Jimmy Carter and Donald Trump now have at least three things in common: both have been president, served as commencement speaker for Liberty University and been awarded honorary doctorates by LU.
Following Trump as commencement speaker for last year’s graduation, Carter struck a tone of service in his half-hour address. He made only one reference to President Trump, joking at the beginning of his remarks that an even larger crowd was on hand Saturday compared to when Trump spoke at LU in 2017.
“Jerry [Falwell Jr.] told me before we came here that it’s even bigger — I hate to say this — than it was last year. I don’t know if President Trump will admit that or not,” Carter said to laughter in the audience.
Carter, the 39th President of the United States, speaking at LU’s 45th commencement, advised graduates to live peacefully, care for others and follow the example of Jesus Christ.
“We have the perfect example to follow if we’re in doubt; we just have to remember the perfect life of Jesus Christ,” Carter told the Class of 2018.
Carter’s address came about midway through a graduation ceremony that filled Williams Stadium with an estimated 40,000 in attendance under overcast and occasionally rainy skies. Family, friends and other well-wishers started to fill the stadium at 6 a.m., before the 10 a.m. start. Many in the audience donned ponchos provided by LU to fend off the sporadic rainfall.
An estimated 8,000 graduates on hand for the graduation filled the field at Williams Stadium; many donned plastic ponchos over their academic regalia. As they waited, graduates snapped selfies and excitedly waved to video cameras as they appeared on the stadium video screen.
Carter, an outspoken Christian and former Sunday school teacher, served as President from 1977 to 1981. Prior to the presidency, he served as a naval officer, a Georgia state senator and governor. Since leaving office, Carter has worked to advance human rights through the Carter Center, a nonprofit focused on conflict resolution, democracy, and health issues; written 32 books about his life and faith; and has been an active volunteer with Habitat for Humanity, among many other endeavors. He continues to volunteer on Habitat for Humanity construction sites at age 93. Carter was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002 for his work on human rights, conflict resolution, and economic and social development.
In his address, Carter shared some of the initiatives the Atlanta-based Carter Center has focused on in recent years, including training thousands of nurses in Ethiopia and working to eradicate the Guinea worm, a painful parasite that once affected as many as 3.5 million people in more than 20 countries. Now, Carter told those in attendance Saturday, confirmed cases worldwide are down to three.
The former president also touched on the importance of living peacefully in a time of global conflict when the shadow of nuclear war hangs over society, and caring for others in a world with growing wealth disparity between the richest and poorest. Carter also discussed the need for Christians to unify in the face of these issues and come together as friends amid slumping confidence in public officials, the loss of faith in one another and a retreat from high principles.
Channeling a teacher from his youth, Carter said he recalled her words when faced with difficulty in his life.
“She would tell her students, ‘we must accommodate changing times, but cling to principles that never change,’ and I try to do that whenever I get in trouble,” he said.
Carter told graduates he previously considered growing wealth disparity as the foremost challenge society faced, but now believes that is discrimination against women and girls, citing human trafficking as an example. Carter identified other crises as sexual abuse in the U.S. military, increased prison populations, and deep partisan and racial divisions in the country.
Carter also pointed to issues of inequality that have persisted throughout American history and continue to this day, noting a past that includes slavery and racial segregation.
“Even now some of us are still struggling to understand that we are all equal in the eyes of God,” Carter said to strong applause from a full audience in Williams Stadium.
Despite issues outlined by Carter, he encouraged students to lean on their faith.
“As a Christian, I believe the ultimate fate of human beings will be good, with God’s love available,” Carter said.
LU President Jerry Falwell Jr. introduced Carter as a man of deep faith and character, noting he first met him at a worship service prior to the inauguration of President Trump. Falwell said he was impressed with the warmth and kindness Carter displayed when they met last year.
“President Carter’s life can be described as having the courage of conviction. I pray that more men and women aspire to serve in political office with such courage,” Falwell said.
Falwell also highlighted Carter’s works around the world to help the poor, quoting from the gospel of Matthew on how Jesus instructed his followers to aid the weak and vulnerable.
“I’m proud that Christians are uniting here today over issues on which they agree, rather than fighting over issues on which they disagree,” Falwell said.
Carter is this third U.S. President to speak at a Liberty commencement, following President Trump in 2017 and former President George H.W. Bush in 1990.
For graduate Tyler Cypher of Pennsylvania, a member of LU’s Wind Symphony, this is the second straight commencement that he’s performed for a US president. Cypher, a trumpet player, also performed last year when Trump spoke at Liberty’s 44th commencement.
Malene Robinson, who earned her master’s degree through Liberty’s online program, made the trip up from Fort Lauderdale, Florida to participate in commencement. She said Carter serving as the speaker was “the cherry on top” of her graduation day.
According to numbers provided by LU, 20,212 students graduated Saturday. Of that number, 16,716 earned their degree through LU online and 3,496 were residential students.
Josh Moody covers higher education for The News & Advance. Reach him at (434) 385-5556.