Does Billy Graham Stand Up For the Poor?
Posted by Kevin D. Hendricks on January 27, 2009
While reading the TIME 100 biography of Billy Graham, which profiled him as one of the 100 most important people of the 20th century, I came across this odd statement:
“Though Graham has never, to my knowledge, spoken out on behalf of the poor, it seems legitimate to conclude that his almost exclusive emphasis upon soul saving is his passionate center, even his authentic obsession.” (emphasis mine)
The author, Harold Bloom, is making the correct point that Billy Graham has focused on telling people about Jesus above all else. But he also makes a very incorrect statement, assuming that Graham has never “spoken out on behalf of the poor.”
You don’t have to look far to come across one of Graham’s most quoted statements about social justice:
“As Christians we have a responsibility toward the poor, the oppressed, the downtrodden and the many innocent people around the world who are caught in wars, natural disasters and situations beyond their control.” (from Billy Graham: God’s Ambassador, among other sources)
