Schuller Dead

[DMcFadden]

Robert Harold Schuller (September 16, 1926 – April 2, 2015) was an American televangelist, pastor, motivational speaker, and author. He was principally known for the weekly Hour of Power television program, which he founded in 1970 and hosted until 2010. He was also the founder of the Crystal Cathedral in Garden Grove, California, where the Hour of Power program was previously broadcast.

Schuller studied at Hope College and received a Master of Divinity degree from Western Theological Seminary, which follows the theological tradition and Christian practice of John Calvin, in 1950. He was ordained as a minister in the Reformed Church in America. He worked at Ivanhoe Reformed Church in Riverdale, Illinois, before moving to Garden Grove, California. There he opened the Garden Grove Community Church in 1955 in a drive-in movie theater.

On January 30, 2015, Schuller was hospitalized for an exploratory endoscopy, winding up needing a stent in his esophageal tract.[30] He underwent throat surgery. On February 14, 2015, he was reported to have lost most of his short- and long-term memory and had moved to a new senior care facility.

Robert Schuller died early on the morning of April 2, 2015, at a skilled-nursing facility in Artesia, California, after being diagnosed with esophageal cancer in 2013.

He was larger than life and someone people loved to praise or pan. I never developed much of an appreciation for his man-centered theology but admit that he was a major figure in American Christianity in the latter half of the last century.

 

[N. Eshelman]

Richard Mao was interviewed on KPPC (NPR out of Pasadena) today about his legacy. Of course he was made into quite the saint and a great "contextualizer of the the therapeutic culture of Southern California."

 

[Gforce9]

I find it hard to process this.....a man who seemed to not take God at His word, influenced millions, probably, and I have no confidence for him in the judgment............

 

[DMcFadden]

Mouw was something of a fan of Schuller. But, Schuller's theology was his own.

“I don’t think anything has been done in the name of Christ and under the banner of Christianity that has proven more destructive to human personality and, hence, counterproductive to the evangelism enterprise than the often crude, uncouth, and un-Christian strategy of attempting to make people aware of their lost and sinful condition,” Schuller told Christianity Today.

Many years ago after Schuller's Self-Esteem book came out (1983), Mouw's predecessor as president at Fuller, David Hubbard, came before the ordination committee of the American Baptist Churches, PSW to transfer his credentials to the ABC. Most of my questioning of Dr. Hubbard had to do with his uncritical praise for Schuller's book in his endorsement. Hubbard was a brilliant man and a very gracious one. It was almost cruel to watch him parse his comments so that he could distance himself from Schuller even though he had ladled praise on the book. Clearly, Hubbard did the book blurb on the back as a favor to Schuller. But, it was fun to interview him.

As for Mouw, he has always been unconventional and willing to think outside the box. His praise for Schuller does not surprise me. Schuller came out of Hope in Holland; Mouw was at Calvin in Grand Rapids for many years. Guess it is a RCA and CRC kissing cousin type of thing?

 

[bookslover]

I guess emotion-driven feel-good theological lefties will miss him....

The headline of his New York Times obituary nails it: "Preached Self-Belief".

 

[Eoghan]

... Schuller's theology was his own.

I think you nailed it!

 

[arapahoepark]

Ezekiel 18:23 Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked? declares the Sovereign LORD. Rather, am I not pleased when they turn from their ways and live?

 

[Semper Fidelis]

As I listened to the report of Schuller's death and his apparent "influence" on the American Church, I found myself thinking about what a true, lasting legacy is. I had been giving that some thought because there are always those Church men trying to be at the fore of theological "thought leadership". Not content with the "old, old story", they gain a tremendous following (and there was a time when Schuller had thousands at his Church and reached millions). Everyone says: "We need to be like that guy because he's successful...look at the reach!"

What's the measure of merit? Numbers and influence in about a window of a decade or two at most). What's left thereafter?

Schuller's Crystal Cathederal is now part of a diocese of the Roman Catholic Church?

What is the legacy of Robert Schuller? Could he say, like the Psalmist, that he lived to see his children's children call upon the name of the Lord?

Paul dealt with the same kind of "super apostles" in 2 Corinthians. Despised for his simple ministery, he pressed on.

I am blessed to have a dear friend who has led the same Church for almost 40 years. He won't ever gain a national following but the legacy he leaves behind is a Biblical legacy. Laboring not to be large and influential. In fact, he doesn't want his Church too big because he never wants to give up the task of visitation and caring directly for souls so what does he do? He pours himself into help planting other Churches with the same simple and sincere ministry of reconciliation.

One would think that Schuller's example would function as a cautionary tale to any minister who seeks to build on any foundation other than that laid by the Apostles but the foolish are in fresh supply.

 

[Physeter]

I never cared for the theology of the Chrystal Cathedral. With its leader gone and it now in the hands of the Catholic Church rather speaks for itself. The movement of Schuller's dried up with his retirement. Its what happens when you build on sand--self. It washes away. But when you build on the Rock--the Lord Jesus Christ, it stands. You are not building on yourself.

Years ago, one of my friends tried to get me into the orchestra of the Chrystal Cathedral. I am a violinist. Because I didn't like their vacuous theology, I refused.

 

[earl40]

Ezekiel 18:23 Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked? declares the Sovereign LORD. Rather, am I not pleased when they turn from their ways and live?

Let us know The Lord was indeed pleased if Schuller turned. I say this knowing The Lord's desire of the end result, of either judgment or glorification, was reached no matter if he turned or not.

 

[Semper Fidelis]

Incidentally, Schuller's death made for a good sermon illustration. I was filling the pulpit on Sunday with the Pastor on vacation and was preaching on Luke 24:37-52. I contrasted the "power" that Schuller offered with the promise of God's power.

It is Better that He Ascended | SermonAudio.com

 

[earl40]

Incidentally, Schuller's death made for a good sermon illustration. I was filling the pulpit on Sunday with the Pastor on vacation and was preaching on Luke 24:37-52. I contrasted the "power" that Schuller offered with the promise of God's power.

It is Better that He Ascended | SermonAudio.com

Looking forward to hearing this. I bet it is "positively" powerful.

 

[Mushroom]

I am blessed to have a dear friend who has led the same Church for almost 40 years. He won't ever gain a national following but the legacy he leaves behind is a Biblical legacy. Laboring not to be large and influential. In fact, he doesn't want his Church too big because he never wants to give up the task of visitation and caring directly for souls so what does he do? He pours himself into help planting other Churches with the same simple and sincere ministry of reconciliation.

And that, brother, is a true and lasting legacy that men like Schuller will never know, treasure laid up in heaven rather than where moth and rust doth corrupt...