Author William Martin learned with the rest of the world that the subject of his biography, “A Prophet With Honor: The Billy Graham Story,” died on Wednesday (Feb. 21) at age 99.
An updated version of the 1991 book was scheduled to be published on March 6, months ahead of what would have been Graham’s 100th birthday.
Martin, 80, senior fellow for religion at Rice University’s Baker Institute, spoke with Religion News Service on the day Graham died. Martin talked about the evangelist’s legacy, and why there won’t be a next Billy Graham.
The interview has been edited for length and clarity.
Can you tell me how you learned of Billy Graham’s death and what was your first reaction?
I’ve been retained by ABC-TV since, I think, 1998 to be available on this day. I was standing at my counter in my kitchen looking over the newspaper and just about to go exercise and I saw the phone ID that said ABC.
I’ve been thinking about Billy Graham a great deal and, of course, keenly aware that he was 99. It is a significant passing but what is most significant about it is that he had such a remarkable and influential life.
You have written what many people consider the definitive biography, “A Prophet With Honor,” about the man who was known as America’s preacher. How would you sum up his life in just a few sentences?
He achieved a great deal more than…
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