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Billy Graham’s Final Crusade
...Rather than speak to the issue of segregation directly, Graham invited Dr. King to lead in prayer during one of crusade’s services. Some Christian leaders criticized Graham for what they saw as his failure to use his own national reputation to help advance the cause of civil rights. But sympathetic historians argue that Graham’s willingness to reach out to Dr. King sent a clear signal of support. Graham is reported to have said that a Christian racist was an oxymoron....

...The experience of Watergate, however and the revelations of Nixon’s corruption was a sobering epiphany for Graham. In fact, during the early days of the rise of the Moral Majority—the early flag ship venture of the religious right—Graham warned of the dangers of linking faith’s reputation to political parties. A lesson he learned the hard way.

And a lesson that seems to continue as a source of wisdom. In a recent interview about the upcoming evangelistic campaign, Graham said he would not preach about any of the political issues important to evangelical conservatives, including abortion, homosexuality and stem cell research.

“I’m just going to preach the gospel and am not going to get off on these hot-button issues,” Graham told the New York Times. “If I get on these other subjects, it divides the audience.” ...