Judge Ginn Tells Newsmax: Rev. Graham Statue Commemorates Religious Icon

The late Rev. William Franklin “Billy” Graham, whose statue in the U.S. Capitol’s National Statuary Hall was unveiled Thursday morning, is remembered widely for his legacy both toward America and as an individual, Judge Phil Ginn, president of the Southern Evangelical Seminary in Graham’s home state of North Carolina, told Newsmax Thursday before the network aired the event live.

“He had a great impact on my life personally,” Ginn, appearing with Craig Huey, the author of “The Christian Voter,” commented. “I was honored to meet him on several different occasions.”

He added that Graham “exuded the gospel message every time you met him and talked with him. That was centermost in his life, and a life well lived like Dr. Graham’s certainly needs to be honored.”

The 7-foot tall bronze statue of Graham, remembered as the most widely heard Christian evangelist in history, was made public in a ceremony with remarks from House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., and attended by other members of Congress and Graham’s family, including the Rev. Franklin Graham.

Billy Graham was chosen to represent North Carolina in the Statuary Hall after members of the North Carolina General Assembly asked a congressional committee to approve his likeness for the hall.

According to rules for the National Statuary Hall, each state is allowed to have two statues, which honor deceased individuals, on display. Graham lived most of his adult life in Montreat, North Carolina, and died in 2018 at age 99.

Dubbed the “Protestant Pope,” Graham became an adviser to presidents as his evangelical work reached tens of millions worldwide.

Ginn added that he’s “thrilled to death” that his state has nominated Graham “for this great honor.”

Huey called the unveiling an “exciting moment.”

“Just think of this, thousands and thousands of visitors, schoolchildren, adults, parents bringing their kids and grandkids,” Huey said. “They will encounter America’s ambassador for Christ every time they see that statue, they’ll see him standing there.”

Further, the statue notes that Graham was a preacher of the gospel of Jesus Christ, and it holds a Bible, “which represents the truth of God,” Huey said. 

Graham stayed true to the Bible, he added.

“The statue contains two verses from scripture,” Huey said. “John 3:16, which most people know, being for God, who loved the world ‘that he gave his only begotten son, that whoever would believe in him would have everlasting life.’ 

“And then he also has John 14:6, which represents Billy Graham. Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father but by me,’ and that is a powerful message right in the Capitol, despite opposition from sides, obstacles to get it up.”