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Some churchgoers won't be going to see Graham
By Barbara Anderson
The Fresno Bee
(Published Friday, October, 12, 2001 10:16AM)
While thousands lined up to hear evangelist Billy Graham preach Thursday, thousands of Valley churchgoers chose not to participate in the minister's crusade.
No offense to the Rev. Graham. Their reason for staying away: His message simply doesn't fit with their faith journey.
"Billy Graham and that crusade have a particular place in the ecology of religion," says Bryan Jessup, reverend of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Fresno. "They do a lot of good for some people."
But Graham's focus or interpretation of Christianity differs from Unitarian Universalist thought, Jessup says. Unitarian Universalists draw from the world's religions and view Jesus as an inspired human. They embrace his message of loving the Lord and loving your neighbor as yourself.
"We would think the thing that is most important about Jesus is not his death and not the story of the resurrection, but we would say in our understanding, the most important thing about Jesus was his message," Jessup says.
Pastors from churches who aren't promoting the crusade are in the minority -- approximately 500 Valley churches representing 54 denominations are involved. Those that aren't say they have no problem with congregants hearing what Graham has to say in Fresno. The evangelist has their respect.
"I think Billy Graham is a man of God, and Billy Graham does wonderful work. Any path that someone takes to developing their spiritual relationship to God can change their life," says Janette Marie Freeman, a senior pastor and founding member of Church for Today, a New Thought church.
But she won't be listening to Graham's proselytizing, nor will she advise members of her church to hear him.
"We do not teach at our church that there is only one way to heaven and that Christ is the only way to salvation," she says.
Although New Thought churches are Judeo-Christian based, they teach there are many paths that lead to God, Freeman says. That is in contrast to Graham's message, which is that Jesus Christ is the only avenue to salvation.
The Rev. Larry Patten isn't tempted to walk the few blocks from Wesley United Methodist Church on Barstow Avenue to listen to Graham's sermon at the stadium.
"No, gosh, no," he says.
Patten's church advertises itself as "a lively, liberal, justice-seeking church." Graham's religious philosophy, he says, is much more conservative.
However, that doesn't mean he doesn't admire Graham. He just doesn't agree with everything he preaches.
"I respect the journey he has taken," Patten says. "But we would have a lot of disagreements."
Being able to voice different opinions is "part of the excitement, the absolute excitement, of the Christian faith," he says.
Patten says Graham represents an important part of Christian expression. And what he says and what he does is a by-product of someone who is deeply touched by his faith. In that same vein, Patten says: "I hope I am perceived as I am also reacting to my Christian faith."
The 3,000 to 4,000 Jehovah's Witnesses in the Valley are encouraged to attend regular meetings at kingdom halls today and this weekend in lieu of the crusade.
"We do not join in inter-faith movements or ecumenical movements," says Robert Parsons, an elder at the Jehovah's Witness Millbrook Congregation.
But that doesn't mean Jehovah's Witnesses oppose the crusade or those who participate. "We have the freedom to express our religion, and we don't deny that to anyone else," Parsons says.
He says the crusade could benefit people who attend, if it results in someone wanting to pursue a study of the Bible.
Says Parsons: "We're Bible students. If this means people are going to take up an interest in God's word and follow through with it, that's a good thing."
The reporter can be reached at [email protected] or 441-6310.