The deaths of Jesse Jackson and Robert Duvall: An Ash Wednesday reflection on what matters most in life
The Daily Article
The Denison Forum
4.9 • 576 Ratings
🗓️ 18 February 2026
⏱️ 8 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Be a Denison Forum Frontline Partner
The deaths of Rev. Jesse Jackson—called America’s “most influential Black figure” between Martin Luther King Jr. and Barack Obama—and actor Robert Duvall remind us, as Ian McKellen admitted, that we are not immortal. Even the nation George Washington helped birth and the films that outlive their performers will not stand forever, and we are only a few generations removed from a world where most people died of infectious disease. Though modern life tempts us to live as if this world is all there is, death confronts our finitude and calls us to trust God with this life and the next, measuring success by what echoes in eternity.
About Denison Forum and The Daily Article
Today's Daily Article was written by Dr. Jim Denison and narrated by Chris Elkins. You can read this article on our website. You may also receive it in your inbox by subscribing to our newsletter.
NOTE: Denison Forum is a fully donor-funded nonprofit ministry. To support our calling, please donate today.
Transcript
Click on a timestamp to play from that location
| 0:00.0 | Good day and welcome to the Wednesday, February the 18th, 2026 edition of Denison Forum's |
| 0:08.4 | Daily Article podcast. Today's daily article is written by friend and CEO, Dr. Jim Denison. |
| 0:14.5 | I'm Chris Elkins, narrator. The Reverend Jesse Jackson, described by the New York Times as America's most influential |
| 0:23.9 | black figure in the years between the civil rights crusades of the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther |
| 0:28.8 | King Jr. and the election of Barack Obama died yesterday morning at the age of 84. |
| 0:34.9 | He was hospitalized last November with a severe neurodegenerative condition. |
| 0:40.1 | His family said he died peacefully. Reverend Jackson was with Dr. King when he was assassinated in |
| 0:46.5 | 1968, eventually formed the National Rainbow Coalition, and ran for president in 1984 and 1988. Both times, he secured millions of votes in the primaries |
| 0:58.2 | and delivered speeches at the Democratic National Convention that electrified those in attendance. |
| 1:04.1 | In 2000, President Clinton bestowed on him the Presidential Medal of Freedom, our nation's highest civilian honor. |
| 1:12.1 | Another death-making headlines this week was the passing up famed actor Robert Duvall |
| 1:17.1 | at the age of 95. He was especially known for his roles in The Godfather, The Godfather Part 2, |
| 1:24.5 | Apocalypse Now, and Tender Mercies, for which he won the best actor Oscar. |
| 1:30.4 | He also starred in the TV miniseries Lonesome Dove. |
| 1:34.1 | His co-star Tommy Lee Jones said after his death, even though I have lost a friend, |
| 1:39.8 | Bob's work will be with us indefinitely, end quote. |
| 1:42.6 | I appreciate his kind tribute, but let's think about his |
| 1:46.3 | words for a moment. The 86-year-old actor Ian McKellen recently told an interviewer, quote, |
| 1:52.7 | I have accepted that I am not immortal. End quote. It is vital that you and I accept the same |
| 1:58.6 | fact for reasons that reveal what matters most in life. |
| 2:02.8 | Even if Jesse Jackson had been elected president of the United States, his earthly work |
| 2:07.7 | would not have been immortal. As President George W. Bush noted in his President's Day tribute |
... |
Please login to see the full transcript.
Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from The Denison Forum, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.
Generated transcripts are the property of The Denison Forum and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.
Copyright © Tapesearch 2026.