Billy Graham — The Sex Scandal That Haunted His Final Years
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Billy Graham spent his final years haunted by a bombshell sex scandal that trashed the pristine reputation of his evangelical empire — and ripped apart his family!
Photo credit: Getty/Files
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The frail religious leader was "horrified" in 2015 when he learned his favorite grandson, Tullian Tchividjian, had been forced to resign as the pastor of a Florida megachurch after sordid charges of cheating. But in addition to admitting his own philandering, Tullian blasted his wife for also having an affair!
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"He's long seen his grandson as his spiritual heir," said an insider at the time — adding that the scandal was "heartbreaking for him." Tullian had confessed to leaders at Coral Ridge Presbyterian in Fort Lauderdale about his sexual antics. Some members of his clergy, however, were shocked when the pastor dragged his wife into the church scandal.
Photo credit: Getty/Files
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"As many of you know," Tullian said in a written statement, "I returned from my trip a few months back and discovered that my wife was having an affair. As her affair continued, we separated. Sadly and embarrassingly, I subsequently sought comfort in a friend, and developed an inappropriate relationship myself."
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His wife, however, simply issued a statement saying that Tullian's claims reflected "my husband's opinions, but not my own." Insiders reported that Billy then personally intervened in an attempt to have Tullian try to save the struggling marriage in the days leading up to his grandson's resignation from the church.
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"Billy begged Tullian to put his family back together," said the source. "Tullian has three children. He said that, over time, Tullian can rise from the ashes of this moral failing — but he needs his family to do that. Sadly, Tullian told his grandfather that he didn't see any way to save his marriage."
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Billy's son Franklin had taken over the mantle of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, but Tullian was "seen as a rising star by Billy," said the insider. Tullian was then given a second chance in a staff position at a church in another town — and lost that position in 2016 after admitting to a second extramarital affair as pastor at Coral Ridge.
Photo credit: Getty/Files
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That ended Tullian's career — after the young pastor had rebounded from a troubled adolescence that saw him addicted to drugs and alcohol. The son of Billy's oldest daughter Gigi later remarried, and remains active on social media. On the day before his grandfather's death, he posted: "More than anything else, baptizing babies is what I miss most about being a pastor."
Billy Graham spent his final years haunted by a bombshell sex scandal that trashed the pristine reputation of his evangelical empire — and ripped apart his family!
Photo credit: Getty/Files
The frail religious leader was "horrified" in 2015 when he learned his favorite grandson, Tullian Tchividjian, had been forced to resign as the pastor of a Florida megachurch after sordid charges of cheating. But in addition to admitting his own philandering, Tullian blasted his wife for also having an affair!
"He's long seen his grandson as his spiritual heir," said an insider at the time — adding that the scandal was "heartbreaking for him." Tullian had confessed to leaders at Coral Ridge Presbyterian in Fort Lauderdale about his sexual antics. Some members of his clergy, however, were shocked when the pastor dragged his wife into the church scandal.
Photo credit: Getty/Files
"As many of you know," Tullian said in a written statement, "I returned from my trip a few months back and discovered that my wife was having an affair. As her affair continued, we separated. Sadly and embarrassingly, I subsequently sought comfort in a friend, and developed an inappropriate relationship myself."
His wife, however, simply issued a statement saying that Tullian's claims reflected "my husband's opinions, but not my own." Insiders reported that Billy then personally intervened in an attempt to have Tullian try to save the struggling marriage in the days leading up to his grandson's resignation from the church.
"Billy begged Tullian to put his family back together," said the source. "Tullian has three children. He said that, over time, Tullian can rise from the ashes of this moral failing — but he needs his family to do that. Sadly, Tullian told his grandfather that he didn't see any way to save his marriage."
Billy's son Franklin had taken over the mantle of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, but Tullian was "seen as a rising star by Billy," said the insider. Tullian was then given a second chance in a staff position at a church in another town — and lost that position in 2016 after admitting to a second extramarital affair as pastor at Coral Ridge.
Photo credit: Getty/Files
That ended Tullian's career — after the young pastor had rebounded from a troubled adolescence that saw him addicted to drugs and alcohol. The son of Billy's oldest daughter Gigi later remarried, and remains active on social media. On the day before his grandfather's death, he posted: "More than anything else, baptizing babies is what I miss most about being a pastor."
