Jimmy Carter’s funeral at the Washington National Cathedral showcased the best of American civil religion and of American public Christianity. Majestic hymns and choir, beautiful liturgy, solemnity, and reverence in a magnificent gothic sanctuary, with the armed forces honoring the deceased commander in chief. Former presidents and vice presidents who oppose and dislike each other sat respectfully together.
The best eulogy, oddly and maybe without precedent, came from deceased President Gerald Ford, delivered by his son, an actor. Bitter opponents in 1976, they became friends after sharing a plane to Egyptian President Anwar Sadat’s funeral in 1981. Carter and Ford had agreed both to eulogize each other, and Carter’s at Ford’s 2006 funeral was quite moving.
There have been only five presidential funerals at the National Cathedral (although many other state funerals for other public figures): Eisenhower, Reagan, Ford, Bush, and Carter. Truman and Johnson, who died within weeks of each other, and which I’m old enough to have watched, were more modest. Truman, who was Baptist, had a simple ceremony at his presidential library. LBJ lay in state at the U.S. Capitol, had a ceremony at his National City Christian Church in Washington, DC (itself a grand building although not the National Cathedral), and then a funeral at his Texas ranch.
Carter rejoiced in his simplicity as a smalltown Baptist. And so, he would have been expected to follow the Truman example, with a simple rite at his presidential library in Atlanta, preceded by a gathering at his home church. But his choice for the National Cathedral, which is not very Baptist, was a gift to the nation.
The musical prelude included “God of Our Father,” “Abide with Me,” and “America the Beautiful.” The Armed Forces Chorus sang “My Shepherd Will supply My need” and “Thou Gracious God, Whose Mercy Lends.” They joined The National Cathedral Choir to sing “Be Still, My Soul.” The U.S. Coast Guard Band performed “Come, Though Almighty King.” The Armed Forces Chorus, U.S. Marine Chamber Orchestra and The Cathedral Choir performed “Eternal Father, Strong to Save,” which is sometimes called the U.S. Navy Hymn. Carter served in the navy. The U.S. Marine Chamber Orchestra performed “Amazing Grace,” which has virtually become America’s official folk hymn. Oddly, Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood sang “Imagine” by John Lennon and Yoko Ono. It passed quickly. The dismissal hymn, wonderfully led by the U.S. Marine Chamber Orchestra, was “All Hail the Power of Jesus Name.”
All these old, sturdy traditional hymns were interwoven with the Episcopal liturgy, which included the opening reception of the body, read by Episcopal Church Presiding Bishop Sean Rowe: “With faith in Jesus Christ, we receive the body of our brother James for burial. Let us pray with confidence to God, the Giver of life, that he will raise him to perfection in the company of the saints.” The prayers were led by Carter’s personal Baptist pastor from Georgia, who opened with more Episcopal words: “For our brother James, let us pray to our Lord Jesus Christ who said, ‘I am Resurrection and I am life.’” Cathedral Dean Randy Hollerith opened The Commendation with: “Give rest, O Christ, to your servant with your saints, where sorrow and pain are no more, neither sighing, but life everlasting.” The dean also led The Dismissal: “Let us go forth in the name of Christ.” The congregation responded: “Thanks be to God.”
Although Baptist, much of this liturgy would have been familiar to Carter from his time at the U.S. Naval Academy and in the navy, where Episcopal Church rites play an outsize role. Although only a tiny percentage of Americans have ever been Episcopalians or Anglicans, the tradition has often served as America’s default unofficial state church. Its hymnody, liturgy and rituals are stately, familiar, and reassuring. Much of American civil religion descends directly or indirectly from the Anglican tradition. And its clerics are typically artful as votaries of American civil religion.
And yet the Carter funeral was not just civil religion but very Christocentric, suitable for a man who famously was born again and devout as a nearly lifelong churchman. The Carter funeral exemplified the ongoing, still strong role that Christianity plays in America’s national memory and self-consciousness.
How much longer will America have such state funerals? Formal religious affiliation is declining. And remaining Christianity is less and less denominational and more and more post denominational, no longer echoing the familiar hymns and rites of the Episcopal Church or other traditional Protestant sources. Nearly all American presidents, devout or not, were tied to traditional Protestant denominations. What of the future?
We can hope even as demographics change, a preference for solemnity, beauty and reverence at public funerals and other state events will continue. For today, we can thank Carter for gifting to us a magnificent sendoff rooted in historic Christian faith and public good will.
Comment by Tim Ware on January 10, 2025 at 7:47 pm
Stately, solemnity, majestic, reverent, sturdy.
That’s what mainline Christianity used to strive for. Today, however, there are worship leaders, blaring soft rock, bands, lighting effects, video screens, etc. My oh my, how things have deteriorated!
Comment by Thomas on January 10, 2025 at 10:01 pm
I am bit perplex at this attempt “canonization” of Jimmy Carter. He can be considered an apostate, for his support for abortion and religious same-sex marriage. He even said that Jesus would have supported same-sex marriage. Remember the words of Jesus that even people who did lot of good in their lifetimes can go to Hell. Anyway, Washington National Cathedral is a post-Christian temple. Its usually to pretend there is any kind of Christian faith there.
Comment by Robert Kellner on January 13, 2025 at 6:24 pm
Before we Canonize Carter, I was one that voted for his opponent. There was and were many reasons Reagan “land-slided”him. This is one of many reasons:
“Proclamation 4483, also known as the Granting Pardon for Violations of the Selective Service Act, was a presidential proclamation issued by Jimmy Carter on January 21, 1977. It granted pardons to those who evaded the draft in the Vietnam War by violating the Military Selective Service Act from August 4, 1964, to March 28, 1973.[1] It was implemented through Executive Order 11967.”
He violated the Sacrifices and Deaths of Everyone and nameless others whose names are on those black marble walls – and those that are not or left behind – in Washington DC.
He was not a good President.
In fact, a failure.
Comment by David on January 13, 2025 at 8:30 pm
The song “imagine” was totally inappropriate for the funeral…”imagine there’s no heaven???”
TOTALLY NOT what Jimmy Carter believed!!!
Totally inappropriate.
Comment by Michael on January 14, 2025 at 10:38 am
Why no mention of President Kennedy and his service at St. Matthew’s in DC? Otherwise a good article.
Comment by Michael on January 14, 2025 at 10:42 am
Why no mention of President Kennedy and his service at St. Matthew’s in DC? Otherwise a good article.
Comment by kim and John cooney on January 14, 2025 at 1:31 pm
My husband and I never liked Pres. Carter. He let into this country too many of Castro’s criminals. Plus it took Pres. Reagan to get our U.S. prisoners from Iran in the late 70’s. Carter wasn’t good at that.
Comment by Glen Kissel on January 14, 2025 at 4:49 pm
That closing hymn, “All Hail the Power of Jesus’ Name,” accompanied by organ, orchestra, and double choir, was truly a gift to our nation.
Comment by Mark S. on January 14, 2025 at 5:28 pm
As one who grew up not far from Jimmy Carter (my parents went down to Plains a time or two to attend his Sunday School class), I can admire and respect his Christian commitment and charitable works even if he was a poor President and questionable theologian. Ironically, he was the first President I voted for when I became eligible to vote, but his opponent, Ronald Reagan, ended up being my favorite President. President Reagan was simply in another class when it came to governing and leadership. When Mr. Carter came out in favor of marriage redefinition I began to think that perhaps dementia was setting in and I should cut him some slack. When the song “Imagine” was sung at both his and his wife’s funeral then I knew, sadly, that this was done without his endorsement. RIP Mr. Carter, you did a lot of good, but the party you were so devoted to is definitely a different animal in 2025.
Comment by Diane on January 14, 2025 at 10:41 pm
Ah, we’ll hear “America, the Beautiful” again on Inauguration Day. Written by Katherine Lee Bates, a devout New England Congregationalist and daughter of a Congregational minister, Bates is generally now regarded as among our nation’s famous lgbtq citizens. The words of endearment Bates penned for Katharine Coman, as well as the two women’s choice to share a home together for twenty-five years, frequently goes unacknowledged. Bates’ poem, “America, the Beautiful” was written as a prayer and first appeared in Congregational church publications. When we listen to and/or sing this piece, we draw near to and identify intimately with the sacred gifts God shares with us through people like Bates. I find it odd that among the people who get all teary-eyed while hearing/singing the lofty words of “America, the Beautiful” are the same ones who’d never accept her in a pulpit today, as if she has nothing worth saying as a woman in a same-sex relationship. I’m grateful that Bates’ tradition is now part of the lgbtq affirming United Church of Christ. And I’m grateful, too , that conservative politicians wish to showcase on Inauguration Day the generosity and gifts lgbtq people have historically shared with American citizens.
Comment by Thomas on January 15, 2025 at 12:36 pm
We should remind Mark Tooley that Washington National Cathedral isn`t Christian or Anglican anymore. The former dean, Gary Hall, was a self-described “non-theistic Christian”. Now the Church performs same-sex marriages in the same way as real marriages. They also openly support the pro-abortion agenda. They recently had Matthew Shepherd, killed in 1996 for his involvement in the drug business, not for being gay, buried there. To be killed for being gay is certainly an hideous crime, but it wasn`t for his sexuality that he was murdered. Does that makes him a saint or a martyr? I don`t think so. It will not take long time before we see Ancient Roman gods honoured there, since the Episcopal Church now follows a neopagan cult, not Christianity anymore.
Comment by Thomas Russell on January 16, 2025 at 7:47 pm
The sexuality of Katherine Lee Bates has been debated for a long time. It cannot be assumed that she was a lesbian. She never married and had close relationships with men and women. All one can say is lived the typical life of a late 19th and early 20th century well-educated woman. My grandmother’s first cousin was a early 1900s Bryn Mawr grad and a playwright. She was upper middle class, worldly and close to many women. She was straight.
Comment by Mark S on January 16, 2025 at 10:38 pm
Even if Katherine Lee Bates were a lesbian—and, as noted, that’s never been proven—what does that have to do with celebrating the wonderful song that she wrote? Only in the self-serving minds of the sexuality-obsessed, who constantly read between the lines in the effort to find affirmation and justification for alternative sexual expression. The notion of serving the creature rather than the Creator is lost on them.
Comment by Thomas on January 17, 2025 at 1:47 pm
Well said, Mark. For the post-Christian denominations new religion man has replaced God, and that is idolatry.
Comment by Diane on January 21, 2025 at 2:01 am
Scholars recognize Bates was in a romantic relationship and lived with Katherine Coman for twenty five years. Her letters and verses following Katherine’s death are love letters, not the stuff of a platonic relationship. Women don’t write such like Katherine Bates did of their close friends. Definitely not an opposite-sex pairing….a queer relationship regardless of intimacy involved. A Million Moms organization just boycotted Wicked because they heard there were gay actors, not gay characters. Would they differently of America if they knew Bates shared her life and home with a woman for twenty five years – until death separated them? The point of learning about Bates’ choice of having a woman as her primary life partner with whom she shared a home is to recognize that being gender-nonconforming does not lessen one’s value. Unfortunately, conservative religion has a problem with gender non-conforming women.
Comment by Different Steve on January 21, 2025 at 6:06 pm
Throughout her long career at Wellesley, she shared a house with her close friend and companion Katharine Coman. Some scholars have assumed that this was a lesbian relationship, considering some exchanges of letters sufficient proof, others believe their relationship may have been a platonic “Boston marriage” in the contemporary phrase.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Katharine_Lee_Bates