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It’s hard to believe that the Rev. Jerry Falwell has been gone from us for a year now.
But, yes — it was May 15, 2007, when the Thomas Road Baptist Church minister and Liberty University founder had his usual high-impact restaurant breakfast, went back to his office, and died there.
That’s really not enough elapsed time to begin talking definitively about Falwell’s legacy. Still, there are conclusions that can be drawn, and long-term trends that can be hinted at.
It’s become obvious, for instance, that Falwell’s church and university are not going to shrivel up and die in his absence. Just drive by the broad-shouldered new Thomas Road Baptist Church some Sunday around 11 and check out the gridlock in the parking lot. And son Jerry Jr. has presided over continued growth at LU.
Falwell’s two sons have a different style, and that’s only natural. Jerry Sr. came up the hard way, the son of a hard-drinking, hard-fisted father who sometimes crossed legal lines. He started his church with a tiny congregation that had walked away from a more-established church and built it into one of the largest in the nation, yet always felt disrespected by the Lynchburg establishment. Despite his jovial outward manner, he had a chip on his shoulder the size of Rustburg.
His sons, on the other hand, grew up in relative serenity and comfort. This hasn’t made them soft, but it’s made them more pragmatic. And as a bridge to the college-age generation, they know that even Christian college kids need to have fun.
They even converted their father, in some ways. The Rev. Jerry used to rail against rock music — even Christian rock music — as the siren song of the devil. If it had a beat, it was probably satanic. Now, Liberty University hosts one of the nation’s largest Christian rock festivals each December.
I catch Jonathan Falwell preaching on TV occasionally, and it seems he’s always talking about love. That wasn’t a word Jerry Sr. used much, although it’s clear that he loved his family and his church and his school and, no doubt, his congregation.
Moreover, I don’t see either Falwell son as being as political as their father, despite their brief flirtation with former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee when the latter was running for president.
Even the elder Falwell, in his later days, seemed to become disenchanted with the men in dark suits who would snap on Jesus First pins and promise the Religious Right the moon and stars, only to turn out to be fallible and changeable politicians in the end, not holy warriors.
Without question, though, Falwell changed the political landscape by marrying religion and politics at a time when that was seldom done. He didn’t just ignore the line between church and state — he took a pickaxe to it.
Even so, it can be argued that his most lasting mark will be on the city in which he was born and died. It’s hard to imagine any other community being changed this much by one man.
Look at maps and photographs of Lynchburg 30 years ago, then look today. Not all of the changes can be directly traced to Falwell, but there’s no question that the mercantile sprawl along Wards Road and much of the frantic apartment and townhouse building around the periphery of the city is a factor of the explosive growth of his college.
At first, when the school was called Liberty Baptist College, its students tended to be zealous, close-minded and clannish. As it swelled in size, however, the student body became more of a cross-section, and LU graduates have become part and partners in just about every area of Central Virginia life.
Not long before Jerry Sr. died, he emblazoned his beloved Liberty Mountain with the letters “LU,” for all to see. The letters are larger than life, and so was he.
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Reader Reactions
Great article, Darrell. I enjoyed it, and found it both informative and appropriately appreciative of what Doctor Falwell has done for the city. I am not sure I agree with the “chip on his shoulder” bit, although it is clear that Jerry ran into a number of obstacles thrown up to thwart his quest to build a world-class university, but he addressed them with the vigor that he brought to his every endeavor. God rest his soul!
Just want to make a correction to this article. Liberty University has had two previous names, not just “Liberty Baptist College”. Before that it was originally called “Lynchburg Baptist College”. Make sure you check your facts.
I enjoyed the Youtube video. My only question is what is the little building at the top of the eyesore? Looks like it may be a guard-shack. They must have added that after they saw how easy it is to change an “L” into an “F”.
[luv], I’m unbelievably intolerant (well, maybe so, towards intolerant fundies) and put forth no credible argument? That comment is hollow coming from the likes of you. Let’s look at your babble.
1) There are only scrub trees up there. Most of them aren’t big enough to cut for firewood: Take a look at this video ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A1EY9vcBcEk ). I would like to point out that the trees tower over the heavy equipment. I would dare to say that you could get a few months of firewood out of just one of those trees. Also, before Jerry Fatwell got a hold of the mountain, it used to be a pristine forest. It’s shabby looking now because the Falwells and LU have been raping it over the last few years.
2) Global warming caused by humans is a myth: Sure, there are just as many arguments to back it up just as there are to debunk it. I’m a bit confused myself with the fact that it’s been unusually cold for this time of year, but I do know that something is really screwed up with the weather patterns over the last several years. Regardless, if there is something that we can do to slow down or reverse this process, shouldn’t we do what we can? Or are you just a heartless bastard that doesn’t give a crap about the future of our earth and the future of our children?
3) Ericsson left Lynchburg because of the anti-business attitude of city council: No, Ericsson left because they closed down their wireless division and due to downsizing, like so many other businesses during that time. Although, I will agree with you that our city council does lack when it comes to making sound business decisions. They are putting all their eggs in the LU basket and when the evil empire falls, they will find out just how stupid they were to do so.
The Falwells have already turned the mountain into Lynchburg’s biggest eyesore, so they might as well finish the job. I just can’t wait until the storms come and half the mountain slides down causing devastation to the Liberty Wonderland. Nature has a way of protecting our earth from the elements. When you mock and destroy the barriers, you will only have yourself to blame for the outcome.
(I did not make that video, but my hat goes off to the genius that did.)
VoiceofReason,
You are unbelievably intolerant and put forth no credible argument. Have you had mental issues for very long?
[luv], Ether you are LU Grad] or you both have the same single digit IQ. I guess we can’t expect you to know the difference between a tree and a shrub, after all, you simpletons still think that the earth is only 6000 years old.
[LynchburgRes] You’re wasting your breath if you think you can talk reason with a mind corrupted by Fundi-Logic. If you want to insult them, then keep at it, they make it so easy for us.
[Darrell] I’m sorry, but you have become a pitiful suck-up to the Falwells. It’s disgraceful how you have stooped so low.
LunchbagRes,
I never said “scrub pines”. They aren’t pines. They are scrub trees, most of which are not big enough for firewood. If you think about it though, Trees are worthless unless they are dead. You can’t build with them, make paper, or heat your house, until they are dead. Dead trees are good trees.
Global warming caused by humans is a myth. We have had a couple of ice ages before humans existed. What caused the warming then? The weather channel can’t tell you what the weather will be three days from now, how do you put your trust in them for any more?
Ericsson left Lynchburg because of the anti-business atitude of city council. Have I educated you enough this morning?
Please leave your intolerance and prejudice in bed this morning. It is Saturday!
No Luv, I haven’t been up there, but just looking from town I can tell that the trees around the perimeter are a lot taller than just “scrub pines”. Not to mention that scrub pines themselves provide cover and habitat for wildlife. Anything that was there naturally before is better than a bunch of colored rocks.
Not to mention.. where did “killing the mountain” come from? Ahhhh another reader reaction to an earlier article. You are so convinced and dedicated to standing up for Jerry’s vanity that you just cut and paste comments from one forum to another.
Hey Johnnie, it was a lot better back when Ericsson was up there huh?...
Have you been up on that mountain? There are only scrub trees up there. Most of them aren’t big enough to cut for firewood. It isn’t the pristine forest you would like for us to believe. He replaced grey rocks with white and red rocks. So? He said a lot of things I didn’t like, but stop with the “killing the mountain” already. Come up with a different argument to why he was terrible for Lunchbag. And if we are in the middle of global warming, why has it been so cold?
Sorry Darrell, but I believe it is still called “Candler’s Mountain”. Maybe we should change the town from Lynchburg to Liberty City?
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