Dear friends,
Many of you remember our former parishioner Craig Withers. Craig is the Carter Center’s vice president for overseas operations. His work includes serving programs in 17 countries in Asia, Latin America, and Africa, as well as election observation missions. He has worked on Guinea worm eradication in Sudan and Nigeria. Craig worked closely with President Carter and attended his funeral in Washington. I asked him if he would write a reflection on the former president. Here is what he wrote. Thank you, Craig, for this and for all your work.
On the Life and Legacy of President Carter
It is a rare and noble thing to witness a man who, through the span of a century, embodies the virtues of steadfast faith, enduring humility, and a resolute dedication to the service of humanity. President James Earl Carter, in his hundred years, stands as a testament to what is possible when a life is guided by principle and purpose. Farmer, naval officer, state governor, president, mediator, carpenter, preacher, and humanitarian—these many roles served as stations on a journey guided by faith and sustained by unwavering conviction.
In his inaugural address, President Carter evoked the wisdom of a teacher who impressed upon him the importance of holding to unchanging principles while adapting to the shifting currents of time. Such a creed, simple in its clarity yet profound in its application, guided him through triumphs and tribulations alike. To this, he added another principle, learned in his youth and proven in his life: that goodness and truth, even in the hands of one individual, can overcome the might of the world’s powers.
There are those in history, cast down by the fickle winds of public opinion, who later rise in the estimation of time. President Carter’s presidency was marked by courage, a willingness to sacrifice political standing for the greater good of his nation and the world. He spoke plainly, asking his people to act not out of convenience but out of conscience. He stood firm, even when warned that his choices—hiring Paul Volcker to tame inflation or pursuing human rights abroad—would cost him dearly. And indeed, the cost was exacted. Yet the fruits of these decisions, decades later, vindicate his vision and valor.
After his presidency, cast out of the political halls of power, he turned pain into purpose. With his beloved wife Rosalynn, he built The Carter Center—a citadel of hope, where human rights were championed, diseases vanquished, and peace brokered in corners of the world that many had forgotten. There, guided by the enduring principle of the common humanity of all people, President Carter’s efforts liberated captives, monitored elections, and eradicated diseases that had plagued the powerless. These deeds of mercy and justice echo the ancient words: “What does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?”
President Carter’s trials align him with the prophets of old, whose burdens were heavy but whose faith was unshaken. Like Jeremiah, he bore ridicule for speaking the truth. Like Hosea, he demonstrated love and compassion for a world that often fell short. And like Elijah, he stood steadfast against the tides of disbelief and despair. Such men, though cast down by the judgments of their times, are often uplifted in the annals of history.
In his Nobel Lecture, President Carter warned of the growing chasm between the rich and the poor and called upon humanity to bridge it with the tools of compassion and action. He reminded us that we are endowed with the capacity for choice: the choice to alleviate suffering, to work for peace, and to unite in purpose. These words, spoken from a heart steeped in faith and wisdom, resonate as a call to the better angels of our nature.
President Carter’s life is one not merely of accomplishment but of example. His legacy endures, not only in the tangible works of The Carter Center but in the moral compass he offered to a world often adrift. As one who had the privilege to labor under his vision, I bear witness to the profound impact of a man who dared to walk humbly, speak truthfully, and serve faithfully.
In the words of the Psalmist, “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” So it is with President Carter. His life, a light for others, shall continue to shine long after his earthly journey is complete.