Robert H. Schuller

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Robert Harold Schuller, (born September 16, 1926) is an American televangelist, pastor, and author known around the world through his weekly Hour of Power television broadcast. He is the founder of the Crystal Cathedral in Garden Grove, California, where the Hour of Power program originates.

Contents 1 Early years 2 Ministry 3 Family 4 Writings 5 External links 6 Notes

[edit] Early years

Schuller was born a few miles outside of Alton, Iowa to a family of Dutch ancestry and, after finishing his studies at Hope College and Western Theological Seminary, was ordained as a minister in the Reformed Church in America. He worked at the Ivanhoe Reformed Church in Riverdale, Illinois (south suburban Chicago), before moving to Garden Grove, California where, after humble beginnings, the Garden Grove Community Church was opened in 1955 in the Orange Drive-In Theatre, which Schuller rented for $500. A much larger structure named the "Crystal Cathedral" was constructed on the church's grounds in 1980. It is the denomination's largest congregation in terms of membership.

[edit] Ministry

Strongly influenced by his mentor, Norman Vincent Peale, Schuller has chosen to focus on what he believes are the positive aspects of the Christian faith. He deliberately avoids condemning people for sin, and he encourages Christians (and non-Christians) to achieve great things through God, uplifting theology and positive thinking.

[edit] Family

On June 15, 1950, Schuller married Arvella De Haan, a former church organist who was very instrumental in developing the music department at the Crystal Cathedral and was producer of the Hour of Power television show for over forty years. They have one son and four daughters.^[1]

On January 22, 2006, his son, Robert A. Schuller, took over as senior pastor of Crystal Cathedral, but was removed from that position on October 25, 2008, by his father, who cited "a lack of shared vision".^[2] In a prepared statement, founder Robert H. Schuller stated that "different ideas as to the direction and the vision for this ministry" with his son "made it necessary ... to part ways in the Hour of Power television ministry".^[3]

Sheila Schuller Coleman is head of Family Ministries at The Crystal Cathedral and has assisted in many of Schuller's printed works; Jeanne Schuller Dunn oversees the Glory of Christmas and the Glory of Easter and has assisted in various editorial contributions to various printed works published by The Crystal Cathedral and for Schuller's books; Carol Schuller Milner is writer, director, and producer of Creation, Once Upon All Time that debuted in 2005. She was the creative overseer of Schuller's autobiography, My Journey. Gretchen Schuller Penner is programming director for the Hour of Power.

On 11 June 2009, Schuller announced that church leadership would pass to his daughter, the Rev Dr Sheila Schuller Coleman.^[4]

[edit] Writings

Schuller is the author of numerous self-help books including:

• Way To The Good Life (1963)
• Move Ahead With Possibility Thinking (1967)
• Self-Love (1975)
• You Can Be The Person You Want To Be (1976)
• Self-Esteem: The New Reformation (1982)
• Tough Times Never Last but Tough People Do (1983), Thomas Nelson ISBN 978-0840-75287-1
• Prayer: My Soul's Adventure with God (1995), Doubleday ISBN 978-0385-48505-0
• Living Positively One Day At A Time (1986)
• My Journey: From An Iowa Farm To A Cathedral Of Dreams (2001)
• Hours of Power (2004)
• Don't Throw Away Tomorrow (2005)

[edit] External links

• Letting in the Light by Steve Thomas
• Information and Critics
• Robert Schuller vs. John Wycliffe Contrasting views on the authority of Scripture.

[edit] Notes

1. ^ Robert Schuller at NNDB
2. ^ "'Hour of Power' Preacher Removed by Father". FOXNews.com. 2008-10-26. http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,444085,00.html. Retrieved on 2008-10-26. 
3. ^ Robert H. Schuller (2008-10-26). "America’s Television Church ― The Church of Tomorrow (news release)". Crystal Cathedral. http://www.crystalcathedral.org/events_news/media/press_releases/press_102608.php. Retrieved on 2008-10-27. 
4. ^ Associated Press (2009-06-11). Founder of Crystal Cathedral hands over leadership to his daughter. Retrieved from http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-schuller11-2009jun11,0,2690433.story.