Jerry Falwell Sr.: The Life, Legacy, and Controversies of the Liberty University Founder
Jerry Falwell Sr. was a prominent American Baptist pastor, televangelist, and conservative activist who left an indelible mark on American religious and political life. As the founding pastor of the Thomas Road Baptist Church and the co-founder of Liberty University, Falwell built a vast religious and educational empire. His influence extended into the political arena, where he mobilized conservative Christians and played a significant role in shaping the Republican Party. However, his career was also marked by controversy, stemming from his views on social issues and his involvement in political campaigns.
Early Life and Ministry
Jerry Laymon Falwell was born on August 11, 1933, in Lynchburg, Virginia. He was the son of Helen Virginia and Carey Hezekiah Falwell, an entrepreneur and one-time bootlegger. Falwell's early life was marked by family tragedy, including the death of his uncle and father.
In 1956, after graduating from Baptist Bible College, Falwell founded the Thomas Road Baptist Church in Lynchburg. The church grew rapidly, becoming a megachurch with over 20,000 members by the time of his death. Also in 1956, Falwell began The Old-Time Gospel Hour, a nationally syndicated radio and television ministry.
Founding and Development of Liberty University
In 1971, Falwell co-founded Lynchburg Baptist College with Elmer L. Towns, which later became Liberty University. The institution aimed to provide a Christian education grounded in conservative values. Falwell served as the first chancellor of the school. The school changed its name to Liberty Baptist College in 1976, and again to Liberty University in 1984.
Liberty University experienced significant growth under Falwell's leadership. It expanded its academic programs and facilities, becoming one of the largest Christian universities in the world. Liberty University consists of 17 colleges, including the Helms School of Government and the Rawlings School of Divinity. Most of its enrollment is in online courses; in 2020, the university enrolled about 15,000 in its residential program and 80,000 online. The university's high number of students can be explained in particular by its tuition fees, which are among the lowest in the United States. Liberty's athletic teams compete in Division I of the NCAA and are collectively known as the Liberty Flames. The university requires undergraduate students to take three evangelical biblical studies classes. Its honor code, called the "Liberty Way", prohibits premarital sex, cohabitation, any kind of romantic relationship between members of the same sex, and alcohol use. It places a strong emphasis on creationism.
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The university's campus includes several notable buildings and facilities, such as:
- The 17-story, 245-foot Freedom Tower, completed in February 2018, is the tallest building in Lynchburg.
- The Hancock Welcome Center, a three-level, 33,000-square-foot Jeffersonian-style building featuring an atrium, boardroom, theater, lounges, a banquet hall, several smaller counseling rooms, and a patio with a view of the Blue Ridge Mountains.
- The Liberty Mountain Snowflex Centre, a synthetic ski slope featuring Snowflex.
- The Observatory Center, which opened in spring 2013 next to the Equestrian Center.
- The four-story, 170,000-square-foot Jerry Falwell Library, which opened in January 2014.
- The National Civil War Chaplains Museum, which contains exhibits about clergy members and religious activity during the Civil War era.
The 1.7-acre estate was purchased by Liberty University in the late 1970s to be the headquarters of the university administration. It housed the main office of university founder Jerry Falwell, who died at his desk on May 15, 2007. Falwell and his wife were buried on the rear lawn of the mansion and a memorial to Falwell was placed there, overlooking the rest of the campus.
Political Activism and the Moral Majority
Falwell was a prominent figure in the rise of the Christian right in American politics. In 1979, he founded the Moral Majority, an organization that advocated for conservative social and political causes. The Moral Majority quickly grew to several million members and played a significant role in the election of Ronald Reagan as president in 1980.
Falwell advocated a conservative Christian faith and condemned what he perceived as the sinfulness and godlessness of contemporary society. He opposed abortion, feminism, gay rights, and other causes associated with the social and cultural transformations of the 1960s and ’70s.
Throughout his career, Falwell was a staunch supporter of the State of Israel and of the Republican Party. His Liberty University became an important stop for Republican presidential candidates in the early 21st century.
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Controversies and Criticisms
Falwell's career was marked by numerous controversies and criticisms. He faced scrutiny for his views on social issues, his involvement in political campaigns, and his business practices.
During the 1950s and 1960s, Falwell spoke and campaigned against the civil rights activist Martin Luther King Jr. and the racial desegregation of public school systems by the federal government. In 1977, Falwell supported Anita Bryant's "Save Our Children" campaign to overturn an ordinance in Dade County, Florida, prohibiting discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation.
Falwell repeatedly denounced certain teachings in public schools and secular education in general, calling them breeding grounds for atheism, secularism, and humanism, which he claimed to be in contradiction with Christian morality.
In 1994, Falwell promoted and distributed the video documentary The Clinton Chronicles: An Investigation into the Alleged Criminal Activities of Bill Clinton. The video purported to connect Bill Clinton to a murder conspiracy involving Vince Foster, James McDougall, Ron Brown, and a cocaine-smuggling operation.
Falwell condemned homosexuality as forbidden by the Bible. After comedian and actress Ellen DeGeneres came out as a lesbian, Falwell referred to her in a sermon as "Ellen DeGenerate".
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In February 1999, a National Liberty Journal article (the media attributed it to Falwell) claimed that Tinky Winky, a Teletubby, was intended as a homosexual role model.
In 1983, Larry Flynt's pornographic magazine Hustler ran a parody of a Campari ad featuring a mock "interview" with Falwell in which he admits that his "first time" was incest with his mother in an outhouse while drunk. Falwell sued for $45 million, alleging invasion of privacy, libel, and intentional infliction of emotional distress. A jury rejected the invasion of privacy and libel claims, holding that the parody could not have reasonably been taken to describe true events, but ruled in Falwell's favor on the emotional distress claim and awarded damages of $200,000. This was upheld on appeal.
Death and Legacy
On May 15, 2007, Falwell was found unconscious and without a pulse in his office after he missed a morning appointment, and was taken to Lynchburg General Hospital. He was 73. Falwell's funeral took place on May 22, 2007, at Thomas Road Baptist Church after he had lain in repose both at the church and at Liberty University. Falwell's burial service was private. He is interred at a spot on the Liberty University campus near the Carter Glass Mansion and Falwell's office.
Views on Falwell's legacy are mixed. Supporters praise his advancement of his socially conservative message. They tout his evangelist ministries and his stress on church planting and growth. Critics point to his controversial statements and actions, arguing that they promoted intolerance and division.
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