Billy Graham Essay

Benjamin Hood

Professor Bandara Wijitha

RELS 2400

December 12, 2019

Billy Graham traveled the nation spreading his message of Christian faith to the men women and children of the 1950s. Graham passed away on February 21st, 2018 at the age of 99, and with him dedicating his life to the Christian faith and spreading the word of god. His impact on the American Christan Society was powerful and everlasting. Graham traveled across the world visiting 185 countries, speaking to over 200 million people both domestic and foreign as well as on television, and converted more than 3 million individuals to the Christian faith. He's nicknamed "America's Pastor," which he truly deserves. Graham was one of the most influential Christian leaders of the century. he spoke in a way that resonated with people and knew how to preach the gospel efficiently.

Graham was driven to spread the word of the gospel to Americans that he felt were losing their faith. Changing the religious and political landscape of America was the effect Graham left on the nation. He met with every president from Harry Truman to Donald Trump influencing every one of them on policies or actions they would take in office. Graham held a constitutional idea of church and state involvement and preached these ideas and acted on them as well. Working alongside Dwight D. Eisenhower Graham's most significant policies were putting "In God We Trust" on all American currencies as well as put in "under God," into the pledge of allegiance when said in school. He also strongly opposed John F. Kennedy's candidacy for the presidency, however, after the win Graham and Kennedy worked alongside and following Kennedy's assassination Graham gave a speech saying "he was one of the most affable winsome men I ever met..." and continued to speak that they may have disagreed sometimes Graham respected him and what he had wished to do with his ideas. Graham carried on with his presidential affiliations to Richard Nixon who he agreed with on many points, however, following the Watergate Scandal Graham distanced himself from him and in "the Haldeman Diaries" written by Nixon's Chief of Staff H.E. Haldeman states how Graham talked with Nixon about a Jewish "stranglehold" on the country. Graham denied this in 1994 but in 2002 the tapes were released and the truth came out. However, Graham publicly apologized, not trying to put a spin on it or justify what he said, he simply asked for forgiveness; saying he didn't remember saying it and it didn't reflect his feelings in his later years.

Born William Franklin Graham Jr. on November 7, 1918, to Morrow and William Franklin Graham Sr. in Charlotte, North Carolina. He was raised on his father's dairy farm in North Carolina, he lived a normal religious life, and in 1934 he attended a revival meeting led by the evangelist Mordecai Ham, while there he participated in a religious experience where he professed his "decision for Christ." He went on to enroll and attend Bob Jones College, which is now called Bob Jones University. He only stayed for a semester because of the extreme fundamentalism of the institution, in 1936 he transferred to Florida Bible Institute, currently called the Trinity College, where he continued his education until his graduation in 1940.

Shortly after his graduation, he was ordained as a minister by the South Baptist Convention, he felt, however, that his education was lacking, so he decided to then enroll in the Wheaton College where he met Ruth Bell who he would marry in 1943. After graduating from Wheaton College he would go on to serve as a pastor of the Western Springs Baptist Church in the western suburbs of Chicago. Shortly after this, he became an itinerant evangelist, meaning he traveled around preaching and spreading his messages. He joined the Youth for Christ in 1945 then he served as president of the Northwestern Bible College in Minnesota in 1947. After serving for two years as president he took a spiritual retreat in 1949, he went to the San Bernardino Mountains of Southern California. While here he decided to set his intellectual doubts about Christianity aside and preach the gospel.

The Barna Group held several national surveys asking American adults about Billy Graham and his impact on Christianity as a whole. 36% of those asked in 2007 had a “very favorable” view of Graham. In 2007 78% of America was made up of Christians so nearly 50% of Christians found Billy's message desirable. Billy was actively speaking from 1949 - 2013 many of these people asked may have either grown up with Billy or had been introduced to him if they were born close to 1989. As the years continued Billy's popularity did dwindle to only 19% of American adults saying he was who they considered being the most influential Christian leader in the U.S. in 2011, surprisingly the Pope was considered only by 9% of participants. However, after his final sermon in 2013, Barna in 2014, asked adults how familiar they were with Graham and 34% of adults responded with "very familiar." While he was the most significant and influential religious figure of the twentieth century, his legacy as surpassed him and will live on in his sted through the 21st century.

Graham's 1957 crusade in New Your City was a shocking religion move that shook the city to its core. The real push for his crusade came from the support from William Randolph Hearst who was a famous and powerful media baron who had a staunch outlook on anti-Communist. Hearst instructs his papers to “puff” the story of Graham and this gave Graham a huge rise in popularity similar to a popstar’s growth. With a greater following, Graham decided to produce a film dramatizing his message that even sophisticated New Yorkers needed to come to Christ. He believed that saving individuals are how you save the nation. Billy booked Madison Square Garden for a six-week campaign. Night after night the seats were packed. The crusade was extended and would last more than 3 months. He would go on to preach in Time Square, Wall Street, and Yankee Stadium filling each with an insanely large crowd. Graham also reached out to try to talk to the most powerful people of the time. He also ran adds showing upper-class citizens selling his message. He knew that the powerful people were the most influential and would be the most useful to get people to back his beliefs. Grahm continued to make more and more connections with influential people and began to expand his religious revival within the political and gov’t world.

Graham befriended Dwight Eisenhower and pressed him to take religion more seriously, and after 2 weeks after being sworn in Eisenhower went into the Presbyterian faith. Eisenhower then added two big religious steps in politics the saying of "In God We Trust" being on all paper and coin currency and also implemented "under God," into the pledge of allegiance and this was believed to be influenced by Graham. Richard Nixon and Graham use one and others to further their public policies and standings. Nixon uses Graham’s religion in a way to give him the upper hand in the coming presidential election, while Graham uses Nixon’s political position to further his status and get his word out to the American people. Graham fought hard in the 1960 presidential campaign to keep John F Kennedy out of the office because he was a possible Catholic President that would be only linked to the Vatican. This leads many Protistan voters to turn to Kennedy’s opponent Nixon, who was closely allied with Graham. Graham played the game of staying on the sidelines while affecting the game. He would tell Kennedy that nothing would be done by him to raise the religious issue. And 8 days later Graham and other concerned ministers met to plan a way to keep Kennedy out of office. Graham notified Nixon of their plans but said he would play it without people knowing he had a hand in the attempt to keep Kennedy out. The second meeting in Washington occurred without Graham again to discuss their increasing issues with a Roman Catholic President. After Kennedy is elected Graham, of course, wants to keep his access to power and the presidency so a meeting is arranged between Graham and Kennedy. He saw Los Angeles as the city of sin. School kids were taught what to do on an atomic attack, shelters were built, the fear of a Soviet attack was very real. They felt that to stop communism was only through God's power. Moving his crusade west he kept spreading his message.

Graham continued to travel around, giving sermons, writing books, and bringing power to the Christian faith he led. In 1992, Graham was diagnosed with hydrocephalus, he and his wife retired in 2005 and Graham's son took over the BEGA. in 2007, Ruth passed away from pneumonia and degenerative osteoarthritis. November 2013 Graham celebrated his 95th birthday in Asheville, North Carolina by delivering what was called his final sermon, 900 individuals showed up to hear Graham speak, and 4 and a half years later, Graham passed away at 99 in Montreat, North Carolina on February 21st, 2018. Graham will be remembered for his powerful speeches, powerful impact in the Christian world and the many awards he was awarded in his life. Billy Graham changed the Christan beliefs and living styles in America for many years to come.

As I read about Graham, I noticed a continuous theme of positivity and goodness surrounding him and that is something I didn't trust, no one is perfect so I dug deeper. Billy was an outspoken and strongminded evangelical Christian and I truly believe he did some good for the Christian community around the world. However, the account with Nixon about Jewish "stranglehold" in 1972 was said in confidence, but I also believe that he meant it. I believe he strongly believed in his faith, he made these comments at the age of 53, he was well aware of what he was saying and I think as a devoted Christian he made these comments without thinking all the way through. Later in 2002, the tapes were released and Graham publically apologized writing in a statement "Although I have no memory of the occasion, I deeply regret comments I apparently made in an Oval Office conversation with President Nixon . . . some 30 years ago,” They (his comments) do not reflect my views and I sincerely apologize for any offense caused by the remarks.” I do believe Graham in some regards, I don't think he has hate or dislikes the Jewish community, however, I think in 1972 he felt threatened by the Jewish population in America and said something to a trusted friend in confidence that eventually came to light. This is toted as the only scare on Graham's record and he refused to talk about it or Nixon in his later life. He won many awards and in regards to the Christian faith, I believe he was "America's Pastor" and changed the Christian world. After reading about him, I do believe, he was determined to further his agenda at any cost, so while yes he was a charismatic and well-spoken preacher I think he had the idea of his faith and beliefs and not many others in mind when it came to shaping the nation.

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Walker, Andrew T. “What We Can Learn from Billy Graham about Navigating Church and State.” ERLC, 28 Feb. 2018, https://erlc.com/resource-library/articles/what-we-can-learn-from-billy-graham-about-navigating-church-and-state.