Falwell Puts Politics behind Him—For the Most Part

After eight years of political activity, including traveling thousands of miles to stump for candidates and mobilize voters, Jerry Falwell says he is abandoning politics. Instead, he says he will focus on his “first love: the pulpit.”

“I am now rededicating my life to the preaching of the gospel,” Falwell announced last month as he resigned as president of Liberty Federation and its lobbying arm, Moral Majority. At a Washington, D.C., news conference, Falwell said he will now concentrate on his ministries in Lynchburg, Virginia: Thomas Road Baptist Church, Liberty University, and the “Old-Time Gospel Hour” television program. He said he needs to be “home minding the store,” adding that his ministry, like many others, has suffered a financial backlash from the PTL scandals.

In Falwell’s opinion, the time was right to pull out because “evangelicals and fundamentalists are involved permanently [in the political process]. There’s no need now for someone like Jerry Falwell to … be a lightning rod.” He told reporters he does not regret spending eight years in political activities, saying that “… creating an activistic attitude among evangelicals was absolutely right.”

The work of Moral Majority and Liberty Federation will continue under the direction of Atlanta businessman Jerry Nims. He said his plans for Moral Majority are “on the aggressive side,” with further expansion at the grassroots level, forging broader coalitions, and achieving a more active presence in Washington, D.C. He said part of the new plan includes formulating “position papers [that combine] philosophy with activism [from a] conservative, traditional point of view.” He said Moral Majority will focus on First Amendment issues and also give new emphasis to helping the needy.

Meanwhile, some political observers are questioning how long Falwell will be able to stay out of the political fray. “Politics is in his blood,” said John Buchanan, chairman of People for the American Way, a lobby group formed to counter efforts like those of Moral Majority. “I’m not going to count on him taking off the gloves just yet.”

In any event, Buchanan said his group will continue working against the Religious Right. “At this point, the entity he has created is larger than Jerry Falwell.… The mantle, to some extent, has passed to Pat Robertson and others … and the challenge of the Religious Right will not end, even if Mr. Falwell does stand by his present intentions.”

At his press conference, Falwell emphasized that he is not completely severing his ties to Moral Majority. “I will serve on the board when asked,” he said, adding that he will write for the group and sign fund-raising appeals.

Falwell also said he will continue speaking out on “issues of national importance.… I will ever and always be a spokesman for the prolife cause and for family values.”

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