Jerry Falwell Remembered

Tuesday May 15, 2007

Dr. Jerry Falwell, founder of Liberty University and conservative Christian preacher, died on May 15, 2007 at age 73. According to this CNN report, he was found unconscious in his office around 11:30 Tuesday morning. Approximately one hour later he was pronounced dead of heart failure at Lynchburg General Hospital.

Outspoken in politics, Falwell established the conservative lobbying group the Moral Majority in 1979, and went on to be one of the most controversial evangelical ministers in America. In 2006, Falwell celebrated his 50th anniversary as pastor of the Thomas Road Baptist Church, in Lynchburg, VA. Don Wildmon, founder of the American Family Association, has worked together with Falwell for many years. In an interview with OneNewsNow.com Wildmon said that Jerry Falwell would be remembered as a dedicated family man and one who was passionate about serving God.

Others Remember:

"Jerry lived a life of faith and called upon men and women of all backgrounds to believe in God and serve their communities. One of his lasting contributions was the establishment of the Liberty University, where he taught young people to remain true to their convictions, and rely upon God's word throughout each stage of their lives."
- George Bush, U.S. President

"Dr. Falwell was a man of distinguished accomplishment who devoted his life to serving his faith and country."
- John McCain, U.S. Senator and Republican Presidential Candidate

"Jerry has been a tower of strength on many of the moral issues which have confronted our nation."
- Pat Robertson

"I express my condolences to his family ... and to his much larger family, Moral Majority, and all the enterprises he was in. He was a man who set a direction, he was someone who was not afraid to speak his mind. We all have great respect for him, whether you agree with him or disagree with him. He was a person who told you what he thought and knew where he stood."
- Rudy Giuliani, Former New York City Mayor and Republican Presidential Candidate

"[Falwell was] an American who built and led a movement based on strong principles and strong faith has left us. He will be greatly missed, but the legacy of his important work will continue through his many ministries where he put his faith into action. Ann and I have had the honor to talk and meet with Reverend Falwell and get to know him as a man of deep personal faith and commitment to helping those around him. He will be forever remembered."
- Mitt Romney, Governor and Republican Presidential Candidate

"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, Director of National Gay and Lesbian Task Force

"We did not always agree on everything, but I knew him to be a man of God."
- Billy Graham

"Dr. Falwell was a giant of faith and a visionary leader and he, as a man, has always been a man of great optimism and great faith and he has left instructions for those of us who have to carry on and we will be faithful to that charge."
- Ron Godwin, Executive Vice President Liberty University

"The thing I'll miss the most is him as a colleague. He was a really funny guy. He had a tremendous sense of humor. I found him to be a remarkably humble man who was very much aware of his own flaws."
- Richard Land, Southern Baptist Leader of The Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission