Rev. Robert Schuller of the Hour of Power Passed Away

By Alison Lesley --
07 Apr 2015 --

World-renowned televangelist for the Hour of Power and positive Christianity, Reverend Robert Schuller passed away last week.

Rev. Robert Harold Schuller, born in September of 1926, was a televangelist best known for hosting the Hour of Power, a weekly religious television show that he started in 1970. He also founded the Crystal Cathedral located in California. Rev. Schuller passed away n April 6, 2015.

Shortly before his fifth birthday, Schuller was visited by an uncle, who encouraged him to become an evangelist. Rev. Robert Schuller said this was the “single most defining moment of my early life.” He went to Hope College, and earned his Master of Divinity at the Western Theological Seminary. When he moved to Garden Grove, California, he began his legacy of helping and teaching others in the way of Christ.

In 1955, Rev. Schuller opened up the Garden Grove Community Church from what had used to be a drive-in theater. He later rented space in an old Baptist church. Here, he launched his now famous church. As he gained more and more popularity, Schuller realized he needed more to space to accommodate his growing following. A few years later, in 1968, the reverend started building the “Tower of Hope”, which became a defining symbol of his church.

In his ministry, Schuller was known for taking a positive approach to the Christian faith, completely avoiding condemning others for their sins. He preached that Jesus “met needs before touting creeds”, indicating that Jesus was more a compassion being that a stickler for some rules. He was known for saying, “Sin is a condition before it is an action.”

Schuller was able to broadcast his positive thinking message across the world weekly, with an hour-long segment that was broadcast on Sundays called The Hour of Power. When it aired, it was the world’s most popular televised church service, as it preached kindness and love. After Schuller’s son took over as pastor of Crystal Cathedral, however, the segment was reduced to thirty minutes, instead.

In late August of 2013, Reverend Robert Schuller was diagnosed with esophageal cancer, which eventually spread to his lymph nodes. The following year, his wife, Arvella Schuller died at the age of 84. A little over a year later, Schuller died on April 2, 2015 in Artesia, California.

Throughout the course of his life, Reverend Robert Schuller touched the lives of countless people, and showed them the path of righteousness. He will forever be a prominent figure in the teachings of Christ, and remain dear to those who knew and loved him.