Jimmy Carter embodied what Trump has never been able to grasp about Christianity | Opinion

During the 1976 presidential campaign, The New York Times ran a front-page story on Jimmy Carter’s Baptist faith. “There has been no serious challenge to Mr. Carter’s sincerity or his spiritual credibility,” the reporter concluded. “Most uneasiness appears to stem from a fear that an evangelistically minded President might use his power to advance his beliefs or violate the separation of church and state.”

Carter, who died Sunday at the age of 100 in Plains, Georgia, went on to win the presidency and spent the decades of his post-presidency championing human rights around the world and building houses through Habitat for Humanity. He taught Sunday school classes before, during, and after his time in the White House. No matter what you think of his actions as president, there was no serious challenge to his spiritual credibility. Jimmy Carter faithfully followed Jesus.