The Houston Asterisks.
That's become the moniker of the Houston Astros after their cheating ways during the 2017 World Series (among other times) were revealed to the world. The asterisk represents that their accomplishment, no matter how legitimate it may be, has been tainted forever. It will invariably be linked to trash cans and stolen pitches, rather than the glory and joy of conquest that other World Series champs have claimed.
What does this have to do with Liberty University? This is a school which I have loved for 4 years of my life now. From the moment I stepped on campus on a visit in 2016, I knew this place would be my home. But even at that early stage, I knew it wasn't perfect. I had heard rumors of Jerry Falwell Jr., the direction in which the school was trending theologically, and the general over-politicization of...well everything. Despite this knowledge, I signed up to go to LU and began my undergraduate degree in the fall of 2017. This is one of the best decisions the Lord has ever led me to. I have grown in my love for the Lord, for Scripture, for the Church, and for the Gospel. My leadership skills have improved, my humility has grown, my opinions on major life topics formed, memories have been made, friends for life have come and gone, and a million other blessings along with them.
When I think of LU, I think of hard conversations with my RA's freshmen year concerning what I actually believe about Scripture. I think of worship services with 5,000 people who are all totally in awe of God's work (sunrise, sunset, midnight, mountainside, you name it, we've worshipped there). I think of multiple friends who I've seen come to salvation because of the work God is doing at LU. Anyone who is concerned about Liberty or their perceived notion of its direction, please talk to me. I will tell you how God is continuing far beyond Jerry Falwell Sr.'s vision into the world. I love my school and I know God is using it in Virginia, the United States, and the world.
Unfortunately, over the past four years, I have consistently felt like I had to hedge that statement. When I tell an individual that I go to Liberty University, I am fully aware that if they are not involved in the church, their only knowledge of LU would be Jerry Falwell Jr. and his exploits, whether they be on Fox News, Twitter, CNN, or Instagram. Whenever LU is in the news, it is because "evangelical leader Jerry Falwell Jr." has done or said something....shall we say notable? These exploits range from rumors of evenings spent in nightclubs, to insulting LU parents on Twitter, to racially insensitive rants, to simply ill thought out comments on-stage.
Because all of these moments gain so much media traction, my school, that I love for all the reasons listed above and more, became known to the outside world as the far right school run by Jerry Jr. Because of the Falwell name, Jerry Jr. is often mistaken as a reverend himself, and thus the cycle of inseparable politics and theology is exacerbated. Now when I tell people that I go to LU, I feel the need to explain that the LU I know and the one they know are two completely different entities. There's the LU you see on Fox News and there's the LU you see at 12am in a dorm room when someone's parent is dying.
For the past 4 years, I have said: I love Liberty*!
*This statement does not endorse Jerry Falwell Jr., the Republican Party, or have any political implications whatsoever
And that has been exhausting. And saddening. I love Liberty because it has pervaded the Gospel. In my own life, in the lives of those around me, and all over the world. I want to be able to talk about what God has done in my life through Liberty without worrying that I've alienated at least 50% of America just by speaking the name.
This brings us to today. Today Jerry Falwell Jr. has officially stepped out of the position of acting President of LU for an indefinite amount of time. This development has elicited a lot of emotion from all over the student body. Reactions seem overwhelmingly positive, something which saddens me, as it means that the student body knew that this was a necessary move seemingly before the board did. It is in this moment that I want to clarify, this post is not a "bash Jerry" post. I do not desire to make the world hate the Falwell name. I bring up his failings to illustrate how the student body and the world reacts to him, but it must be stated that Jerry is a fellow believer by his own admission. I take no joy in his removal, as it has drastic implications for his life and the life of his family. To see anyone removed in such a public way is tragic, much more so a leader in the evangelical community. And it must not be missed that Jerry did great financial work for LU and his generosity was indeed great over the years. He is not perfect, but of course none of us are. He has failings, but he was still used by God in his position, an attribute I pray is true of all of us.
As many of you have already seen, my desire in all of this is prayer. Prayer for the Falwell family, prayer for the LU administration, prayer for faculty and students that have to begin a new normal in a couple of weeks, prayer all over the board.
I bring up the entire concept of asterisk for two reasons.
1. This turnover of leadership allows us to begin a new era at Liberty. We have an opportunity to drop out of the media spotlight because of our politics and reemerge in the public eye because of how much Christ is working through us. I want to see a world where Liberty is in the news, not because of another scandal, but because the way we love is truly strange to our peers. We are the same group of people no matter who is leading us, our opportunity now lies in the ability to define ourselves by God's work, by his grace, and by his truth, rather than by whatever is on the front page describing our leader's tweets, pics, and rants.
2. More importantly, this concept reminds me of one important truth. Every single one of us at Liberty could be called the Lynchburg Asterisks. We all misrepresent Liberty because we all misrepresent Christ. Jerry has caught flack for this misrepresentation because his life is on a pedestal, but is it not interesting to think that when Jesus says he loves me, he has every right to put an asterisk on that statement referring to my own failings? However, when Jesus says he loves the Church there is no asterisk. Jesus loves in a way that doesn't hold anything back. I am a far worse ambassador of the Kingdom than Falwell is of Liberty. Yet Jesus loves me anyway. This provokes a few things. Awe to be sure. Adoration, joy, and shock also come to mind. But forgiveness is the most practical. Jesus has forgiven me for my grievous infractions, how can I not forgive others? I pray that Jerry reaches repentance, and a greater sense of God's grace through all of this. I know that I have.
I close these ramblings with one final thought addressed specifically to my fellow LU students. Friends, it is ok to feel whatever you are feeling regarding this news. Anger, elation, grief, relief, any of these are warranted. Scripture does not tell us how to emote, it tells us how to act. In your anger do not sin, in your joy do not make light of other's hardship. Be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to be angry. Precede acting on your emotions with prayer and grace. Let us grieve with those who are grieving and understand that the student body is running the gamut of emotions. People feel differently and that's ok. Be patient with one another, and point each other to the Gospel rather than our own interpretation of how we feel things should be.
I love LU*.
*but boy, do I love Jesus more.
