Blasting ground
Ceremony marks the start of Freedom Tower construction
Three.
Two.
One.
Blastoff.
President Jerry Falwell and other dignitaries pushed the lever that blasted ground for the much-anticipated Freedom Tower that will hold Liberty’s School of Divinity on
Tuesday, Sept. 1.
The ceremony began as faculty and students from the School of Divinity, as well as other spectators, crowded the parking lot of the Reber Thomas Dining Hall at 10:30 a.m.
Dynamite — School dignitaries triggered explosion to begin construction on the Freedom Tower. Photo credit: Leah Seavers
Other distinguished guests at the groundbreaking ceremony included Becki Falwell, Dr. Elmer Towns, Dr. Ronald Hawkins, Dr. Ed Hindson and Dr. Ben Gutierrez. Gutierrez opened the ceremony with prayer.
Gutierrez introduced Hawkins to the podium where he shared the vision for the School of Divinity.
“We talked a while back about the possibility of having a building that would speak to what was at the core and at the center of the educational experience here at Liberty,” Hawkins said. “A building that would speak to the place of the Word of God, the Spirit of God and training a people for ministry and teaching the academic curriculum of the Word of God.”
Hawkins then introduced Jerry Falwell to the podium to speak.
Falwell started by telling spectators that, over the past several years, God had blessed Liberty with many groundbreaking ceremonies and dedications but that this was the first ground-blasting ceremony that the university has ever done.
Plans — Layout designs for the anticpated spring 2017 Freedom Tower are displayed. Photo credit: Leah Seavers
Falwell continued to talk about how faculty and students have been managing to use temporary buildings but that the new buildings are answers to prayer.
“It is so nice to finally see this campus take shape and develop some architectural character,” Falwell said, “(The campus is becoming) what it was originally intended to be.”
Falwell said that after planning out the new buildings on campus with Towns, they met with architects and decided that what the university needed was a focal point. After more prayer and meetings, Falwell said that the new Freedom Tower is more than just a focal point.
“This tower is a symbol of Liberty’s name,”Falwell said.
Falwell told the story about the Liberty Bell replica being cast when the name was changed to Liberty University.
“It will move to the top of this tower when it is finished and it will be accompanied by a tree of 25 other bells,” Falwell said.
According to Falwell, the bells will be electronically controlled and donors can have their names engraved on the bells. The heaviest bell will be 550 pounds, and they will all be tuned to a different pitch.
Dr. Ed Hindson closed the ceremony with prayer, asking the faculty of the School of Divinity to raise their hands.
“We pray that this building would not just be about the bricks … that hold it together, but about the message that is communicated within these hallways,” Hindson said. “We pray for the faculty that will teach in here, that you might so fill our minds, inflame our hearts and motivate our hands to serve you faithfully and effectively, that the cause of Jesus Christ may go forth from this place. …”
Falwell then blew the air horn to signal the blast and triggered the dynamite push box, which then blasted out a portion of the rock and concluded the ceremony.
Foley is the asst. news editor.