President Carter speaking at Liberty U. commencement

Liberty University, whose president’s early endorsement of President Trump foreshadowed a groundswell of evangelical support for the chief executive, has invited former President (and liberal Democrat) Jimmy Carter to speak at its spring commencement ceremony. Carter will be the third president to speak at the school, following George H.W. Bush and Trump. 

Scheduled for May 19, the school’s 45th commencement will recognize about 18,000 graduates, including the first class of the College of Osteopathic Medicine.

In a statement regarding the invitation to Carter, Liberty President Jerry Falwell Jr. said he had tremendous respect for the former chief executive as a stateman and true Christian.

“During his time in office and since, (Carter) has followed the teachings of Christ by serving the poor and loving his neighbors,” Falwell said. 

In a column for The Conversation, Binghamton (New York) University professor Adam Laats said the move signals a long-standing dream of conservative universities like Liberty to be more than a niche school.

“By hosting liberal presidents as well as conservatives, Liberty can claim to be a real leader in religion, education and politics, not just an angry collection of people with right-wing beliefs,” said the education and history professor.