The son of a church deacon, Carter had a religious upbringing, attending Sunday school and getting baptized at age 11. In 1967, he underwent a transformative experience that shaped his social and political values. After his unsuccessful bid for Georgia’s gubernatorial election in 1966, Carter realized his faith was lacking depth, leading him to embark on mission trips and study theologians like Paul Tillich and Reinhold Niebuhr. This deeper understanding of his beliefs influenced him personally and politically throughout his career. As governor from 1970, Carter supported prison reform, equal rights for women, and addressed issues such as poverty, education, the environment, and the Vietnam War. Despite initial ties with segregationists, he championed racial reconciliation as governor. The 1970s saw a rise in progressive evangelicalism, culminating in the Chicago Declaration of Evangelical Social Concern in 1973, which Carter later embraced during his 1976 presidential campaign. His overt identification as a “born-again Christian” resonated with evangelical voters, contributing to his primary wins in states with large evangelical populations. Carter’s faith was further highlighted by his regular attendance at church services in Washington. While his efforts in international diplomacy earned him praise, domestic support from evangelicals waned, leading to his defeat in the 1980 election.
Balmer and Anthea Butler, a professor of religious studies at the University of Pennsylvania, highlighted the concern over religious liberty protections. Conservative political strategists, including Paul Weyrich, capitalized on evangelical fervor by focusing on issues such as abortion, same-sex marriage, the Equal Rights Amendment, and school prayer. Butler noted that former President Jimmy Carter’s values clashed with those of the religious right, leading to a disconnect in their views on key issues.
Maranatha Baptist Church in Plains, Georgia, served as Carter’s home church, where he once led a weekly Sunday School class before his health declined. While Carter personally opposed abortion and same-sex marriage, he found himself at odds with conservatives over matters such as the separation of church and state. The divide deepened as the religious right gained momentum through groups like the Moral Majority and the Conservative Resurgence within the Southern Baptist Convention.
Despite efforts to bridge the gap, Carter’s relationship with the SBC was likened to a “bad marriage” by Balmer. The former president’s faith remained steadfast, leading him back to a Southern Baptist church in Georgia. At Maranatha Baptist, Carter continued teaching Sunday school, initially on a monthly basis but eventually increasing to twice a month due to popular demand and the positive impact on tourism in the small town.
Overall, Carter’s journey reflected a complex interplay between faith, politics, and cultural shifts within evangelical circles during his time in office and beyond.
Steele mentioned that both Carters showed genuine interest in the Sunday school attendees and were patient, staying back after church to take pictures with visitors, sometimes for over an hour. Steele acknowledged the church’s popularity as a tourist attraction, with over 500 people showing up on any given Sunday. He noted that securing a seat for Sunday school sometimes required arriving in the parking lot by Saturday. Carter used his influence to connect with people, showing a sincere interest in their spiritual growth through his interactions and challenges. While Carter taught Sunday school at Maranatha for forty years, he distanced himself from the denomination after two decades due to its exclusionary policies and rigid creed. Some view his departure not as forward-thinking but as a delayed acceptance of the SBC’s racial politics. However, Carter remained connected to the Southern Baptists and later collaborated with various Baptist groups to promote unity through the New Baptist Covenant. This initiative, which included a significant gathering in Atlanta in 2007, aimed to bridge divisions among Baptists of different backgrounds and theological beliefs. The event, attended by over 15,000 people from various Baptist organizations, including historically Black denominations and the SBC, was a pivotal moment in fostering Baptist unity. As a result of the 2007 assembly, regional conferences were established across the country to encourage local churches to work together on racial reconciliation projects. These efforts have led to important conversations within churches, like those in Macon, Georgia, and Dallas, Texas, striving to address historical barriers and promote healing and unity.
The New Baptist Covenant has been experiencing division for decades. Recent setbacks have further hindered the organization’s progress, including the impact of the pandemic and increased tension surrounding debates on racial injustice. According to an article in Baptist News Global, Randall and New Baptist Covenant executive director Aidsand Wright-Riggins shed light on these challenges. Concurrently, the movement faced changes as one of its co-founders also underwent a transition.
In November 2019, Jimmy Carter, a key figure in the New Baptist Covenant, conducted his final Sunday school class at Maranatha. “Though none of us at the church knew that,” remarked Steele, a deacon at Maranatha. Carter’s health began to decline shortly after the onset of the pandemic, leading to the conclusion of his role as a Sunday school teacher. Despite this, he continued to attend worship services at Maranatha on Sundays. During his last lesson, Carter delved into the timeless question of the soul’s eternal destination, as recalled by Steele. Reflecting on this, Steele noted the poignancy of Carter’s final lesson in light of subsequent events.
Carter’s faith journey is characterized by a blend of born-again Christian beliefs and progressive evangelical values. This unique combination has shaped his approach to both spirituality and public life.
