# Billy Graham



## Preach (May 21, 2006)

Does anyone know what Billy Graham's position is regarding "inclusivism"? Inclusivism defined as a person does not need Jesus to be right with God and go to heaven (pagans, hindus, muslims, etc) still can go to heaven without Jesus.

I read from Dr. Robert Morey's website (Faith Defenders-click on his name- and an article entitled "I told you so" appears. In that article. Dr. Morey states the following:
1)That a video exists proving Billy Graham is an inclusivist
2) That John MacArthur has seen the tape
3) That the USA Today newspaper ran an article on May 16, 2005 entitled "The Gospel of Billy Graham: Inclusivism" wherein he denies the necessity of Christ for salvation.

I went to the USA Today website but cannot seem to navigate it to locate the article.

If someone could find that article and link us to it, that would be most appreciated. Before I comment publicly in any way I want to make sure that I have my ducks in a row.

Any help in this matter is greatly appreciated. 
"In Christ",
Bobby


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## Semper Fidelis (May 21, 2006)

> Dr. Schuller: "œWhat I hear you saying [is] that it´s possible for Jesus Christ to come into a human heart and soul and life, even if they´ve been born in darkness and have never had exposure to the Bible. Is that a correct interpretation of what you´re saying?"
> Dr. Graham: "œYes, it is, because I believe that. I´ve met people in various parts of the world in tribal situations, that they have never seen a Bible or heard about a Bible, and never heard of Jesus, but they´ve believed in their hearts that there was a God, and they tried to live a life that was quite apart from the surrounding community in which they lived."
> Dr. Schuller: "œThis is fantastic. I´m so thrilled to hear you say that. "˜There´s a wideness in God´s mercy.´"
> Dr. Graham: "œThere is. There definitely is." (9)
> (9) Taken from a transcript of an interview conducted by Dr. Robert Schuller with Billy Graham via satellite in June 1997.



Great article here that somebody linked to last week.


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## panicbird (May 21, 2006)

Is there video (or even audio) of this exchange?


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## Semper Fidelis (May 21, 2006)

I looked but I can't find it. Dr. Godfrey is the one who cites that exchange in the article I linked to.


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## VirginiaHuguenot (May 21, 2006)

Bobby,

Here is a link to a recent thread on Billy Graham, and here is a link to the USA Today article that you inquired about.


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## Pilgrim (May 21, 2006)

> _Originally posted by panicbird_
> Is there video (or even audio) of this exchange?



If memory serves, it was on CNN, but I don't know if video or audio are readily available.


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## Founded on the Rock (May 22, 2006)

From the article I don't know that Billy would go so far as to say that even Muslims and Hindu's can be saved without Jesus. I think he was talking about "unreaced people groups" that can be saved apart from Christ. Though this position is still very wrong, I don't know that it would be fair to label it inclusivism. Though his positions logical implications imply inclusivism.

If there were a more straight-forward question it would be easier to answer but the question is too broad to say that he certainly is an inclusivist.


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## Don Kistler (May 22, 2006)

I read this quote, and took the time to write to the Billy Graham people myself. They admitted that he did say these things, and then offered this explanation: At that time Dr. Graham was not well, and during the interview said some things that seemed to contradict what he has taught previously, that Christ is the only way to God.

Evidently he offered a disclaimer soon after that 1997interview, in which he stated that no one will be saved who does not come to God through Christ. And that while other religions may have similar ideals and philosophies, Christianity says that salvation is only possible through the person and work of Christ, and in no other way.

For what it's worth . . .


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## VirginiaHuguenot (May 22, 2006)

> _Originally posted by Don Kistler_
> I read this quote, and took the time to write to the Billy Graham people myself. They admitted that he did say these things, and then offered this explanation: At that time Dr. Graham was not well, and during the interview said some things that seemed to contradict what he has taught previously, that Christ is the only way to God.
> 
> Evidently he offered a disclaimer soon after that 1997interview, in which he stated that no one will be saved who does not come to God through Christ. And that while other religions may have similar ideals and philosophies, Christianity says that salvation is only possible through the person and work of Christ, and in no other way.
> ...



This is interesting. We ought to be charitable to others and give them the benefit of the doubt, if possible. However; I found this on John MacArthur's website:



> Through the years we have all become influenced by Billy Graham. One way or another he has, for us, been the spokesman for evangelical Christianity. He has become the symbol of gospel preachers to the world and even to the church. He, more than anyone else, has influenced evangelicalism through his preaching, through his cooperative evangelism, through his influence on Wheaton College, Fuller Seminary, Christianity Today and many other agencies.
> 
> There is an article in a journal that comments and reviews his autobiography, Just As I Am. And I think it's worth giving you some insight into that because I think it points out the breadth of this problem. The editor of the journal says, "While Graham has become the very symbol of gentle, compassionate and loving evangelicalism, he has also become the symbol for evangelicalism that speaks cautiously, critically and non-theologically. He was never able to escape the fuzzy a-theological pragmatism of modern evangelicalism. It is Billy Graham more than any other figure in this century who helped to create by his overwhelming persona the present evangelical crisis which threatens to destroy the very institutions and causes in which Graham invested his life and energy for over 55 years," end quote.
> 
> ...


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## Don Kistler (May 22, 2006)

I can't speak for what the folks at the BGEA told this person. I can only pass along what they said to me when I wrote to them. But I have to go with what Graham himself is quoted as saying. I know the author of that journal, and he was reputable then. Why he got that response, I can't say.


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## Pilgrim (May 22, 2006)

> _Originally posted by Don Kistler_
> I read this quote, and took the time to write to the Billy Graham people myself. They admitted that he did say these things, and then offered this explanation: At that time Dr. Graham was not well, and during the interview said some things that seemed to contradict what he has taught previously, that Christ is the only way to God.
> 
> Evidently he offered a disclaimer soon after that 1997interview, in which he stated that no one will be saved who does not come to God through Christ. And that while other religions may have similar ideals and philosophies, Christianity says that salvation is only possible through the person and work of Christ, and in no other way.
> ...



My pastor at the time wrote the BGEA in the late 1990's in response to the Schuller interview and I have the response in my possession (somewhere). Sounds like it was the same response Dr. Kistler received, they blamed it on his health, etc.


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