2 of 2

As dean of Saint Paul's Cathedral, Donne was a public figure, his death a public event. In his sermon to the king, later called Death's Duel, Donne said, "Though from the womb to the grave, and in the grave itself, we pass from death to death, yet, as Daniel speaks, the Lord our God is able to deliver us, and he will deliver us." Walton wrote of the sermon, "Many that then saw his tears and heard his faint and hollow voice [professed] they thought the text prophetically chosen and that Dr. Donne had preached his own funeral sermon."

Tammy Faye adapted that tradition of the public death for the edification of us all. Like Donne, she preached mortality by "a dying face." And she offered the hope of every Christian: "I believe when I leave this earth, because I love the Lord, I am going straight to heaven." "Are you still a little scared?" King asked. "For myself," Tammy Faye said, "I know where I'm headed."

Rob Moll is a CT associate editor. He is writing a book on the art of dying.

Copyright © 2007 Christianity Today. Click for reprint information.

Highlights from Tammy Faye's last interview with Larry King are available online.

Christianity Today staff spoke with other evangelical leaders about Tammy Faye's role in evangelicalism.

David Neff blogged about "singing Tammy Faye's song."

Weblog links to many of the eulogies written about her.

TammyFaye.com and the website of The Eyes of Tammy Faye (CT's review) have more information on her life.

Other Christianity Today articles on death and dying are in our special section.

first page |  2 of 2

share this page

July (Web-only) 2007, Vol. 51