Falwell's Legacy

I have not posted anything on Jerry Falwell, partly because so much had already been written about him withing the blogging community since his death. Christianity Today ran a brief article about the man, and accounts of his life and work have appeared in numerous publications.

Yes, Jerry Falwell was a hated man. The liberals loathed him and thought of him as a militant fundamentalist, and the extreme fundamentalists loathed him and thought of him as a compromising liberal. Well, if the two groups I can't stand hated him, then the enemy of my enemies must be my friend.....

Actually, I have long respected Dr. Falwell. Yes, he held some positions that I do disagree with. Sometimes his policies seemed to be far too much "pro-war" (though in fairness, Falwell repeatedly stated he was never pro-war). One incident that I thought was particularly shameful was Falwell's signing of a missile. Even if one believes our country has a right to defend itself (which it does), and even if one believes our country has a duty to ensure peace throughout the world (which, to a limited degree, it does), it is inexcusable for a pastor to glorify killing by signing his name to a weapon intended to kill image bearers of God. As pastors, though we may believe war is necessary, it is still something to be mourned. Falwell was far too militaristic.

Still, Falwell was a strong advocate of good Christian citizenship. While the "moral majority" experiment was fundamentally flawed (i.e. trying to secure a Christian ethical base within a country that has rejected the Christian theological foundation), he rightly stressed the need for Christians to be active in the political arena.

Falwell also was a man of mercy and compassion. He war wasn't just against liberalism. It was against poverty, drug use, homelessness, teenage runaways, and so much more. Though rarely recognized, he was in effect a protestant Mother Theresa.

This leads me to what I believe is Falwel''s real legacy. No one has captured the true spirit of Falwell better than Larry Flynt. Yes, THAT Larry Flynt. The Larry Flynt of Hustler fame.
After Falwell's death, Flynt wrote the following:

“The Reverend Jerry Falwell and I were arch enemies for fifteen years. We became involved in a lawsuit concerning First Amendment rights and Hustler magazine. Without question, this was my most important battle – the l988 Hustler Magazine, Inc., v. Jerry Falwell case, where after millions of dollars and much deliberation, the Supreme Court unanimously ruled in my favor. 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. He would visit me in California and we would debate together on college campuses. I always appreciated his sincerity even though I knew what he was selling and he knew what I was selling. The most important result of our relationship was the landmark decision from the Supreme Court that made parody protected speech, and the fact that much of what we see on television and hear on the radio today is a direct result of my having won that now famous case which Falwell played such an important role in.” –Larry Flynt, publisher of Hustler Magazine

There is much evil in that quote, as to be expected from Flynt. But there is something in there that is startling, and very, very Christ-like. Though Falwell staunchly defended the Judeo-Christian ethic, and was uncompromising on that point, personally he was a kind and gracious man. Larry Flynt recognized this immediately when meeting him. He couldn't help but like the man.

Jerry Falwell's true legacy was that he was committed to people just as much as he was committed to truth. He embodied the gospel. Certainly it was a gospel with flaws, but the true gospel nonetheless.

Friends, staunchly defend the truth.....but love people in the process. If people don't like you when they meet you, it's not because you are a great defender of the faith...it's because your a jerk. Christ's love is also a truth that we are called to defend, and to live, before the eyes of a pagan world.