Liberty University vs. Jerry Falwell Jr.: A white Christian morality tale
White evangelicals have been very good at consolidating power, which they often prioritize over true morality. But heaven help the man who tarnishes the brand.
Jerry Falwell Jr., then the president of Liberty University, speaks during the evening session on the fourth day of the Republican National Convention in Cleveland on July 21, 2016.John Moore / Getty Images
April 20, 2021, 9:33 AM UTC
ByAnthea Butler, MSNBC Opinion Columnist
Liberty University is doing some deep spring cleaning. Last Friday, the evangelical educational juggernaut announced that it wassuing former leader Jerry Falwell Jr. and removing his son Trey Falwell from his vice president s position. Dalliances on a yacht, his and his wife s seven-year relationship with former pool boy Giancarlo Granda and an allegedly drunken fall down some stairs have added up to a $10 million lawsuit for breach of fiduciary duty, breach of contract and stat
The transparent moral and religious hypocrisy of the evangelical movement in our country has never been better exemplified than in the ongoing salacious allegations, images, lawsuits, and claims going on between Liberty University and its former leader, Jerry Falwell Jr. At issue is the scandal that broke out where once close family friend Giancarlo Granda began making allegations that the Falwells lived a lifestyle filled not only with standard business and political corruption, but one that was clearly the opposite of evangelical expectations.
Now,
Talking Points Memo reports that on Thursday, Liberty University launched a lawsuit against Falwell, saying that this prodigal son of the university s founder conspired to conceal important business details and personal details from the school. The lawsuit seeks $10 million in compensatory damages, which the university says can be tripled under Virginia law to no less than $30 million, from Falwell, saying that in hiding the details o
The son of Jerry Falwell Jr. is no longer serving in a leadership position at Liberty University, less than a year after his father resigned as president of the Lynchburg, Virginia-based evangelical Christian school amid a sex scandal.
Trey Falwell No Longer Liberty VP
By
Trey Falwell, the son of former Liberty University president Jerry Falwell Jr., is no longer a vice president at the evangelical Christian university in Lynchburg, Va.
A Liberty spokesman told
Politico that Trey Falwell is no longer a university employee after a move occurring this week. The spokesman did not provide additional details or answer questions about whether other members of Jerry Falwell Jr.’s family continue to work for the university. They include Jerry Falwell Jr.’s other son, Wesley, and Trey and Wesley Falwell’s wives, all of whom have been employed by Liberty in recent years.