Washington for Jesus
Encyclopedia
Washington for Jesus was a series of demonstration
s held in Washington, D.C.
by various representatives of the Christian right
in the United States
. The first rally was held in 1980 on 29 and 30 April and centered primarily on supporting Republican
Ronald Reagan's campaign
against Democrat
Jimmy Carter
in the 1980 Presidential election
. Religious leaders present included Pat Robertson
, Jerry Falwell
, William Bright
, and Benson Idahosa
.
Although the event was ostensibly non-political, speeches and statements during the 1980 rally outlined many of the early points of the socially conservative
agenda of the religious right. It was during this time that many national leaders of the Christian right unified in their political stances against homosexuality
, abortion
, teenage pregnancy
, drug abuse
, increasing divorce rates, and the women's liberation movement
.
, the pastor of Rock Church in Virginia Beach, Virginia
. Gimenez founded One Nation Under God, Inc. because, he said, he received prophecies that he should go to Washington to influence the future of the United States. Although Gimenez was essentially Charismatic
in his beliefs, he was able to appeal to a larger segment of the Christian community with the help of his friend Pat Robertson
, who was also based in the Virginia Beach area.
Independent estimates of attendance at the 1980 rally range from 125,000 to 200,000, while Robertson said the attendance was closer to 500,000. While Bright argued that the participants had "not come to Washington with a political agenda or to lobby for certain legislation", speakers at the event were explicitly critical of Supreme Court decisions and warned that the increasing acceptance of abortion and homosexuality would provoke God's retaliation in the form of an attack by the Soviet Union
. A group of 20 prominent religious organizations, including the National Council of Churches
, criticized the Washington for Jesus rally as explicitly political and an effort to "Christianize the government".
During the 1988 rally, President Ronald Reagan addressed the crowd via videotape
, describing his plan to make the following Thursday a National Day of Prayer
. Although event organizers claimed an attendance of 350,000, independent estimates of attendance at the 1988 rally were closer to 80,000.
The 1996 youth
portion of the event, was marketed as "W4J '96," was chaired by Jeff Fenholt
and featured prominent youth leaders
who soon thereafter quickly emerged onto the national scene — Ron Luce
and Eastman Curtis. The event also featured music
by Michael W. Smith
, Newsboys
, Kirk Franklin
and Kim Clement.
Demonstration (people)
A demonstration or street protest is action by a mass group or collection of groups of people in favor of a political or other cause; it normally consists of walking in a mass march formation and either beginning with or meeting at a designated endpoint, or rally, to hear speakers.Actions such as...
s held in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
by various representatives of the Christian right
Christian right
Christian right is a term used predominantly in the United States to describe "right-wing" Christian political groups that are characterized by their strong support of socially conservative policies...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The first rally was held in 1980 on 29 and 30 April and centered primarily on supporting Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
Ronald Reagan's campaign
Ronald Reagan presidential campaign, 1980
Ronald Reagan, the 33rd Governor of California, announced his candidacy for President of the United States in New York City on November 13, 1979. On July 17, 1980, he became the nominee of the Republican Party for the 1980 presidential election. After receiving the Republican nomination, he...
against Democrat
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
Jimmy Carter
Jimmy Carter
James Earl "Jimmy" Carter, Jr. is an American politician who served as the 39th President of the United States and was the recipient of the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize, the only U.S. President to have received the Prize after leaving office...
in the 1980 Presidential election
United States presidential election, 1980
The United States presidential election of 1980 featured a contest between incumbent Democrat Jimmy Carter and his Republican opponent, Ronald Reagan, as well as Republican Congressman John B. Anderson, who ran as an independent...
. Religious leaders present included Pat Robertson
Pat Robertson
Marion Gordon "Pat" Robertson is a media mogul, television evangelist, ex-Baptist minister and businessman who is politically aligned with the Christian Right in the United States....
, Jerry Falwell
Jerry Falwell
Jerry Lamon Falwell, Sr. was an evangelical fundamentalist Southern Baptist pastor, televangelist, and a conservative commentator from the United States. He was the founding pastor of the Thomas Road Baptist Church, a megachurch in Lynchburg, Virginia...
, William Bright
William Bright
William Bright was an American linguist who specialized in Native American and South Asian languages and descriptive linguistics....
, and Benson Idahosa
Benson Idahosa
Benson Andrew Idahosa affectionately called PAPA or BA by his followers, was a Charismatic Pentecostal preacher, and founder of the Church of God Mission International with headquarters in Benin City, Nigeria . As the first Pentecostal archbishop in Nigeria, he was renowned for his robust faith....
.
Although the event was ostensibly non-political, speeches and statements during the 1980 rally outlined many of the early points of the socially conservative
Social conservatism in the United States
Social conservatism in the United States is generally defined by promotion of what its proponents perceive to be traditional social norms and values...
agenda of the religious right. It was during this time that many national leaders of the Christian right unified in their political stances against homosexuality
Homosexuality
Homosexuality is romantic or sexual attraction or behavior between members of the same sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, homosexuality refers to "an enduring pattern of or disposition to experience sexual, affectional, or romantic attractions" primarily or exclusively to people of the same...
, abortion
Abortion
Abortion is defined as the termination of pregnancy by the removal or expulsion from the uterus of a fetus or embryo prior to viability. An abortion can occur spontaneously, in which case it is usually called a miscarriage, or it can be purposely induced...
, teenage pregnancy
Teenage pregnancy
Teenage pregnancy is a pregnancy of a female under the age of 20 when the pregnancy ends. It generally refers to a female who is unmarried and usually refers to an unplanned pregnancy...
, drug abuse
Drug abuse
Substance abuse, also known as drug abuse, refers to a maladaptive pattern of use of a substance that is not considered dependent. The term "drug abuse" does not exclude dependency, but is otherwise used in a similar manner in nonmedical contexts...
, increasing divorce rates, and the women's liberation movement
Women's liberation movement
The Women's Liberation Movement was a political movement, born in the 1960s from Second-Wave Feminism.It generated mythology almost before it was born such as bra burning - and it was allegedly a matter of deep concern to those within it at the time that its history would allegedly be rewritten...
.
History and rallies
Washington for Jesus was founded by John GimenezJohn Gimenez
John Gimenez was a pastor, international overseer and bishop of Rock Ministerial Family and Rock Church International. He founded the Washington for Jesus events. He died on February 12, 2008.-References:...
, the pastor of Rock Church in Virginia Beach, Virginia
Virginia Beach, Virginia
Virginia Beach is an independent city located in the Hampton Roads metropolitan area of Virginia, on the Atlantic Ocean at the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay...
. Gimenez founded One Nation Under God, Inc. because, he said, he received prophecies that he should go to Washington to influence the future of the United States. Although Gimenez was essentially Charismatic
Charismatic Christianity
Charismatic Christianity is a Christian doctrine that maintains that modern-day believers experience miracles, prophecy, speaking in tongues, and other spiritual gifts as described in of the Bible...
in his beliefs, he was able to appeal to a larger segment of the Christian community with the help of his friend Pat Robertson
Pat Robertson
Marion Gordon "Pat" Robertson is a media mogul, television evangelist, ex-Baptist minister and businessman who is politically aligned with the Christian Right in the United States....
, who was also based in the Virginia Beach area.
Independent estimates of attendance at the 1980 rally range from 125,000 to 200,000, while Robertson said the attendance was closer to 500,000. While Bright argued that the participants had "not come to Washington with a political agenda or to lobby for certain legislation", speakers at the event were explicitly critical of Supreme Court decisions and warned that the increasing acceptance of abortion and homosexuality would provoke God's retaliation in the form of an attack by the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
. A group of 20 prominent religious organizations, including the National Council of Churches
National Council of Churches
The National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA is an ecumenical partnership of 37 Christian faith groups in the United States. Its member denominations, churches, conventions, and archdioceses include Mainline Protestant, Orthodox, African American, Evangelical, and historic peace...
, criticized the Washington for Jesus rally as explicitly political and an effort to "Christianize the government".
During the 1988 rally, President Ronald Reagan addressed the crowd via videotape
Videotape
A videotape is a recording of images and sounds on to magnetic tape as opposed to film stock or random access digital media. Videotapes are also used for storing scientific or medical data, such as the data produced by an electrocardiogram...
, describing his plan to make the following Thursday a National Day of Prayer
National Day of Prayer
The National Day of Prayer is an annual day of observance held on the first Thursday of May, designated by the United States Congress, when people are asked "to turn to God in prayer and meditation". Each year, the president signs a proclamation, encouraging all Americans to pray on this day...
. Although event organizers claimed an attendance of 350,000, independent estimates of attendance at the 1988 rally were closer to 80,000.
The 1996 youth
Youth
Youth is the time of life between childhood and adulthood . Definitions of the specific age range that constitutes youth vary. An individual's actual maturity may not correspond to their chronological age, as immature individuals could exist at all ages.-Usage:Around the world, the terms "youth",...
portion of the event, was marketed as "W4J '96," was chaired by Jeff Fenholt
Jeff Fenholt
Jeffrey Craig Fenholt is a singer noted for his performance as the title character in the original Broadway theatre adaptation of Jesus Christ Superstar and for his appearance on the cover of "Time Magazine"...
and featured prominent youth leaders
Youth leaders
Youth leaders are persons that are active in youth work field.Youth leaders, educator or youth counsellor are not the same as Child and Youth Worker named persons in Canada and United States of America, which are therapeutics youth workers....
who soon thereafter quickly emerged onto the national scene — Ron Luce
Ron Luce
Ronald Allen “Ron” Luce is the co-founder and president of Teen Mania Ministries located in Garden Valley, Texas. Together with his wife Katie, Ron founded Teen Mania in 1986 in his van. The ministry has expanded greatly and has become influential within today's Christian youth culture...
and Eastman Curtis. The event also featured music
Music
Music is an art form whose medium is sound and silence. Its common elements are pitch , rhythm , dynamics, and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture...
by Michael W. Smith
Michael W. Smith
Michael Whitaker Smith is a Billboard top ten Billboard Hot 100 recording artist and Grammy Award-winning American singer-songwriter, composer, and actor. He is one of the best-selling and most influential artists in Contemporary Christian music. Smith also has achieved a considerable amount of...
, Newsboys
Newsboys
Newsboys are a Christian pop rock band founded in 1985 in Mooloolaba, Australia. They have released 15 studio albums, six of which have been certified gold...
, Kirk Franklin
Kirk Franklin
Kirk Dwayne Franklin is an American Gospel music musician, choir director, and author, and is most notably known for leading urban contemporary gospel choirs such as The Family, God's Property and One Nation Crew .- Early years :...
and Kim Clement.
External links
- "Washington For Jesus Rally", featuring Rev. Falwell. C-SPAN video, 33:00 min, April 29, 1996.