Jimmy Carter, Christian

 

Today is the state funeral for former US President Jimmy Carter at the Washington National Cathedral, a place of worship that seats four thousand. There is a clergy person whose sole responsibility is the logistically demands of such a service, including getting four former presidents and current President Joe Biden in and out of the building. The flower organizer began in this role in 1964 (she's now 83) overseeing several other funerals for presidents while this is the first state funeral for the talented organist who is in her 20s.  

 I have to wonder if Carter would give a slight shake of his head and offer a characteristic wry smile at all the pomp and circumstance that goes with this event. When Carter and his family worshipped in Washington during his presidency they joined a Baptist church near the White House and daughter Amy was baptized there at age nine. I like that the Carters transferred their membership from the Baptist congregation in his hometown in Plains, Georgia. According to the First Baptist website 

During the 48 months of his term, President Carter attended Sunday services at First Baptist more than 70 times, according to the National Archives. More than a dozen times he taught Sunday School to the church’s Couples Class from the Sanctuary balcony.

This was impressive attendance for the so-called Leader of the Free World. I doubt that Jimmy was golfing on those other Sundays.

We know that in his post-presidency life Carter returned to the small congregation in Plains where he grew up and taught Sunday School as well.  He eventually left the Southern Baptist Convention over their rigid views regarding women in leadership. In a 2000 newspaper interview he said

“I’m familiar with the verses they have quoted about wives being subjugated to their husbands. In my opinion, this is a distortion of the meaning of Scripture. … I personally feel the Bible says all people are equal in the eyes of God. I personally feel that women should play an absolutely equal role in service of Christ in the church.”

Carter may have been the most genuinely Christian of all presidents in terms of personal devotion, walking the walk in service to others, and even in his principles to avoid military conflict as president. He was proud of that record and felt that it was consistent with his devotion to the Prince of Peace. 

Later today there will be a funeral service at Maranatha Baptist Church in Plains, and he will be laid to rest on the family property. Again, thank God for the witness of Jimmy Carter.