It would be hard to ignore all the press the week about Billy Graham’s final crusade in New York City. Graham has always been a perplexing figure to me. I grew up watching his telecasts during my childhood, berated my father (a television executive) for airing those broadcasts when I was a teen, and felt compelled to go hear the old evangelist when he came to Portland when I was in my mid-20s.
You can debate a lot of Graham’s theology and his politics (his relationship with Richard Nixon and remarks about Jews have always been particularly troubling). But you cannot simply put Graham into the category of the religious right and be satisfied. He is more complex, more honest, and more Gospel-centered than the politician-preachers (see Albert Mohler and Franklin Graham) that seek to emulate him.
Take this story as an example: when the civil rights movement was heating up in the 1950s religious leaders were caught up in the debate. Many southern leaders – particularly Baptists – sided with segregationists. Graham, when he opened his first New York City crusade in 1957, he invited none other than Martin Luther King Jr. to give the opening prayer. Christianity Today reports:
"A great social revolution is going on in the United States today," Graham said as he introduced King. "Dr. King is one of its leaders, and we appreciate his taking time out of his busy schedule to come and share this service with us tonight."
This show of solidarity was lost on no one. Fundamentalist patriarch Bob Jones Sr. fired back to defend segregation against King and warn Graham of the consequences of associating with the civil-rights leader. "Dr. Graham has declared emphatically that he would not hold a meeting anywhere, North or South, where the colored people and the white people would be segregated in the auditorium," Jones said, "and I do not think any time in the foreseeable future the good Christian colored people and the good Christian white people would want to set aside an old established social and religious custom."
Graham used this moment in history to challenge people of faith to look beyond old understandings and to embrace Biblical concepts of justice. It was not a message many Christians wanted to hear but Graham knew it was a message they needed to hear. He should be remembered for this along with everything else.
