Farewell, Pat!
By Mel Kulenski
For those of us familiar with conservative and fundamentalist Christian subculture(s), we’ve heard many dismissive remarks about the dead. Soundbite, “spiritually bypassing” phrases abound, such as: “It’s okay! The Lord called them home.” “God’s ways are higher than ours.” Or the ever-so-comforting: “They’re in Hell. God’s judgment is righteous.” But as left-of-center Christians, how should we respond to death? Even further: What if the deceased is a famous, conservative Christian leader?
Farewell, Pat Robertson and Tim Keller
Most widely known as the televangelist hosting The 700 Club, Pat Robertson died on June 8th, 2023. A Southern Baptist minister who participated heavily in Republican politics and the Christian Broadcasting Network (“CBN”), many would consider it unsurprising that he was an ardent opponent of LGBTQ+ rights, reproductive rights, and feminism. Tim Keller – a Calvinist theologian and pastor who passed away from pancreatic cancer not long before on May 19th, 2023 – held similar oppressive beliefs. Authoring famed works such as the Meaning of Marriage and The Reason for God, Keller was known for his patriarchal (“complementarian”) theological ideas.
Ever since, Christians of non-conservative political flavors have been responding in multitudinous ways on social media. Some responded with righteous fury. Others, with humorous hot takes or jubilation. Some solemnly shared their respect for the dead despite disagreements. Others voiced prayers for the family and had other reactions…
Mel Kulenski (she/they)