Reaction to Jerry Falwell's death

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. evangelist Jerry Falwell, a leader of the religious right who battled in the political arena against abortion and homosexuality, died on Tuesday after collapsing in his Virginia office.

DOUGLAS BRINKLEY, PRESIDENTIAL HISTORIAN

"Here was Rev. Falwell ... saying we don't believe in Roe v. Wade, we don't believe we have to accept all aspects of equal rights for homosexuals. ... He became a leading voice by the time of Ronald Reagan's emergence in 1980 and the whole concept of family values was adopted by the Republican Party.

"His influence in politics was very real because he helped politicize evangelicals and other religious groups, the right side of the Southern Baptist Convention ..."

ELLEN JOHNSON, PRESIDENT OF AMERICAN ATHEISTS

"Jerry Falwell was instrumental in galvanizing millions of American evangelicals into an intolerant, sectarian and authoritarian political movement. Gays, women, secularists, civil-libertarians and other groups who did not fit into his plan to construct 'One Nation Under God' were stigmatized and attacked. Civil liberties were in jeopardy ..."

REV. PAT ROBERTSON, FOUNDER OF THE CHRISTIAN COALITION

"Jerry's courage and strength of convictions will be sadly missed in this time of increasing moral relativism. I join with the tens of thousands of his friends to mourn the passing of this extraordinary human being."

PETER MONTGOMERY, SPOKESMAN FOR LIBERAL ADVOCACY GROUP