Jerry Falwell, chancellor of Liberty University and pastor of the Thomas Road Baptist Church, both located in Lynchburg, VA, was laid to rest last week. No doubt most people will know of him from MSM (mainstream media) sound bites that refer to him as a televangelist, founder of the Moral Majority, godfather of the “religious right” and all-around right-wing wacko. Oh, they don’t put it in quite those terms, but MSM’s devoted followers do. I guess I shouldn’t have been as surprised as I was at the hate and vitriol spewed by the “open-minded” leftists in this country upon the news of Dr. Falwell’s untimely death at age 73. But I was surprised. Surprised that websites like the Washington Post allowed such inflammatory hate speech (over 300 comments on one story by my count, the majority of which were of the type “ding dong the witch is dead” and “can’t wait until James Dobson and Pat Robertson get theirs too”). I didn’t know if I was reading the Washington Post or the Huffington Post!

So what does Dr. Falwell have to do with Greater Binghamton–other than being the ire of noted local leftist David Rossie? For one thing, I proudly attended Liberty University for three of my four years of undergraduate work. It is hard to overstate the profound impact LU had on me personally, and on others who attended. Contrary to misconceptions held by some, Jerry was a pretty open-minded individual. I had the opportunity to hear, in person, not only one of the greatest theologians of the 20th century (Francis Schaeffer), but also Sen. Edward “Ted” Kennedy. What! That’s right. Sen. Kennedy was a guest of Dr. Falwell’s, and gave a speech about abortion (pro- position) to the entire student body. You see, Jerry was not afraid to invite people from both sides of the political isle to have their say. Unlike those who sought to silence him in life, and now dance on his grave in death, Jerry did not seek to silence anyone. He welcomed a debate based on ideas and Scripture.

On one occasion, I got to field a question before the entire student body to (then) Vice President George H.W. Bush. Something about foreign policy as I recall. I got to joke with him briefly before the entire assembly. A real highlight for me. It was while at Liberty that my political science professor, Dr. Jerry Combee (Ph.D. Cornell University), breathlessly told me in the hall one day that, “I have an opportunity you WON’T refuse!” He was right. I got to be an intern in The White House and later worked there on staff–during the Reagan administration.

I traveled to Brazil on a missions trip one summer while at Liberty, spending a month flying from top to bottom, visiting cities like Sao Paulo and Rio, and remote parts like a Wycliffe Missionary base in the jungle. I had great professors while at Liberty, sometimes being invited to their houses for meals; and I had great friends. I met my best friend there. We’ve stayed friends for more than 20 years since leaving (he lives in South Carolina, I’m in Greater Binghamton). I can go on and on regaling you with stories of Liberty University and Jerry Falwell. But I will tell you just one more.

When I was a freshman and my parents came to visit–which is a long way to visit as Lynchburg is about 8 hours from where I grew up in Norwich, NY–I took them by the Falwell residence to show them where Jerry and his family lived. A supporter of his ministry had built a very nice house in Lynchburg for the Falwells, complete with a security fence around it. Even in the early 1980s Jerry had plenty of people threatening him. We drove up to the front gate to look through. As we were sitting there, Jerry himself, in a Chevy Suburban, drove up to the gate. He always drove by himself. He got out of the Suburban, came over to our car, and shook our hands and asked where we were from. He took time to make small talk with us. For a hick kid and his family from Upstate New York. Let me tell you, Jerry was the real deal. He cared about people, and he lived it. He was not fake nor hypocritical nor money-grubbing as some in religion are. He was authentic and true to his faith.

What was and is Jerry Falwell’s impact on Greater Binghamton? It’s the people. I’m here, and his impact is deep in my life. I know of other people who graduated from Liberty that hold prominent positions in local organizations–some at local public schools, some in private schools, some in the medical profession, some in business, some in ministry…the list goes on. I’m abundantly sure there are many I don’t know about, but who live and work in Greater Binghamton and were similarly impacted by Jerry Falwell and Liberty University.

And so I say, “Thank you Dr. Falwell.” Thank you for staying true to God, for standing for righteousness and goodness in a society that does not. Thank you for your vision of a university that would have Christ as its center, and excellence as its motto. Thank you for loving everyone–not just those who agreed with you but also those who disagreed. Thank you for your years of consistent and dedicated service. Greater Binghamton owes you a big debt of gratitude.

How about you? Were you affected by Dr. Falwell? Did you attend LU or know someone who did? If so, and if you want to remember Jerry Falwell, leave a comment. I expect some dissent, so I won’t be alarmed. I’ll censor anything vulgar, but I won’t remove contrary opinions. That’s what blogs are for. You see, I learned well from someone else who didn’t mind dissenting opinions. Now it’s your turn. Leave a comment!

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