Falwell's Legacy...Good and Bad

With the passing of Jerry Falwell went one of the more colorful, entertaining, passionate, and maddening religious political figures in American history. There is no doubt that Falwell will have a lasting effect and influence on American politics. His Moral Majority, founded in 1979, not only is credited for helping elect Ronald Reagan, but also paved the way for others, such as Pat Robertson and the Christians Coalition, and James Dobson and the Family Research Council, to become major political figures in American politics. One could argue that without Falwell as the catalyst, the Religious Right would not be the major political player that it is today. And the Republican party would not have won so many elections without it either.

I must admit - and with no disrespect to his passing - I am no Falwell fan. It's not necessarily his political views - I agree with a great deal of them - but rather, it was his method. Falwell's political style was based less on humility and more on power, less on grace and more on legalism, less on love and more on divisiveness. Sometimes I wonder whether Falwell did more harm than good for Christianity as a whole. He politicized evangelicalism - the Good News became political mantra. While I appreciate his pro-life position, his inflammatory rhetoric caused many to turn a deaf ear to his message. Insinuating that homosexuals were the cause of 9/11 or that anyone who disagreed with him was probably a communist didn't open dialogue to discuss issues further, but rather isolated him to the fringes of society.

Earlier in his ministry, Falwell said, "Preachers are not called to be politicians… but to be soul winners." Why the change? The sexual revolution of the 60s and Roe v Wade were major ingredients in his shift. But the breaking point was the disillusionment many conservatives had with evangelical Jimmy Carter. When Carter's politics conflicted with conservative evangelicals, Falwell and others felt the need to act politically: "As a pastor, I kept waiting for someone to come to the forefront of the American religious scene to lead the way out of the wilderness. Like thousands of other preachers, I kept waiting, but no real leader appeared. Finally, I realized that we had to act ourselves."

And so Falwell began the Moral Majority - and gained much influence and power. He had access to the White House, he was interviewed by TV shows, and his face became recognizable throughout most of America and the world. And then, as it always does, the power corrupted. Every time in the world's history, when church and state mix, the church loses. Politics is about winning, which leads to compromise, which leads to abandonment of principles, which results in a political organization that once was religious. As I always warn myself and others, if your politics and your faith never conflict, then more than likely your politics is informing your faith, rather than your faith informing your politics. The Moral Majority, and subsequent organizations, lost their prophetic role and became pawns for the political parties. It happens on both sides of the aisle. Just as Falwell fell into the Republican power game, Jim Wallis is currently married to the Democratic power grab.

And so where are we in today's society? How does the world perceive Christians? As those who bring the Good News or those who wag their finger in others' faces? As those who seek to love one another, or as those who protest television shows? As those who seek to save the lost or those who judge the lost for not being responsible?

Love him or hate him, Falwell has left his mark on our American political system. But now, perhaps it is time for evangelicals to reclaim part of what has been lost and proclaim the entire Good News of Jesus Christ rather than just the contemporary partisan political hot-button issues.