Fundamental Transition

Jerry Fallwell died Tuesday. He was a stalwart advocate of conservative Christianity, the foe of liberalism, opponent of gay rights, and proponent of what has become known in American politics as the Christian Right. He was a worthy adversary, a faithful family man, and one whose passing perhaps marks the end of an era in American culture. Americans have always liked their religion and politics held at arms length from each other. Oh, sure, every patriotic speech must invoke God, and the American civil religion is a theistic cult of patriotism and heroes, but brand name religion--Baptist, Catholic, Unitarian--has always sounded, well, too commercial for public consumption. Let our public figures mouth platitudes about God & country, but they'd better stay far away from sacraments, papal infallibility, and speaking in tongues. Jerry Fallwell tried to maintain this illusion of separation between church and state while exerting the maximum influenced upon conservative public officials to enact legislation in support of the agenda of the Religious Right.

When Fallwell came to Alaska in the early 1980's he caused such a stir that I felt the effects as an Army chaplain assigned to duty in that state. His virulent anti-feminist, anti-gay program was so hostile and unChristian that I had to speak a word in public to present an alternative viewpoint. That prophetic utterance cost me dearly, as I was beaten up severely on my next Officer Efficiency Rating and as a consequence was never promoted again for the balance of my military career. Instead of retiring as a Lieutenant Colonel or Colonel, which would have been a reasonable career progression, I remained a captain until my early retirement in 1988.

Even though he indirectly ruined my career as a military chaplain, I harbor no ill will toward Jerry Fallwell on his death. He was doing what he believed was right. I see him surrounded by God's peaceful light, moving from fear and hostility toward redemptive love.

What this man's passing confirms for me is that Unity and the New Thought churches need to step into the public view and let their light shine forth. There are better models of Christian love than the divisive hostility of Jerry Fallwell, and I am fairly certain that he knows this now and will expand his consciousness in ways unimaginable to limited humans.

Meanwhile, this is a good time to remind ourselves that God works through all sort of people, and there are many ways of understanding the Truth....

RevTW Shepherd