Talk:Billy Graham

Was Billy Graham actually an Ordained Baptist Minister?

Wikipedia has this phrase describing Billy Graham, "...an ordained Southern Baptist minister," and identifies his denomination as "Baptist." I would have assumed that Billy Graham was Baptist, yet when one studies these schools Billy Graham went to, and the College he was President to, I think this is an assumption. Billy Graham was raised in a Presbyterian Church. From this Article. The College Billy Graham graduated from, Trinity College of Florida, is a Evangelical Bible College, founded by a Pastor of a Christian Missionary Alliance Church, not Baptist, more like John Wesley's teachings. See Wikipedia page Trinity College of Florida. Wheaton College is not a Baptist College at all, rather a non-Denominational, Evangelical College, no Baptist background at all. It shows he had connections with Presbyterians while attending Wheaton College. See Wikipedia page Wheaten College. Billy Graham was President of Northwestern, yet Northwestern is not connected with the Baptist denomination. See Wikipedia page University of Northwestern. His Friend, Charles Templeton, was never Baptist. See Wikipedia page on Charle Templeton. Indeed, when Billy Graham made the statement that Charles Templeton, "...had a shipwreck of his faith." That does not reflect the Baptist's Eternal Security theology, rather a more Catholic/Orthodox/Lutheran/Wesley theoloy, (anything in Christianity except Reformed Theology). All my life I was taught Billy Graham was a Baptist, yet I do not see any proof anywhere that Billy Graham was actually a Baptist, or Southern Baptist.Easeltine (talk) 16:48, 26 September 2022 (UTC)

I looked in the body and it doesn't actually look like we have a reliable secondary source for that, we use his foundation as a primary source. Horse Eye's Back (talk) 16:55, 26 September 2022 (UTC)

The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary says he was a Southern Baptist - https://www.sbts.edu/graham/ Indyguy (talk) 16:58, 26 September 2022 (UTC)

I don't personally doubt that Graham was a Southern Baptist but thats not a reliable secondary source. Horse Eye's Back (talk) 17:11, 26 September 2022 (UTC)

Of course SBTS is generally a reliable secondary source - why wouldn't it be? But I can't actually find the claim on the page. StAnselm (talk) 17:19, 26 September 2022 (UTC)

Its not possible for a part of an organization to be a reliable secondary source for information about the membership of that organization. Horse Eye's Back (talk) 17:27, 26 September 2022 (UTC)

And I don't think the foundation is a primary source - certainly not now that Graham is dead. StAnselm (talk) 17:24, 26 September 2022 (UTC)

But did anyone try googling this? The first result for "Billy Graham SBC" is Billy Graham’s Southern Baptist ties highlighted, from Baptist Press. StAnselm (talk) 17:26, 26 September 2022 (UTC)

Not a WP:RS in this context, nor does that article say that Billy Graham was an ordained Baptist Minister. Horse Eye's Back (talk) 17:28, 26 September 2022 (UTC)

Of course it is. StAnselm (talk) 17:29, 26 September 2022 (UTC)

It isn't independent of the Southern Baptist Convention so its not a WP:RS in this context. Horse Eye's Back (talk) 17:31, 26 September 2022 (UTC)

(ec) And if you need something using the word "ordained": Billy Graham supported Albert Mohler's role at Southern Baptist Seminary from The Courier-Journal. StAnselm (talk) 17:30, 26 September 2022 (UTC)

That minor article in a local paper by a non-staff contributor appears to have summarized our page on the subject. Horse Eye's Back (talk) 17:33, 26 September 2022 (UTC)

Whatever. StAnselm (talk) 17:40, 26 September 2022 (UTC)

"Billy Graham: A Biography of America's Greatest Evangelist" a popular press bio by a non-expert is not a WP:RS. Horse Eye's Back (talk) 17:44, 26 September 2022 (UTC)

To be honest, I think you totally misunderstand WP policy on reliable sources. StAnselm (talk) 18:09, 26 September 2022 (UTC)

How about Walter de Gruyter? StAnselm (talk) 18:14, 26 September 2022 (UTC)

Yes thats a good publisher and the author is a subject matter expert. Well done, thats excellent! Horse Eye's Back (talk) 18:19, 26 September 2022 (UTC)

Note that without a WP:RS saying he wasn't an Ordained Baptist Minister the primary sources are sufficient. It would be nice to have a better source, but IMO we don't strictly need one. If we can't find one its not the end of the world and IMO no changes to the current article would be warranted based on that non-result. Horse Eye's Back (talk) 17:49, 26 September 2022 (UTC)

Semi-protected edit request on 12 May 2024

Please change "The association relocated to Charlotte, North Carolina, in 1999" to, "The association relocated to Charlotte, North Carolina, in 2003"

This is based on information from https://billygraham.org/about/biographies/billy-graham/ His website has "Mr. Graham founded the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (BGEA) in 1950, headquartered in Minneapolis, Minn., until relocating to Charlotte, N.C., in 2003." EDRAMSEY (talk) 23:49, 12 May 2024 (UTC)

 Done M.Bitton (talk) 14:03, 14 May 2024 (UTC)

Statue

It would seem appropriate to add a link to the article about the statue where it's referenced at the end of the "death" section. 2600:1700:B090:1AD0:C850:134E:ED99:FAA6 (talk) 22:40, 6 July 2024 (UTC)

The Tonight Show Appearance from June 1973 was very interesting

He suggested that motion pictures and, most importantly, violence in the popular culture was the biggest threat to society. Focusing so deeply on violence, motion pictures and actually having divided views on television which weren't as extreme as his views on motion pictures makes it very hard for me to not see him as giving All In The Family a free pass during that interview, especially with his suggestion that atheists was actually "in a sense already in Hell." That sure matched what the Michael Stivic-Archie Bunker feud was suggesting. However, I will exclude direct references to All In The Family until I can find a good source with someone suggesting this. Even without mentioning All In The Family, though, that interview still was enlightening enough.MyGosh789 (talk) 13:03, 20 April 2026 (UTC)