Editor’s Note: A version of this story published last year after President Carter entered hospice care.
But there was another source of inspiration for Carter that’s been overlooked: his distinctive brand of White evangelical Christianity, which remains hidden from most Americans.
Carter was a progressive White evangelical Christian.
Progressive White evangelicalism was once what one historian called “the ascendent strain of evangelicalism in America.”Today White evangelical Christians are associated, rightly or wrongly, with a conservative set of theological and political stances.
Madeline Drexler/APUnlike former President Bill Clinton, another progressive White evangelical, Carter refused to “triangulate,” or adjust his beliefs to win favor with evangelicals.
Persons:
Carter, CNN — Long, Jimmy Carter, ”, Carter’s, Jim Crow, “, Carter that’s, evangelicalism, “ I’ve, Jesus ”, —, Randall Balmer, Rosalynn, Branden Camp, Balmer, ” Balmer, Rick Warren, Timothy, Critics, Jesus, Rosalynn Carter, Roe, Wade, Ronald Reagan, Elizabeth Kurylo, doesn’t, White evangelicalism, Lillian Carter, Joe Holloway Jr, White, Martin Luther King Sr, Coretta Scott King, Dr, Martin Luther King Jr, Jim Wells, Jesus Christ, Pat Robertson, Allman, Nancy T, ” Ammerman, Brown, Reagan, Madeline Drexler, Bill Clinton, ’ ”, Betsy Shirley, ” Walter Mondale, ’ ” Mondale, didn’t, ” Carter, Carter —, Charles Finney, Amy Davis, Ammerman, Kurylo, Paul Hennessy, NurPhoto, he’s, John Blake
Organizations:
CNN, US Naval Academy, White Citizens ’, White Citizens ’ Council, Carter, White, Sunday, Maranatha Baptist Church, Black Naval Academy, Southern Baptist, Convention, Southern Baptist Convention, National Education Association, NEA, Los Angeles Convention Center, Atlanta, Peace Corps, Newsweek, Ebenezer Baptist Church, “ Baptist, Internal Revenue Service, White Christian, of Education, IRS, Bob Jones University, Republican, AP, Habitat, Humanity, Baltimore Sun, Tribune, Service, Republican Party, White Southern
Locations:
United States, South Georgia, America, Plains , Georgia, Southern, India, Ebenezer, Atlanta, South Carolina, Cleveland , Ohio, Baltimore , Maryland