Liberty University students celebrated the release of American pastor Andrew Brunson from Turkish authorities on Oct. 12. Brunson had been unjustly detained in the country since 2016 on charges of aiding terrorist groups after a failed coup attempt. His case made national headlines as President Donald Trump issued sanctions against Turkey in response to Brunson’s arrest.
Pastor Andrew Brunson with his sons Blaise (left) and Jordan; his wife, Norine; and daughter, Jacqueline Furnari.
The student body had been praying together for Brunson and his family. They wrote over 3,000 letters to U.S. government officials thanking them for their efforts to free Brunson.
Just as the news was breaking on the day of his release, Student Government Association President Jacob Page and Vice President Derek Rockey were en route to Washington, D.C., to deliver the letters, including one from Liberty President Jerry Falwell and his wife, Becki, thanking the Trump Administration for their continual support of Brunson.
Liberty President Jerry Falwell adds his letter of support for Pastor Andrew Brunson to a pile of 3,000 letters written by students.
The case also has a special connection to Liberty. Brunson’s daughter, Jacqueline Furnari, is currently completing her M.S. in Accounting through Liberty’s online degree program.
During a Campus Community service earlier in the semester, Senior Vice President for Spiritual Development David Nasser called Furnari at her home in Texas and surprised her with the news that President Falwell was providing a scholarship to cover her tuition.
“I was floored and amazed,” Furnari said in an interview after the service. “It’s a huge help and a blessing. I can’t express how grateful I am for that. It was amazing to see the love and support.”
Furnari said her father, an American citizen who has called Turkey his home for the last 25 years, has shown resolve during the ordeal.
“He’s a strong Christian, but it really tested his faith,” Furnari said in the interview prior to her father’s release. “At the beginning, he couldn’t sing a praise song. He couldn’t do anything or bring himself to do it. But now he’s said, ‘You know what? I’m going to bring praise to the Lord, even if I don’t feel like it.’ (Now) he will dance every day. My dad is a very serious person, but he would get up and dance in his cell to worship the Lord. I’ve really seen him submit to the Lord, even in difficult circumstances and say, ‘Thy will be done.’ It’s been a beautiful testimony.”
