Why Liberty Finally Reacted to Jerry Falwell Jr.’s Antics

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Christianity Today

Religion, Christianity, Religion & Spirituality

4.3 • 622 Ratings

🗓️ 12 August 2020

⏱️ 48 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Transcribed highlights of the show can be found in our episode summaries. Last week, a Houston Chronicle reporter tweeted an image from Jerry Falwell Jr.’s instagram. The image showed the Liberty University president posing with his arm around a woman at a party with their zippers down and midsections exposed. By Friday, Falwell Jr. agreed to take an immediate and indefinite leave of absence from Liberty University, which he has led since 2007 as president and chancellor. As CT’s reporting noted: During his tenure—succeeding his father and the school’s founder, Jerry Falwell Sr.—the younger Falwell has expanded Liberty into one of the biggest Christian colleges in the world, now reporting an enrollment of over 120,000 students. But his leadership has also drawn controversy, including around his politics—such as his friendship with President Donald Trump—and personal life—like photos of him and his family at a Miami nightclub.In June, Falwell apologized for a tweet that included an image of the yearbook photo from Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam’s blackface scandal. Dozens of black alumni said he should “withdraw the racist tweet” and resign to focus on politics. This week on Quick to Listen, we wanted to discuss how Liberty University and its president fit in the larger landscape of Christian higher ed. Bill Ringenberg is faculty emeritus at Taylor University, where he was a longtime history professor and Associate Dean of Academic Affairs, and the author of The Christian College: A History of Protestant Higher Education in America and The Christian College and Academic Freedom. He joined global media manager Morgan Lee and editorial director Ted Olsen to discuss where Liberty is positioned the Christian higher ed world, how athletics make a difference in how the school sees itself, and why it took a photo on Instagram for Liberty’s board to react to Jerry Falwell Jr. Take Quick to Listen’s survey! What is Quick to Listen? Read more Rate Quick to Listen on Apple Podcasts Follow the podcast on Twitter Follow our hosts on Twitter: Morgan Lee and Ted Olsen Music by Sweeps Quick to Listen is produced by Morgan Lee and Matt Linder The transcript is edited by Bunmi Ishola Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	This episode is brought to you in part by The Apologetics Guy Show, the podcast that helps you find clear answers to tough questions about Christianity.
0:11.1	Learn to explain your faith with courage and compassion. Join Moody Bible Institute professor Dr. Mikhail del Rosario at apologeticsky.com.
0:22.6	Last week, a Houston Chronicle reporter tweeted an image from Jerry Falwell Jr.'s
0:27.7	Instagram.
0:28.5	The image showed the Liberty University president posing with his arm around a woman at a party
0:32.6	with their zippers down and midsections exposed.
0:35.8	By Friday, Falwell Jr. agreed to take an immediate and indefinite
0:39.7	leave of absence from Liberty University, which he has led since 2007 as president and chancellor.
0:45.9	Under Fallwell Jr.'s tenure, Liberty has become one of the biggest Christian colleges in the world,
0:50.7	drawing thousands of students through its numerous online programs.
0:58.9	Falwell Jr. has increasingly drawn controversy, especially as he's enthusiastically supported President Trump and also insulted his opponents on Twitter.
1:02.8	Two months ago, Bellwell Jr. tweeted an image of the yearbook photo from Virginia Governor
1:07.8	Ralph Northam's Blackface scandal after criticizing the governor's
1:11.2	mask policy, moved that angered dozens of black alumni who said that Falwell Jr. should
1:16.8	withdraw the racist tweet and resign to focus on politics. Since then, a string of black
1:21.8	students and employees have left liberty this summer over concerns with its treatment of racial
1:26.7	issues.
1:32.3	Trustees had addressed the tweets with Falwell when that came and defended his leadership.
1:40.0	We wanted to discuss Liberty University and where its president and the school sit in the larger landscape of Christian higherland.
1:49.3	You are listening to Quick to Listen, where we go beyond hashtags and hot takes discuss a major cultural event.
1:52.8	I'm Morgan Lee, Global Media Manager here at Christianity Today.
1:56.0	And I'm Ted Olson, editorial director at Christianity Today. Thank you. All right, Ted, we have quite the topic to talk about in a gut check this week.
	...

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