Reactions to the Passing of the Rev. Jerry Falwell

The Rev. Jerry Falwell passed away Tuesday at the age of 73. His dedication to conservative politics and evangelical Christianity brought about a sea of change in American politics, as well as a great deal of controversy. Here’s some of what people in Minnesota and around the nation have to say on the passing of the Rev. Falwell.

Local Reactions

OutFront Minnesota, Minnesota’s LGBT advocacy and direct service organization: “OutFront Minnesota expresses its condolences to the family and friends of Jerry Falwell, who died Tuesday at the age of 73.  We understand the difficult experience of losing someone close.  Unfortunately for our community, the legacy left by Mr. Falwell is a sad one. His repeated attacks on the GLBT community were divisive and hurtful. We hope that in considering Mr. Falwell’s persistent anti-gay campaign, we can better understand that such efforts serve only to diminish our society, and that we should instead strive toward inclusion and equality as our enduring ideals.”

Brian Schulenburg, Minneapolis blogger and Wooddale Senior High School pastor: “I went to Liberty [University] as an accounting major. My God was money and Liberty had a great accounting program. My plans when I graduated from college were to work for Arthur Anderson, one of the Big Six Accounting firms, and retire by the time I hit 40. Something happened to me at Liberty. I learned about lordship. I learned about what it meant to really give Christ your entire self. And, my freshman year, I surrendered to God’s calling in my life. I changed my major from accounting to pastoral ministries, and I sat under Falwell’s teaching for the next six years… From time-to-time I remember getting frustrated in chapel services. I felt like Falwell was being too dogmatic, too political, or too judgmental. But, there were also times when I learned things that I would carry with me the rest of my life… I have never met anyone who had as much influence on his community as Jerry Falwell. Love him or hate him, he’ll be missed.”

Let Freedom Ring, Minnesota Blogger: “As I look back at the way that Jerry Falwell lived life, many is the time that his detractors mischaracterized him. To be fair, that was easy to do if you just read the headlines. But to be true to who he really was, we need to look at all that he involved himself with, the lives that he touched and the impact that he had on friends, students, parishioners and fellow pastors.”

National Reactions

Soulforce: “While Soulforce has a long history of nonviolent direct action at Jerry Falwell Ministries, our adversary was never Jerry Falwell, but rather the misinformation about lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people espoused by Falwell and so many others,” said Soulforce Executive Director Jeff Lutes.

Soulforce was founded in October, 1999, when Rev. Dr. Mel White and his partner, Gary Nixon, took 200 delegates to meet with Rev. Falwell and his representatives. The purpose of the meeting was to help end hate speech and violence against sexual minorities. Prior to coming out as a gay man, White ghost-wrote two books for Falwell (“If I Should Die Before I Wake” and “Strength for the Journey”).

Upon hearing the news of the Rev. Falwell’s death, White said, “It breaks my heart to think that Jerry died without ever discovering the truth about God’s lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender children. I sincerely hope that one day his school and his church will have a change of heart.”

People for the American Way: “We extend our condolences to Rev. Jerry Falwell’s family and friends. He was an effective advocate for his vision of America, a vision with which we strongly disagreed.”

Matt Foreman, executive director of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force: “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.”

Joe Solmonese, Human Rights Campaign: “Reverend Falwell’s death today causes my thoughts to turn toward the members of our community who have at great personal sacrifice contended with the reverend’s work and teachings.  As I remember Reverend Falwell’s life, I also remember all of the families of people who have died of AIDS.  Reverend Falwell’s legacy is not about the tenants of Jesus’ ministry, such as healing the sick and standing with the disenfranchised, but about shunning and ridiculing those who have suffered and died of AIDS and their families.  Many faith leaders today are moving away from his divisive approach and toward the compassion and inclusiveness that Jesus modeled every day of his ministry.”

Televangelist Pat Robertson: “Jerry has been a tower of strength on many of the moral issues which have confronted our nation.”

James Dobson, Focus on the Family: “Our hearts and prayers go out to Jerry’s wife Macel, his children Jerry, Jonathan and Jeannie, and his church. This is a tragic loss for them — and for all Americans. Jerry’s passions and convictions changed the course of our country for the better over the last 20 years — and I was proud to call him my friend.

Candidate Reactions

Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney: “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.”

Republican presidential candidate and Sen. John McCain: “Dr. Falwell was a man of distinguished accomplishment who devoted his life to serving his faith and country. Our thoughts and prayers are with Dr. Falwell’s family at this difficult time.”

Republican presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani: “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 … he is a person who told you what he thought, and you knew where he stood.”