Robert H. Schuller

The Reverend Robert Harold Schuller, (born September 16, 1926) is an American televangelist and pastor known around the world through his weekly "Hour of Power" television service.

Schuller was born in 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 in 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. Many consider this the first "seeker-sensitive" church in the world.Fact|date=November 2007 Renamed the Crystal Cathedral in 1980 it is the denomination's largest congregation in terms of membership.

Strongly influenced by his mentor, Norman Vincent Peale, Schuller has focused in his teaching on the positive aspects of Christianity. Rather than concentrating on condemning people for sin, he encourages Christians (and non-Christians) to achieve great things through God, uplifting theology and positive thinking. Such doctrines have led to some spirited criticism by many evangelicals.Fact|date=November 2007 Schuller holds Viktor Frankl to have been one of the two greatest psychiatrists of the past century. [cite web|url=http://www.hourofpower.org/interviews/interviews_detail.cfm?ArticleID=3079|author=Lydia Rose Proenza|title=Jerry Jampolsky, MD & Diane Cirincione, PHD|accessdate=2007-11-04|publisher=Hour of Power]

Schuller is the author of numerous Christian and 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); "Living Positively One Day At A Time" (1986); "My Journey: From An Iowa Farm To A Cathedral Of Dreams" (2001); "Hours of Power" (2004) and, his most recent, "Don't Throw Away Tomorrow" (2005).

Schuller currently serves as the Founding Pastor of the church and periodically appears alongside his son during Hour of Power services, interviewing selected guests.

Since 1950, Schuller has been married to Arvella De Haan who has been closely involved in making decisions about the television ministry.Fact|date=July 2008 Arvella was a church organist and 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. [ [http://www.nndb.com/people/603/000022537/ Robert Schuller] at NNDB] His son, Robert A. Schuller, took over as senior pastor of Crystal Cathedral on January 22, 2006. Sheila Schuller Coleman is head of Family Ministries at The Crystal Cathedral and has assisted in many of Schuller's most visible printed works; Jean 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, 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.

Books

*"Prayer: My Soul's Adventure with God", Doubleday, 1995. ISBN 978-0385-48505-0

External links

* [http://www.ocmetro.com/archives/ocmetro_2004/metro120904/cover120904.html Letting in the Light] by Steve Thomas
* [http://www.religio.de/links/Synkretistische_Neureligionen_u%2E_Bewegungen%ACCrystal_Cathedral%ACKritik.html Information and Critics]
* [http://reformedevangelist.com/?p=100 Robert Schuller vs. John Wycliffe] Contrasting views on the authority of Scripture.

Notes