I have just issued the following statement:
“I am delighted to hear that the Anglican Church in Brazil has just changed its marriage canon to allow same-sex couples to get married. As we have rejoiced in St Mary’s Cathedral Glasgow in recent months with couples who have waited years to be married in church, so we rejoice with couples doing the same thing in Brazil.
“All God’s children are equally beloved. We rejoice as greater equality comes to another part of the Anglican Communion”
We went to see Billy Graham the last time he came to Glasgow. The bank manager gave us tickets! It was my first time at Parkhead. Never had I seen so many Burberry raincoats. It was a hugely choreographed occasion. The intensity of the occasion passed me by, I had never been any where with so many people before. However his effect was clear, people were very moved. r
Kelvin, I take my hat off to you (or, as a dear, sadly departed Portuguese friend of mine used to say, “I take my head off to you”) for being able to sort out 1) your deep respect for Billy Graham the man, and 2) your wholly justified condemnation of some of his beliefs and their unfortunate consequences, and to come up with your conclusion (which I share) that he is awaking in glory–to some surprises!
I never heard of Billy Graham, until I became an Anglican. I was raised as a Catholic and when I was young, only who the Pope was, and perhaps saw Arch Bishop Fisher on TV and being told that he was a Non-Catholic and I shouldn’t watch him or read about him.
When I became an Anglican, I met some Evangelicals who t raced their history back to his Crusades and extolled his virtues. When I did research for Essays that I was writing for my training, I read about the darker side of his ministry, particularly those you ably describe. I revised my opinion of him, to one of someone who was given a Gift to proclaim the good news, but somewhere mixed it up with bad theology and missed the bit about us all being Children of God, who loves each and every one of us, not a select few.
I’ve seen the headlines and eulogies for him and have say, that with due respect that his ministry was misused and misdirected down a tangent that has had consequences for many who are victimized daily as a result.
Hi Kelvin,
I’m a producer on BBC Radio Scotland’s Good Morning Scotland programme on Saturday. We are planning to do an item about Billy Graham and were interested in what you said in your blog and wondered if you’re around to come on the programme. Could you give me a call on 0141 422 7711. Many thanks.
I think billy was a great preachr but he did not accept that god made gay people as well as straight & I couldn’t accept that
Billy Graham refused to conduct his meetings in stadiums that were segregated. He understood that we all stood equal before God. He sought crusade support across denominational lines. He ministered to our presidents, regardless of political ties or denominational ties. His sole text book was the Bible. He sole message was the salvation of the individual man through faith in Jesus Christ.
Well, Rebecca, I think Billy Graham’s life leaves a very complex legacy.
Here’s what Malcolm X thought of him: http://religiondispatches.org/billy-graham-and-the-gospel-of-american-nationalistic-christianity/
On the other hand, here’s what Mel White thought about him: https://www.melwhite.org/remembering-billy-graham/
Here’s a CNN piece which quotes Billy Graham criticising Martin Luther King’s “I have a dream” speech: https://edition.cnn.com/2018/02/22/us/billy-graham-mlk-civil-rights/index.html
“Only when Christ comes again will the little white children of Alabama walk hand in hand with little black children.”
I’m prepared to stand by my assessment that I benefited from Billy Graham’s ministry and also that there are some things about his ministry which have caused harm, to me and to others. Life really is as complex as that.
For me, Billy was exceptional. He lived a life to please no man but his creator
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