Jerry Falwell dead at 73

I wasn't expecting this. I knew Falwell was getting on in years, but I thought he would be with us for a while to come. Nowadays, 73 is not that old. I can't say I thought much of Falwell's theology or politics, but I'm sorry to see him go. I always feel old when a prominent personality dies. It reminds too much of my own mortality. I wonder what Larry Flynt is thinking.

From the New York Times (Jerry Falwell, Leading Religious Conservative, Dies at 73 by Peter Applebome, May 15, 2007):

Jerry Falwell, the fundamentalist preacher who founded the Moral Majority and helped bring the language and passions of religious conservatives into American politics, died today shortly after he was found unconscious in his office at Liberty University in Lynchburg, Va. He was 73 years old.

Mr. Falwell had a history of heart problems, and probably died of cardiac arrythmia, his physician, Dr. Carl Moore, said today. Mr. Falwell had no pulse when he was found, the doctor said, and efforts to revive him at the university and on the way to the hospital were unsuccessful.

Dr. Moore said Mr. Falwell was pronounced dead at 12:40 p.m. Eastern time.

The university’s executive vice president, Ronald Godwin, told a news conference this afternoon that he had had breakfast with Mr. Falwell at 8:30 a.m., and said the university mourns his loss.

[. . .]

Read all of Peter Applebome's article.

See also:

Religion and cultural change - Canada's loss of faith