Jimmy Carter

The Nobel Peace Prize 2002

USA president. Nuclear physicist. Peanut farmer. Devout Christian. Egypt-Israel peace agreement. Carter Center promoting human rights. Ceased neutron bomb development. Protested Soviets invading Afghanistan. Panama Canal treaty. Established Departments of Energy, Education. Mental Health Systems Act. Housing. Jimmy Carter smile!

“We must adjust to changing times while holding unchanging principles.”

Spirituality

“You just need to have a simple faith.

“We cannot equate democracy with Christianity because the largest democracy on earth is India, which is primarily Hindu. The third largest democracy is Indonesia, which is Islamic. Democracy and freedom are not dependent on Christian beliefs.

“My constant prayer, my number one foreign goal, is to bring peace to Israel. And in the process to Israel's neighbors.

“I believed what my father taught me about the separation of church and state, so when I was President, I never invited Billy Graham to have services in the White House because I did not think that was appropriate. He was injured a little bit, until I explained it to him.

“I separated from the Southern Baptists when they adopted the discriminatory attitude towards women, because I believe what Paul taught in Galatians that there is no distinction in God's eyes between men and women, slaves and masters, Jews and non-Jews - everybody is created equally in the eyes of God.

“I do not claim to be knowledgeable about theology. Most of my knowledge comes out of my experience and the lessons in the Bible. Every Sunday I am home I teach 45 minutes and we boiled them down to one page for the new book, 'Through the Year with Jimmy Carter.'

“When I speak at my local church, which I try to do 35 to 40 times a year, I try in every lesson to take the Old Testament text or New Testament text and apply them to what is happening to me or how that applies to the audience that I am teaching in a modern, fast-changing, technological world. I use headlines, interfaith and that sort of thing.

“If I go to Italy, I will certainly request to meet with Pope Francis, whom I admire very much.

“We should live our lives as though Christ were coming this afternoon.”