Falwell is a disgrace as is his wife. All true Christians know we are all sinners saved by grace, but covering up this kind of thing instead of admitting fault and asking for forgiveness and understanding reveals that the Falwells have no place at the helm of what they claim was built through God's provision.
Further questions must be asked:
1. What else lies beneath the surface of the Falwells' personal lives AND impressive personal wealth.
2. What did Jerry's brother Jonathan know and when did he know it? Jonathan is senior pastor at Thomas Road Baptist Church. The elders of that very successful church, which is situated on the Liberty campus, will likely be asking Jonathan that very pointed question.
3. How will the Liberty University Board of Trustees deal with this? They have appointed an interim president, but clearly some kind of top-to-bottom revue of Liberty's finances is in order.
4. How will Liberty heal the damage inflicted on the school, the students and faculty by the Falwell's self-serving sin and continuing lies and deception?
5. Will there be legal repercussions taken against the Falwells by the Trustees and against the University by alumni and parents of current students? After all, students have invested tens of thousands of dollars in their educations at LU only to see the school's reputation tainted by these fools.
6. The Falwells have given the godless Left exactly what they want: ammunition against conservative Christianity. The Falwells will likely be seen in the same light as Jimmy Swaggart.
My advice to the Falwells: Don't hire a PR firm to slowly admit and spin what lies beneath. Make a thorough admission, ask forgiveness and go away. Your continued presence in Lynchburg is a blight on the school and affront to Christians everywhere.
In this case it's high profile individuals in Christian leadership positions which will always be used to attack the Christian faith when exposed. In this instance a Christian University with many satellite extensions and investments would certainly affect a great fallout.
Though this couple might have believed covering this up would protect the University etc. It likely did put them in a position for extortion by those who participated and were aware of this infidelity...and at best would only give them time if they agreed to pay....and extortionists always increase what they want over time as well as their threats to disclose what they know.
At any rate there really isn't a full recovery for The Fawell's at the University or it's affiliations. Forgiveness certainly, but sin will always play out it's consequences one way or another. For those in high offices of responsibility the ripple affect will continue in the destruction it sought though not as destructive had they continued to cover this.
God still takes us through what we face though we never come out of it unscathed... Neither will the Falwells.
The same sort of undermining is happening to families involved with Catholic universities, Methodist universities, Episcopalian schools, and on and on. Welcome to the club.
His wife sinned. That much is clear.
He took marriage vows. The Bible requires that he do everything possible to reconcile with her and to try and save his marriage.
Which will be nigh-impossible now that he’s outed her in such a public manner. That in itself is sinful.
Very well said.