, that sucks. On the other hand — well, it still sucks, but I live with it because it’s God’s Church, not mine.
Doesn’t mean that Falwell’s role is positive - he might be put here to be a living illustration of pomposity and lack of charitable feeling, ie, an example of what to avoid. This is not a guy who has time to visit the sick parishioners - he is the CEO and too busy.
Ok, Here goes. Thanks Hugo, your generosity is inspiring. But I like Rev. Falwell. Not because of the media’s portrayal of him, not because of his writing, which I find sometimes hysterical and overblown, but because he preaches the gospel and does much good. Liberty Godparent home, for a start. He has had a key role in inspiring American Evangelicals to engage, and for that, be he another Jim Bakker, he deserves my respect. He has played a key role in the abortion, family and marriage issues. That means Progressives hate his guts, but we Conservatives ought to acknowledge he has done much good. Further, there are an awful lot of happy people in the Thomas Road Baptist Church, people who are being better neighbours and better citizens because of him. That deserves respect.
Your civility above ideology is inspiring.
Someone already made the Jimmy Carter kind of Baptist referrence above. Put me in Mr. Carter’s camp too.
I know a lot of Baptists–I am one. No one that I know would seriously assert that free enterprise as an Amercian economic system is a Baptist distinctive. As good as free enterprise is–its not Baptist.
As for the body metephor–without certain body parts, how would we sit down!?!
John, you’re right that Jerry has done a lot of good. (NOT to Jim Bakker — many pentecostals still are angry with Falwell for the way he tried to take over the PTL Club in the late 1980s. Ask Tammy Faye about Jerry Falwell sometime…)
I know that many who might not otherwise have come to Christ have done so thanks to Jerry Falwell. For that, he deserves honor. But Glen, you’re right, someone in the body has to be the rump…
I like the redesign (though I think your center column could be larger — I’ve got MASSIVE striped of blue on the right and left if I leave my browser window at its usual size when I read your blog).
Have you read Mel White’s works (especially Stranger at the Gate)? If you get a chance to speak with him, I encourage you to do so — I think you and he have a great deal in common. He’s a former ASC’er, so he comes by there for a forum occasionally.
I have never met Mel White, though I have met his former wife Lyla many times through All Saints and Pasadena Playhouse thingies. I used excerpts from “Stranger at the Gate” in one of my classes. I’m always struck by the kind words that Mel has for Jerry.
Hugo - at least Liberty has brought a little “madness” to the Woman’s tournament. For the most part, you know the top seeds will win. Nice to see a 13 seed in Sweet 16, although UCSB gave Notre Dame a run (and perhaps that would have been the source of a different post!). Well, there is a chance Liberty will meet Georgia in the Elite 8 so perhaps the stands will be full of Carter versus Falwell Baptists!
One of my favorite “embarrassing” quotes from the Rev…
“…You’ve got to kill the terrorists before the killing stops and I am for the President—chase them all over the world, if it takes ten years, blow them all away in the name of the Lord.” CNN Late Edition With Wolf Blitzer, October 24, 2004
I prefer the saying my husband has in the back window of his car:
“When Jesus said, ‘Love thy enemies,” it wasn’t an option.”
John and Caitriona, for different reasons, the two quotes you provided made me smile this morning.
Col Steve, I agree that too often, women’s college basketball is predictable — this year, there is a sense that someone new might win it all, and that is refreshing and exciting.
Hi Hugo, I know that you are a big fan of Amanda Marcotte at Pandagon. I was just curious as to why she deletes every post that opposes her views on things.
I think that the Liberty Flames women’s basketball team is great!! Thanks for the little tid bit.
I’m a former student of Liberty. I will not return to that university. Liberty University, in the image of Jerry Falwell, has a frightening lust for money. So much so, in fact, that the university has turned over my debt to a collection agency called Wynham Professionals who informs me that if I don’t suddenly become wealthy and pay $1,303.15 by yesterday, they’re gonna spend $2,000 in legal costs to collect Jerry’s thirteen hundred bucks.
Now, I believe firmly in honoring my debts. Even so, currently I’m unemployed and receiving a small disability check.But I’m also seeking employment in a not-so-hot local economy. It strikes me as humorous that someone would spend more in legal costs than the money amount they’re trying to receive.
I tried to make a payment arrangement with Falwell U., but they insisted that I pay in full. I told them that I was in dire financial straights, but they ignored me and turned the matter over to a collection agency whose collections people shouted at me, called me lazy, and accused me in a roundabout way of welching. There was no way to reason with them. I ought to pray for them, but right now I’m so angry I have tunnel vision, I’m having a severe manic episode (bipolar; sorry), and I’d rahter see Wyndham and Liberty go out of business. In fact, I’d love to see both of those vile entities be held accountable for their oppressive and stupid treatment of their clients.
Perhaps on Judgement Day, I will, if God is a Just Being.