Former US President Jimmy Carter died this Sunday at the age of 100.

Carter was the 39th president of the United States (1977-1981) and identified himself as a Baptist, the first president of this denomination to rule in the United States.

A renowned human rights activist, Carter dedicated his life, after his political career, to promote reconciliation and peace around the world, for which he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002.

His commitment came from a clear Christian conviction, which he often spoke of and considered key to his understanding of social action.

White house condolences

US President Joe Biden expressed his condolences and described Carter as "a model of what it means to live a life of meaning and purpose, a life of principle, faith and humility".

In a statement carried by CNN Politics, Vicepresident Kamala Harris pointed out that she " will always remember his kindness, wisdom and deep grace".

"Carter was guided by a deep and abiding faith in God, in America and in humanity. He reminded our nation and the world that strength lies in decency and compassion", she added.

Committed Christian

Jimmy Carter was born on a farm in Georgia on 1 October 1924. His parents were humble people who went to the Baptist church in their hometown every Sunday.

The young Carter graduated from the Naval Academy with a Bachelor of Science degree, but did not finish his degree in physics. He joined the army at a young age, serving in military intelligence and was stationed on several submarines.

Elected as a senator from Georgia in 1970, he surprised everyone with his anti-racist policies and the integration of several blacks into his government. He ran in the Democratic primary and won against all odds. He then won the 1976 election by a narrow margin.

Carter became the first president of a southern state since the 19th century. His presidency was highly controversial.

Many considered him a weak president, but he lost the presidential election to Republican candidate Ronald Reagan because of the 1980 Iran hostage vrisis.

Carter was the first US president to identify himself as a "born-again" Christian. During his presidency he regularly attended the First Baptist Church of Washington and maintained his Christian commitments. He also wrote some biblical reflections and devotional books.

Since the 1980s, Carter was a regular Sunday school teacher at Maranatha Baptist Church of Plains, Georgia, and kept overseeing classes even in 2015 while he was battling cancer.

Carter belonged to the Southern Baptist Convention until 2000, when he left the organisation because of differences of opinion. Some Baptists withdrew their support for Carter because of his attitude to abortion and his ecumenical views.

2002 Nobel Peace Prize

In recent years, the former president was involved in humanitarian activities and his mediation led to the resolution of several international conflicts, which led him to receive the Nobel peace prize in 2002.

The Nobel committee recognised Carter's lifetime of service "for his decades of untiring efforts to find peaceful solutions to international conflicts, to advance democracy and human rights, and to promote economic and social development".

The Carters are survived by four children: John William, James Earl, Donnel Jeffrey and Amy Lynn. They are also survived by over 20 grandchildren and great-grandchildren.