Remembering Jimmy Carter

I Hope The Christian Nationalists Are Watching

I always admired Jimmy Carter. When he made his almost anonymous run for President in 1975-76, he was everywhere to be seen in Iowa. Like many Iowans, I learned about Jimmy Carter earlier than the rest of the nation. Nobody knew who he was, and the common phrase was “Jimmy-who?” “You mean a peanut farmer from Georgia is running for President?” At first people were cynical.

Not only did Carter prove the cynics wrong, but he also went on to become a revered and highly respected President and ex-President. On this day of mourning for the passing of Jimmy Carter, it would be easy to run through his list of achievements as Commander-in-Chief. For instance, to his credit, Carter avoided getting entangled in the Somali Ethiopian war in the Horn of Africa and other non-strategic local wars in the developing world. He wisely returned the canal zone to Panama, brokered the Camp David Accords for Middle East peace, and completed Richard Nixon’s effort for better relations with China. These are all worthy of mention.

Domestically, Carter had moderate success. Most people think that the economy was a total disaster during the Carter administration, but he was tied for fourth place in annualized GDP growth among post-Truman presidents. He sought to improve the environment. His expansion of the national park system included the protection of 103 million acres of Alaskan land. To increase human and social services, he created the Department of Education, bolstered the Social Security system, and appointed record numbers of women, blacks, and Hispanics to Government jobs.

But I think there is something deeper and more enduring about Jimmy Carter that we should remember. Carter is remembered as perhaps the most honest and principled person throughout his presidency. His faith did not allow him to descend into the arrogance and pride that often exemplifies politicians today.

It might be Carter’s post-Presidency for which he is best remembered. And this is where I hope the good Christian Nationalists who believe they now can wield political power in a second Trump administration will begin to focus their attention.

Jimmy Carter was not shy about his “born-again faith.” But Carter showed a way forward as a principled Christian man in public service who didn’t rely on legislative fiat or culture war tactics to get his message across. Carter used the Bible and his faith as an internal guide for his own decision-making and as a moral anchor for himself, to guard against the creeping narcissism that so easily besets national leaders. Carter understood the true nature of faith which is love and not coercion.

Jimmy Carter, especially in his post-Presidency era, was a role model for living and walking out the teachings of Jesus. His humility, commitment to service, and his work to help build homes for the homeless, bring peace to war-torn countries, give not only Christians, but all people, the template by which we can all aspire.

However, especially for the Christian Nationalist movement, Carter needs to be not only remembered but his example needs to become the pattern for how a person of faith conducts and uses political power.

The juxtaposition between the life of Jimmy Carter and the current Christian Nationalist movement couldn’t be starker:

Christian Nationalism seeks power for its own sake, to force compliance of other people and to aggrandize themselves; Jimmy Carter showed that as a Christian, power was not the objective and the if one had political power, it was to be used to seek justice and equity for all people, and to help the marginalized.

Christian Nationalism says, let’s make America a Christian nation again by taking over society; Carter said, let’s show the world what true Christian love and commitment looks like, a true commitment to human rights, and by our example people will follow.

Christian Nationalists want to dominate American society and force compliance with their version of a “godly culture” via laws and rules; Carter said, let’s work together to improve the lives of those who are in need and through our example, show them the unconditional nature of the love of God.

Christian Nationalists want to bully and buy their way into positions of power to privilege themselves and disadvantage those who are not Christian; Carter said, humility, peacemaking, and service to the lowly is what unites humanity.

Christian Nationalists want to take rights from those who don’t “act” the way they do whether it be women seeking an abortion, a same-sex couple seeking to unite in life-long marriage commitment, or the trans-gender person looking for a place of acceptance; Carter said, let’s seek the highest and best for all people, love them as God loves them, and expand the rights of all people.

Christian Nationalists want to declare that the United States is a “Christian nation” by default regardless of how the nation acts toward its own people and those of other nations; Carter said, a Christian nation is based on respecting human rights and dignity and loving your neighbor as yourself, and this is how you create a Christian nation.

Christian Nationalists want to eradicate or at least dominate its opponents, own the liberals, and humiliate those they believe are destroying America; Carter said, loving your neighbor as yourself, serving the needy, and helping the powerless is how we lift up the whole nation, regardless of what they believe.

Jimmy Carter’s Christian faith stands as such a contrast to prideful, boastful, “in-your-face” Christian Nationalism that is so prominent now. Is it any wonder the Christian religion is losing adherents at a large number? Carter’s faith and practice might be what could save Christianity from oblivion while Christian Nationalism is driving more and more people away from the church.

On this day of mourning for Jimmy Carter and speaking of his legacy, I can’t help but also mourn the state of the Christian religion in America. Unless the Christian Nationalists understand the futility of their actions, the rottenness of their so-called faith, and the devastating impact they are having on people who want a true and genuine faith, there will be a continued decline in church membership. There is nothing appealing or persuasive in their message.

On the other hand, if the church embraced the example of Jimmy Carter’s faith and practice, I could see a renewed effort and growth for not just Christianity, but a groundswell of unity for all people who are attracted to selflessness, humility, humanity, and service to one another.

Jimmy Carter showed us the way through his life and his example of how to put into practice the teachings of Jesus of Nazareth. But the way of Jimmy Carter, just like the way of Jesus, is a road less traveled. Few take that road. It is a road that is frankly much more difficult and strenuous than the road of the Christian Nationalists who think they can pass some laws, undo some others, and call it a day…we are now a “Christian nation.”

If we were to follow the way of Jimmy Carter, we would put on our overhauls, grab a hammer and a saw, and build something worth the time and energy in service to others. Jimmy Carter showed us what a true Christian Nation might look like…and it is the exact opposite of the current MAGA-Christian Nationalist regime.

“He is widely recognized as the most successful ex-president in history,” writes Jordan Michael Smith in his new Kindle single Humanity: How Jimmy Carter Lost an Election and Transformed the Post-Presidency. Smith noted the uniqueness of Jimmy Carter as an ex-President:

“Before Carter, ex-presidents didn’t work to help stop wars. They didn’t establish foundations to help stop epidemics. Post-presidencies didn’t involve a man working tirelessly for more than three decades to finish what was left unfinished from his time in office.”

RIP Jimmy Carter…hopefully, you will be remembered well.