It's Thursday, January 9, 2025.

I'm Albert Mueller, and this is the briefing, a daily analysis of news and events from a Christian worldview.

Today in the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C., the nation will observe a formal state funeral.

It's the funeral of the 39th president of the United States, Jimmy Carter. It's going to be at 10 o'clock a.m. although the events will begin

far earlier, the former president's body is expected to leave the rotunda of the Capitol about

9 o'clock on the way to the National Cathedral. And then after a service,

which is expected to end by 1115, the body of the former president will be carried to Andrews

Air Force Base, or Joint Base Andrews, as it is known now. And then it will be flown to Georgia,

eventually by 520 this afternoon, the internment ceremony in

Plains is expected to begin. We will talk on tomorrow's edition of the briefing about what happens

today in these observances, the meaning of the state funeral, but just keep in mind that what

defines a state funeral as a state funeral is that this

funeral, though it will follow a traditional Christian pattern and will take place in a building

clearly designated for Christianity, more on that tomorrow as well, it is a state funeral because

it is being conducted by the state. It is a government act. And in the United

States, that is reserved for a very few individuals. And as I say, former president certainly rank as

those whose families can choose a state funeral. It is not automatic even for a former president,

but it was the choice of former President Carter and his family in arrangements

that began as far back as 1986. Just consider how long he lived, dying just days ago at age 100.

In anticipation of that funeral, it's a wonderful thing for all Americans to watch, for American evangelical families

to watch and understand the meaning of this service, the meaning of the historic passage,

the recognition of a former president. This is the time when the formality points to the

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