A Houston Chronicle reporter posted what appears to be a screenshot from Liberty University President Jerry Falwell, Jr’s Instagram account, and it’s going viral on social media. The unconfirmed photo appears to be of Falwell Jr., with his arm around a young woman, his pants unzipped with underwear showing. He is holding a glass.
“More vacation shots,” the caption reads. “Lots of good friends visited us on the yacht. I promised that’s only black water in my glass. It was a prop only.”
Robert Downen, whose bio says he reports on “All things faith/religion” for the Houston Chronicle, tweeted out the screenshot.
Downen says the post is “real,” citing three sources.
Relevant magazine, which says it is “the leading platform reaching Christian twenty- and thirtysomethings,” also called it “a bizarre Instagram post.”
Pulpit & Pen News, which says it is “is a media outreach of the Fellowship Baptist Church,” also reported on the photo, saying: “To say that this behavior is unbecoming and scandalous for a president of a Christian university is an understatement.”
They say Falwell Jr. also posted and then deleted a video of they describe as “Trailer Park Boys” on a yacht.
Some online responses: