Did any one here know this? SCHULLER

[Ed Pettibone]

One of our members brought Trudy an article from The Economist dated April 11th 2015, titled Schumpreter I Retail Religion. The lead was "Robert Schuller, an entrepreneur of Televangelism and megachurches died on April 2nd"

I favor the article in the NY Times, story on 4/3/15 http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/03/us/re ... at-88.html

The Economist writer disparaged Shuller's use of the Title of ''Dr. Schuller' despite the fact that Schuller has been honored with numerous awards, a few of which include: the Freedom Award, presented at the America's Freedom Festival at Provo, Utah; the Horatio Alger Award, presented by the Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans; Freedom Foundation Awards; Clergyman of the Year, presented by Religious Heritage of America; Awards of Excellence for Religion in Media; the Napoleon Hill Gold Medal Award for Literary Achievement; The Golden Plate Award, presented by the American Academy of Achievement; the Outstanding American Award, presented by The Los Angeles Philanthropic Foundation; the 20th Annual Humanitarian of the Year Award, presented by the National Conference of Christians and Jews; honorary membership to American Institute of Architects; both Dr. and Mrs. Schuller were honored with The Edith Munger Leadership Award presented by the Munger Center for Psychological Services. Dr. Schuller's affiliations include: Member of the Guild of Architects of the American Institute of Architects; Board of Counselors of the Y.M.C.A. of the USA; Advisory Board Member, Church Growth International, Seoul, Korea; Honorary Member, National Association of Christian Psychotherapists and Counselors, Inc.; Advisory Board of the Highpoint Cancer Education Center; Advisory Board of the Salvation Army; Board of Director, Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans; Member of the American Academy of Achievement; Founder and Honorary Chairman, Churches Uniting in Global Mission.

AND

His honorary doctorate degrees include those from Azusa Pacific University, Azusa, California; Hope College, Holland, Michigan (his Alma Mater);C; Pepperdine University, Malibu, California; Barrington College, Barrington, Rhode Island; Ashland College, Ashland, Ohio; and Hanyang University, Seoul, Korea.

The Economist Writer repeatedly refered to him as Mr. Schuller ignoring his Education at hope College and Western theological Seminary. {note} In 1950, after completing a Bachelor of Arts degree at Hope College and a Master of Divinity at Western Theological Seminary, he fulfilled his dream when he was ordained by the Reformed Church in America, the oldest Protestant denomination in the United States.
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Ed: I do not, did not worship Dr. Schuller and questioned some of his methodology but he is in my top twenty favorite pastors of the 20th century. When I had reached a point of near total despair re; American Christianity, his messages persuaded me that their are Christians who truly care about others.

By the way the 1st Reformed Church in America is located in Albany, Ny. John Pierce and I took a self guided tour of their building when he was here a few years ago as the featured speaker for the BFNE Spring Meeting.

[KeithE]

Dr. Schuller was an innovative pastor - from Drive-In theaters to early tele-evangelism. He once spoke at my home church in Redwood City CA when I was in about 6 grade (~ 1961) before he got famous and I believe our church supported him financially in his early Drive-In theater days. I liked listening to his positive thinking messages now and then (but probably would not have liked it as a regular course).

And Ed, to which of your many statements did you ask "Did any one here know this? “.

[Haruo]

If you mean, did we know he had died, yes, Mrs Haruo told me maybe a week ago, having seen a billboard to that effect somewhere along the Information Superhighway.

[Ed Pettibone]

[KeithE]

[Ed Pettibone]

Ed: Keith, I don't know how one could go about proving where Dr. Robert Schuller was the more popular. I have never been anywhere that when his name came up any one asked "who is he""? Of course name recondition may not be a accurate indicator of "popularity". It is interesting that four of his Honorary degrees came from institutions in Rhode Island, Ohio, Michigan and California.

[Tim Bonney]

This isn't intended as a critique but one usually does not use "Dr." as a title for honorary doctorates. So I could see how someone might object to that. But it is tacky to comment on it after his death. And he should have at least been referred to as "The Rev." In the article. Pretty disrespectful and unnecessary.

[Haruo]

First thing I think of in connection with him is that I seem to recall he got in trouble for harassing a flight attendant a few years ago. Don't recall details. And then I wonder if the Reformed Church in America is linked beyond its abbreviation with RCA ("His Master's Voice™"). Then "the Crystal Cathedral" and some local problems with his offspring fighting over control of it or something. None of which makes me terribly impressed with the man. Not sure I ever read anything by him or heard him speak. Vaguely think maybe he had some "prosperity-gospel" or "positive-thinking" tendencies (or was criticized for such, rightly or wrongly) but it's all old hearsay.

[Shawn Koester]

Before his church was sold to the Catholic Church, I remember going to a production of Glory of Christmas that was fabulous, but didn't go to worship experience there. I read his Power of Positive Thinking. It broke my heart to see the Schuller infighting. The continuing congregation of Crystal Cathedral is now known as Shepherd's Grove still in Garden Grove and its across the street from the Crystal Cathedral now occupied by the Catholic Diocese. Shepherd's Grove is now pastored by Bobby Schuller.

[Ed Pettibone]

[Shawn Koester]