LYNCHBURG, Va. — Liberty University, which hails itself as the world’s largest Christian university and holds to the mission motto “Training Champions for Christ,” announced on Friday that its board of trustees has requested that President Jerry Falwell Jr. take an “indefinite leave of absence” from his roles at the school, to which he has agreed. The announcement follows controversy over a vacation photo he posted to Instagram — and then deleted — in which he imitated his wife’s pregnant assistant, posing with his pants completely unzipped.
“The Executive Committee of Liberty University’s Board of Trustees, acting on behalf of the full Board, met today and requested that Jerry Falwell, Jr. take an indefinite leave of absence from his roles as president and chancellor of Liberty University, to which he has agreed, effective immediately,” the statement said.
As previously reported, Falwell recently participated in a “Trailer Park Boys”-themed outing on a yacht while on vacation.
The vile Canadian-based show filled with profanity, alcoholism, drug use, sexual immorality and other ungodliness features episode titles such as “[Expletive] Community College, Let’s Get Drunk and Eat Chicken Fingers,” “I’m Not Gay, I Love Lucy … Wait A Second, Maybe I Am Gay,” “Gimme My [Expletive] Money Or Randy’s Dead”, and “You Want The Lot Fees, [Sexual Vulgarity]”.
The replication of the characters at the costume party was made into a video, which was deleted but downloaded by a polemics outlet before it was taken down. Falwell was the lead character, Julian (see below).
In the photo that Falwell posted — and then deleted, Falwell held a faux glass of alcohol and stood with his shirt rolled up and his pants completely unzipped. His wife’s assistant, who was dressed as the character Lucy, likewise had her shirt pushed up with short ripped shorts that were unbuttoned.
On Wednesday, Falwell told WLNI “MorningLine” that he was imitating the assistant as she is pregnant, and that neither one of them were able to button their pants.
“She’s pregnant, so she couldn’t get her pants up,” Falwell stated. “I had on a pair of jeans that I hadn’t worn in a long time, so I couldn’t get mine zipped either.”
“So, I just put my belly out like hers,” Falwell continued. “I should never have put it (the photo) up and embarrassed her.”
On Thursday evening, Rep. Mark Walker, R-NC, who once worked as a professor at Liberty University and now serves on the Music Faculty Advisory Board, took to social media to opine that Falwell should resign as president.
“Jerry Falwell Jr.’s ongoing behavior is appalling,” he wrote. “As a Music Faculty Advisory Board member and former instructor @LibertyU, I’m convinced Falwell should step down.”
“None of us are perfect,” Walker continued, “but students, faculty, alumni and @LUPraise deserve better.”
1 Thessalonians 5:22 states, “Abstain from all appearance of evil.”
Philippians 1:27 instructs all Christians, “Only let your conversation (behavior) be as it becometh the gospel of Christ.”
Become a Christian News Network Supporter...
Dear Reader, has ChristianNews.net been of benefit and a blessing to you? For many years now, the Lord has seen fit to use this small news outlet as a strong influential resource in keeping Christians informed on current events from a Biblical worldview. With much compromise and many falsehoods in modern-day Christianity, we strive to bring you the news by keeping Christ and His word in focus. If you have benefited from our news coverage, please prayerfully consider becoming a Christian News supporter by clicking here to make a one-time or monthly donation to help keep the truth of God's word widely and freely published and distributed. May Christ continue to be exalted through this work!
