Billy Graham was celebrated as a man of God at a funeral that overlooked his childhood home and closed a chapter of American evangelical history.
For many evangelicals around the world, Rev Graham – who died last week at age 99 – was their faith’s embodiment and ideal.
Eulogists, including all five of his children, paid tribute to Rev Graham in front of more than 2,000 guests, including President Donald Trump, Vice-President Mike Pence and their wives. All assembled under a massive tent that recalled those under which “America’s preacher” began his career more than 60 years ago.
The casket of Rev Billy Graham is moved during a funeral service at the Billy Graham Library on 2nd March, 2018, in Charlotte, North Carolina. PICTURE: John Bazemore/AP Photo.
The service paid tribute to all the main markers of Rev Graham’s life: his humble beginnings on a dairy farm a few miles away, his tent revivals and the simple message of coming to faith in Jesus before it’s too late.
“My father preached on heaven, told millions how to find heaven, he wrote a book on heaven, and today he’s in heaven,” said his son, Rev Franklin Graham, who now heads the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association founded by his father. “His journey is complete.”
The highly scripted funeral was also a testament to Rev Graham’s extraordinary reach. He preached to an estimated 215 million over the course of his career – both in person and via satellite. He touched a cross-section of the globe – from kings to presidents to villagers living in mud huts.
In bringing the Christian gospel to the masses, Rev Graham sought to tear down barriers and unite Christian traditions. His funeral reflected those diplomatic achievements.
One hundred international delegates representing 50 countries and several denominations were invited to the funeral. Two Protestant pastors – Sami Dagher of Lebanon, and Billy Kim, of South Korea – gave tributes, but guests included representatives of Catholic and Orthodox traditions as well.
“Billy Graham was a bridge-builder,” said Cardinal Timothy Dolan, archbishop of New York speaking to reporters before the funeral. “Back in the late 1940s and 1950s to have welcomed Catholics to embrace them, that wasn’t always accepted. He did it well. So I am honored to be here as a representative of the Catholic faith in the United States.”
Rev Graham, who befriended every president since Dwight Eisenhower and served as confidant to many other Oval Office occupants, was honored by many politicians too: In addition to President Trump and Vice-President Pence, neither of whom spoke, North Carolina Gov Roy Cooper, a Democrat, and the state’s US senators – Republicans Richard Burr and Thom Tillis – attended, as well as HUD Secretary Ben Carson.
Presidents George W Bush and Bill Clinton each paid private visits to Charlotte earlier in the week. Rev Graham, who died on 21st February at age 99, was also honored this week in the US Capitol Rotunda, where he became only the fourth person to lay in honor there – and the first religious figure.
Still, it was Baptists, the denomination to which Rev Graham belonged – who formed the largest contingent at the funeral. Pastors of megachurches such as Rick Warren of Saddleback Church in Southern California, Jack Graham (no relation) of Prestonwood Baptist Church in Plano, Texas, and Steven Furtick of Elevation Church in Charlotte.
Preachers from the Pentecostal tradition, including Jim Bakker and Joel Osteen, attended as well.
Rev Graham was buried in a memorial prayer garden near the Billy Graham Library shortly after 3pm in a private ceremony attended by some 200 family members. His pastor for the past 10 years, the Rev Don Wilton, presided.
