Liberty University and Jerry Falwell Jr. Reach Settlement Agreement
Former president had sued school for retirement and accused them of misappropriating his father’s name.
Liberty University and its former president Jerry Falwell Jr. have reached an agreement to settle all outstanding disputes and lawsuits between the two parties.
Jerry Falwell Jr. in 2019 / Photo by Gage Skidmore/Creative Commons
According to a press statement, the agreement “is grounded in a firm commitment to protecting and preserving Liberty’s original mission of developing Christ-centered men and women with the values, knowledge, and skills essential to impact the world.”
While specifics of the agreement were not released, the statement said the two reached a mutual understanding about the retirement and severance Liberty will pay to Falwell.
In March 2023, Falwell sued the university for $8.5 million in retirement benefits he claimed they owed him.
The agreement also authorizes Liberty to use the name, image, and likeness of its founder, Jerry Falwell Sr.
Last July, Falwell Jr. sued the university, accusing it of misappropriating “for itself” the name and image of Falwell Sr., the conservative Christian evangelist who co-founded the evangelical university in 1971.
In September, Falwell Jr. amended his complaint against Liberty, claiming the university’s board overlooked sexual misconduct by former leaders, including an unnamed former president, only to turn on Falwell Jr. when his life fell apart.
Falwell Jr. also alleged the board exploited a near-fatal lung condition he suffered and harassed him by not paying him retirement benefits.
Following allegations that he and his wife had a years-long sexual relationship with a business associate, Falwell Jr. resigned from his post as Liberty’s president in August 2020.
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“The University appreciates and acknowledges the many contributions of Jerry Falwell, Jr. during more than three decades of service to the University in various capacities, including his 13 years as president and agree that he was instrumental in building Liberty into the world-class Christian institution it is today,” the press statement said.
It added that both Falwell Jr. and Liberty “sincerely regret the lengthy and painful litigation process.” Both acknowledged and apologized for “errors and mistakes” each made.
“The Trustees and Falwell are committed to move forward in a spirit of forgiveness and with the hope of reconciliation in a Christ honoring manner,” the statement said.
Neither Falwell nor the university plan to answer any further questions about the settlement.
In the MinistryWatch database, Liberty University has a 2-star financial efficiency rating, a C transparency grade, and a donor confidence score of only 34, meaning donors should withhold giving.
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