Former President Jimmy Carter passed away on December 29th, following over a year of hospice care at his Georgia home. He will be remembered for his devout Baptist faith, his dedication to peace and human rights, and his tireless service, including his work with Habitat for Humanity. His faith was integral to his life.
Less widely known, but especially pertinent to contemporary American politics, is President Carter’s unwavering commitment to the Baptist principle of religious liberty. The most religiously observant recent U.S. president was also the strongest advocate for the separation of church and state.
“Prayer should be a private matter between a person and God,” President Carter stated regarding Supreme Court decisions against mandatory, government-sponsored prayer in public schools (1962 and 1963). “The Government should stay out of the prayer business; it should be between a person and God, not part of a school program under any constraints, direct or indirect.” He affirmed his agreement with the rulings “as a Baptist.”
Carter himself described his commitment in his 2010 autobiography, A Full Life: Reflections at Ninety: “My religious faith became a minor campaign issue [in 1976] when I answered ‘yes’ to a reporter’s question, ‘Are you a born-again Christian?’ Some reporters suggested I was having visions or receiving divine instructions. My traditional Baptist belief was in strict separation between church and state. I ended the practice of inviting prominent pastors to White House services; our family worshipped normally at our chosen church.”
As a former member of the Carters’ church, The First Baptist Church of Washington, D.C., and current leader of [Organization Name], I advocate for religious freedom for all, mirroring Carter’s approach. The organization awarded Carter its J.M. Dawson Religious Liberty Award in 1996. We strive for a nation where individuals like Carter, with strong theological convictions, can fully participate in public life without imposing their beliefs or using government to promote religion.
“I view death as not a threat,” Carter said in [Source] 1976. “It’s inevitable; I have an assurance of eternal life.” As we mourn his passing, we are also concerned about threats to the separation of church and state—an ideal Carter championed. Sadly, those favoring theocracy—including many involved in the January 6, 2021, Capitol attack—continue to gain political power. The conservative Supreme Court majority is increasingly blurring the lines between government and religion.
Carter also noted the growing alliance between right-wing politics and conservative Christianity. “The Christian right has allied with conservative elements of the Republican Party,” he said in [Source] a 1997 interview with the San Francisco Chronicle. “Their goals are merging, impacting the separation of church and state.”
Beyond the Carter Center, Carter remained active in Baptist life. While he distanced himself from the Southern Baptist Convention after its fundamentalist takeover, he served as a deacon and taught Sunday school at Maranatha Baptist Church in Plains, Georgia, well into his 90s. In 2007, he united Baptist leaders from various racial and theological backgrounds, culminating in [Event Name].
Amidst growing religious polarization, fueled by politicians and misguided Supreme Court rulings, and declining church attendance, let us reflect on Carter’s life and consider how different the relationship between religion and government could be if our leaders emulated him.
Our nation’s commitment to religious freedom for all—including those who reject religion—would be strengthened, and Christianity might flourish. Baptists believe faith should be freely chosen, not government-imposed. “We believe in separation of church and state, that there should be no unwarranted influence on the church or religion by the state, and vice versa,” Carter stated in 1977.
We don’t need theocracy to revitalize American Christianity; we need people to act like Jesus.
Thank you, my dear brother in Christ, for embodying faithful Christian leadership in American public life. May your life inspire us during these challenging times for our nation and faith.
