Earlier this week news broke that Robert Schuller’s Crystal Cathedral filed for bankruptcy. (H/T to Ichabod, The Glory Has Departed and photo credit to the His Scrivener blog.)
Robert Schuller came a bit after my time. I was finishing university when his television show, Hour of Power, became a Sunday morning fixture. I only watched part of it a couple of times and never in full.
Having grown up on the Revd Rex Humbard in the 1960s, Schuller appeared slick. I couldn’t relate. Not that I could to Mr Humbard, either, but I was at least used to the plainness of his studio. Schuller’s Crystal Cathedral was all a bit too much for me. I also thought it was strange that he didn’t seem to cite the Bible, whereas Humbard was always quoting Scripture. But, then, I was never a regular viewer of either, having last seen Humbard in 1979 and Schuller in the early 1980s.
All source documents for this post are listed at the end.
Calvinist beginnings
Born in Iowa, Robert Schuller, believe it or not, was raised in the Reformed Church of America; he grew up a Calvinist. So did his mentor the Revd Norman Vincent Peale, author of the best-selling The Power of Positive Thinking. Schuller earned his M.Div from the Western Theological Seminary of the Reformed Church of America. The seminary is located in Holland, Michigan.
After beginning his ministry in the RCA in a church in Illinois, Schuller and his young family moved to Garden Grove, California. He built his Garden Grove Community Church on the site of a disused drive-in cinema and established a chapel a few miles away. He presided over services at each on Sundays.
Onward to the megachurch
By 1961 he had opened a new and expanded church — a walk-in, drive-in model — which served both congregations. In 1968, he added a ‘Tower of Hope’, the tallest structure at that time in Orange County (‘OC’, to you younguns out there!).
The success of Schuller’s ministry prompted Billy Graham in 1969 to suggest that he begin broadcasting his services on television. Meanwhile, Schuller purchased the walnut grove which bordered Garden Grove Community Church. He later hired internationally-renowned architect Philip Johnson to design what would become the Crystal Cathedral. The new church opened in 1980. And, thus, the megachurch was born.
His Hour of Power, filmed from the church (I refuse to call it a cathedral), became the most widely watched Christian worship service internationally. The Crystal Cathedral had as many as 10,000 members at one time.
Rejecting Calvinism for error
Some smaller Christian cults and churches arose from breakaway Calvinists who didn’t like the doctrines of total depravity, eternal damnation and anything that seemed too difficult. Charles Taze Russell, who founded the Jehovah’s Witnesses in the 19th century, didn’t like the idea of Hell. He was a Presbyterian minister, as was his father. They both left the Reformed tradition to create their own ‘church’.
Norman Vincent Peale transformed his Reformed Church of America ministry at Marble Collegiate Church in New York City from one based on Christian teachings to one that revolved around positive thinking. Peale didn’t like the doctrine of justification by faith and didn’t believe in Christ’s physical Resurrection. He wasn’t too keen on the notion of sin, either.
Peale was a 33-degree Mason and served as a Grand Chaplain of the Grand Lodge in New York. He read the writings of Ernest Holmes, whose ideas were the foundation for today’s New Age occultism. Peale also liked Charles Fillmore, who came up with the notion of the power of ‘positive thinking’, which Peale took into the mainstream.
If you’re under 50, you probably have little idea of how influential Peale’s Power of Positive Thinking was in America. Millions bought the book and watched Peale on television. It was normal for friends and neighbours to cite the book in conversation and for television stars to credit Peale’s teachings for their success. But, that is for another post.
Schuller’s seeker-friendly church
Meanwhile, Robert Schuller picked up on Peale’s writings and his success. His son says that Schuller considered Peale his ‘mentor’. Schuller cried at the pulpit when Peale died.
Like Peale and the Russells, Schuller rejected his Reformed upbringing and seminary training for ‘possibility thinking’. Where Peale left off, Schuller picked up, attracting a new generation for a New Age. The 1980s were all about finding the inner self, investing supernatural properties in objects such as crystals, embracing Eastern religions in a reverential way and demoting our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ to a teacher no different from Buddha. We were all one and could come to a psychic, one-world thinking through New Age philosophy.
Schuller has boasted that imams and rabbis from around the world have watched his television show and embraced his teachings.
So, how did he do it? Initially, back in the old days, he went from door to door in and around Garden Grove asking people what sort of church they would like to attend. Broadly speaking, the answer was, ‘Nothing too demanding’. So, Schuller started the ball rolling by preaching a man-centred, positive message. He distorted the Gospel to make his congregation feel good about themselves and put them — not the Cross or the Resurrection or sin — at the core of his preaching.
He believed that by bringing people into his church and saying positive things which would affirm them — tickle the itching ears — he would bring them to Christ and a relationship with God.
It is worth mentioning again that Rick Warren was a student of Schuller’s. Think of his man-centred, secular message with a veneer of Christianity as well as his Church Growth Movement (CGM). It’s all about the numbers for these men.
Robert Schuller says
What follows are excerpts from Robert Schuller’s teachings, which you can find in Let Us Reason Ministries’ ‘The Gospel According to Schuller’. I don’t think I need to mention that all of what you read below is unbiblical, yet many ‘Christians’ and seekers have been drawn in by these errors, if not heresies:
God’s purpose: ‘God is trying … to build a society of human beings who live out the golden rule’ (Self-Esteem: The New Reformation, p. 135)
Christianity is flawed: ‘I believe is it the failure to proclaim the gospel in a way that can satisfy every person’s deepest need – one’s spiritual hunger for glory. Rather than glorify God’s highest creation – the human being – Christian liturgies, hymns, prayers, and scriptural interpretations have often insensitively and destructively offended the dignity of the person…’ (Self-Esteem: The New Reformation , p. 31)
Schuller’s corrective: His book, A Course in Miracles, ‘teaches that “forgiveness” is simply recognizing that sin does not exist and therefore there is nothing to forgive’.
On faith: Schuller had this to say to Larry King in 1994, ‘Positive thinking says, ‘Hey. I am somebody. I can do it.’ Possibility thinking picks up on it and says, “Okay, how is it possible and how can we make it possible,” and power thinking says, “Okay. I am. I can. It’s possible. Okay, let’s you and me do it. Let’s just make it happen.”… I sum up this in a sentence. Faith plus focus plus follow through equals achievement, and many people fail because they just don’t have the faith in themselves, and others have the faith in themselves, but they don’t focus.‘
Self-esteem in the New Testament: ‘And I can feel the self-esteem rising all around me and within me, “Rivers of living water shall flow from the inmost being of anyone who believes in me” (John 7:38). I’ll really feel good about myself’ (Self-Esteem: The New Reformation, p. 80)
On Jesus Christ: ‘Christ is the Ideal One, for he was Self-Esteem Incarnate’ (p. 135, Self-Esteem: The New Reformation)
On sin and total depravity: ‘I contend that his unfulfilled need for self-esteem underlies every act …over and over again that the core of man’s sin is not his depravity but a “lack of self-dignity”, Self-esteem is … the single greatest need facing the human race today.’ (Self-Esteem: the New Reformation Word Books, 1982, p. 15)
Schuller refers to ‘divine self-esteem’ (p. 95). ‘If the gospel of Jesus Christ can be proclaimed as a theology of self-esteem, imagine the health this could generate in society!’ (Self-Esteem, the New Reformation Word Books, 1982 p. 47)
Dr Michael Horton interviews Schuller for the White Horse Inn
In 1992, Dr Michael Horton of the Westminster Theological Seminary in Escondido, California, interviewed Schuller for White Horse Inn radio. The White Horse Inn is a Calvinist site with regular broadcasts and is known by its slogan, ‘Know what you believe and why you believe it’. What follows are excerpts from the transcript where Horton attempts to find out how much Schuller believes. From what I can recall, Schuller had earlier claimed he was still preaching in the Reformed tradition, hence the interview. Emphases mine below.
Michael Horton: Would you be willing to address your congregation as a group as sinners?
Robert Schuller: No I don’t think I need to do that. First of all, my congregation is a very mixed audience.
MH: But our Lord’s audiences were mixed with disciples and unbelievers both.
RS: Oh yes, but I’ll tell you, the audience is quite different that I talk to than what the Lord spoke to. I speak every week to millions, not a million but millions of people in Russia on channel one. And I speaking to a couple of million people every Sunday.
MH: Are you saying that it is the size of the audience that matters?
RS: No it’s not the size of the audience, it’s where are they at at this time. My only concern is: I don’t want to drive them farther away than they are! And I listen to so many preachers on religious radio stations…and by golly, if I wasn’t a Christian, they’d drive me farther away. I am so afraid that I am going to drive them farther; I want to attract them, and so I use the strategy that Jesus used…
———————————————————–
RS: If we want to win people to Jesus we have to understand where they are at.
MH: I agree absolutely. And they are in sin, that is where they are at.
RS: They are in the state of condition called sin which means they don’t trust. They are lacking faith.
MH: I guess the difference would be our definition of sin, because what I see in scripture is that we’re dead in sin and cannot respond to God even if we were trusting.
…
RS: We are not justified by faith.
MH: No, it is by grace through faith.
RS: By grace through faith, that’s right.
MH: But what I’m asking is this. Justified from what? The wrath of God?
RS: Oh! I’ll never use that language.
MH: But the Bible does.
RS: Yes, the Bible does, but the Bible is God’s book to believers primarily. Listen, and then call me a heretic if you want to, but I’m interested in attracting people, and not driving them farther away. There is language I can and will use and there are times, if we are wise, there is language we will not use…
—————————————————————
MH: Well, on what texts would you base your definition of sin as “any act or thought that robs myself or another human being of his or her self-esteem.”
RS: Try some other questions because I think your question isn’t uh, isn’t…I don’t understand it.
MH: Okay. If the definition of sin is “any act or thought that robs myself or another human being of his or her self-esteem,” then, first of all….
RS: Okay, okay, I can handle that. That’s a little piece. Any sinful act that arises out of the sinful condition, and I have to repeat, sin is a condition before it is an action.
MH: Absolutely. We would agree a hundred percent on that. But what is that condition?
RS: That condition is, you are separated from God, totally and completely. And therefore you don’t have the emotional and spiritual affirmation that only comes out of a relationship … And I’ll tell you what God thinks of you: if you were the only person that didn’t have this wonderful relationship with him, why he would take his son and crucify him as your saviour.
MH: But why would He have to do that Dr. Schuller if in fact the only problem that I have with God is that I am non trusting and lack self confidence?
RS: Wait, wait, wait, wait! The “only thing”! That’s everything! That’s Hell!…To be non-trusting is the ultimate sinful condition.
—————————————————————
RS: I do let people know how great their sins and miseries are. How do I do that? I don’t do that by standing in a pulpit and telling them they’re sinners. I don’t do it that way. The way I do it is ask questions. Are you happy? Do you have problems, what are they? So then I come across as somebody who cares about them because every single human problem, if you look at it deeply enough, is rooted in the sinful condition. We agree on that. So the way I preach sin is by calling to attention what it does to them here and now, and their need for divine grace!
MH: But what about what it does for them in eternity?
RS: Listen, I believe in heaven. I believe in hell. But I don’t know what happens there. I don’t take it literally that it’s a fire that never stops burning.
MH: As Jesus said it was?
RS: Jesus was not literal. See, now this is where you have differences of interpretation. I went to a different theological school than you did …
————————————————————-
CALLER: Dr. Schuller, Paul called the gospel an offense. You seem to have a gospel that is a “kinder, gentler” kind of thing.
RS: Thank you. I try to make it that way.
CALLER: How do you reconcile that?
RS: Because I think it honors the name of Jesus.
CALLER: Dr. Schuller, what do we tell someone who says, “I’m already happy and fulfilled, so why do I need the gospel?”
RS: I don’t know…I can’t relate to that.
CALLER: Dr. Schuller, as a Calvinist with your belief in eternal election…how can anything we say drive a person away from being saved?
RS: That’s a good question. I don’t have the answer.
There is much more at the link. This is what happens when preachers forget their confessions of faith and distort Scripture to meet their own perspectives.
I have nothing more to say other than I hope that Schuller’s suppliers get paid and pray that he and his family come to a true understanding of the Bible.
For further reading:
‘Robert H. Schuller’ – Wikipedia
‘The Gospel According to Schuller’ – Let Us Reason Ministries
‘Norman Vincent Peale’ – Let Us Reason Ministries
‘Michael Horton Interviews Robert Schuller’ – White Horse Inn
‘Crystal Cathedral megachurch files for bankruptcy’ – MSNBC
‘Cracked Crystal’ – Chicago Tribune
‘Crystal Cathedral files for bankruptcy amid mounting debts’ – LA Times Blogs
Churchmouse Campanologist 
12 comments
October 20, 2010 at 11:41 pm
Randall Schultz
If you go over to Ichabod the Glory Has Departed, you can do a search for “young Calvinist, old Unitarian” at that blogspot. That is a good description of what happened to Robert Schuller. My father-in-law used to watch Rex Humbard about 40 years ago. He was big on the TV. Humbard’s ministry is now totally gone. Besides the Bakkers, Earl Paulk and Jimmy Swaggert, there have been many others who have come and gone. Let that be a lesson to those who bask in their popularity today. I am talking about Rick Warren, plus the up and coming Emergents, to name a few. The Word of God goes on forever. False teachers can barely last a fraction of anyone’s lifetime. Among us mere mortals, only a few have lasted well beyond their time of grace. Augustine, Luther, Calvin, Spurgeon and Matthew Henry are a few of the more common names.
LikeLike
October 21, 2010 at 12:06 am
churchmouse
Thanks so much, Mr Schultz, for your comment. Only the true believers and faithful clergy will last.
Humbard died several years ago. As you say, others like the Bakkers and Swaggart have suffered the consequences of preaching falsely in His name …
Yes, let this be a warning to all who seek to distort Holy Scripture. And, may His Word live on forever.
But — now, a question which has been burning (no pun intended) — and not a facetious one: does your father-in-law recall ‘Lamp unto My Feet’ which was before or after ‘Sunrise Semester’? Sorry, but I had to ask. It’s been some years since I saw either (probably wasn’t feeling well, as they were on around 6 to 6:30 a.m.).
LikeLike
October 21, 2010 at 1:16 am
Randall Schultz
My father-in-law passed away about 20 years ago. I remember my wife always talking about how her father watched him. He had trouble getting his name right and called him Tex Humbart or something like that. I do not recall the name of the program that he watched. Back in those days, the TV preachers tended to be less flashy and a bit more ethical. There were also a lot of local church services which were carried live on the small town radio stations.
LikeLike
October 21, 2010 at 9:26 am
churchmouse
Yes, they were much better back then — Bible-based sermons every time. Oral Roberts used to have a late-night slot where we lived in the early 1970s. I remember sitting with my parents one Saturday night watching the programme. He said something which was unintentionally funny. We all laughed. The next thing, our picture tube blew. As there were few stores open on a Sunday back then, we went for a week without television. Dad bought a new set the following Saturday. Hmm. My mother and I puzzled over that for years (Dad having died sometime before). Odd thing is, we still had a chuckle. Since then, though, I’ve never laughed at a preacher on the telly. Even though they were unrelated events and merely coincidental, so my rational mind tells me.
It was a bit strange how all of a sudden in the late 1970s or early 1980s, the evangelists got those syndicated shows on weeknights. Of those, I only ever liked Pat Robertson (news analysis and remote healing segments), but the rest of them were awful. And so was Tammy Faye Bakker’s eye makeup. I can’t believe she and Jim actually thought that looked good. A couple of times she cried on air, and I can still remember how horrible her mascara and eyeliner looked as they ran.
LikeLike
October 21, 2010 at 8:19 pm
D.Philip Veitch
Thanks for the advisorial on Bob of the Crystal Cathedral of Theological Irrelevance, Unitarianism, and Utopianism.
It is cause for the singing of the Te Deum and Jubilate Deo–these are American loons and cowboys unhinged and unanchored to the Bible, the classics, the old Confessions, and our old and godly Prayer Book.
Bob has repudiated the Reformed faith and the RCA tolerates it and him. Liberals like the golden calves of Jeroboam 1…anything to accomodate and please the culture. Some things don’t change.
Regards and Cheers.
LikeLike
October 21, 2010 at 8:51 pm
churchmouse
Many thanks, Phil! Does the RCA still accept Robert Schuller? Interesting … Any links from your blog or other sources would be much appreciated.
Agreed that he does ‘anything to accommodate and please the culture’. Yes, the more things change, the more they remain the same. As it ever was, sadly.
I used to think that the Reformed were the last men standing. In a sense, I think they still are. I’m just a little less convinced than I was a year ago. You do realise that other denoms are trying to pin Universalism on the Reformed denominations? Very sad, indeed. Why, I don’t know — Amaryldism (Remonstrants), it seems.
I shall be borrowing your video on the ‘defence of Calvinism’ (theme tune ‘Hogan’s Heroes’ in a future post). Absolutely brilliant! What would help from your expert point of view would be to draw a line between Amaryldism and 5-point Calvinism. That seems to confuse many outsiders.
Also, nothing to do with you necessarily, but those chaps who posted on here a few weeks ago about what defined Reformed churches will not be posting on here again. Talk about shooting the messenger! They were an example of people posting on here with real names and, unfortunately, with atavistic venom. I get posts on here from people from different denominations — I wonder what they thought. Never again. That was most offensive. I offer a source; if you disagree, offer your own source.
I know that ‘anonymous’ posters aren’t allowed on your blog, but, by the same token, those in the Reformed Anglican churches should a) be respectful of other people’s SOURCES and b) NOT shoot the messenger. I was most disappointed by that reaction and it has dissuaded me, for the time being, from commenting on and recommending Reformed Anglicans full stop. This isn’t meant for you as much as it is for some of your blog’s possible (though I’m not sure) ‘followers’.
That said, all best wishes and the fullness of God’s grace to you and your family.
In Christ
Churchmouse
LikeLike
October 22, 2010 at 12:18 am
D.Philip Veitch
Churchmouse:
1. Some research at LA Times indicated that father and son, two Roberts, were in the same RCA classis in California.
A backstory from my parents–Dad has since died–reported the following. The son was educated in a “more evangelical” direction at Fuller (not the Fullest) Seminary, was preaching repentance, faith in Christ alone, and–on public TV services–was conducting public baptisms for converts. The father disliked this.
Everything has been hush-hush, however, as to specifics.
2. RCA has long been known to have a continuum from conservative to liberals. I, for one, with a solid Reformed background, do not view the RCA as “Reformed.” They are American capitulators.
3. As to Amyraldianism and Dortian Calvinism, many sources exist. Rev. Dr. Roger Nicole, a French Calvinistic Baptist, was probably the best American academic on the subject, although I have no access to his research. It is of note that 3 of 5 commissioners to Dordt, under James 1, returned and sought to have Dordt adopted as an amendment to the 39 Articles. The 4th became an Arminian sympathizer after attending the conference. The 5th became a quasi-Amyraldian. If the terms are carefully defined, Amyraldianism must shift on definite atonement in my estimation.
Best regards,
Phil
D. Philip Veitch
Eastern North Carolina, USA
LikeLike
October 22, 2010 at 9:04 am
churchmouse
Phil —
Interesting story about the Schullers — hmm. Thank you for filling us in. The mention of ‘Fuller’ says it all. Oh, my.
Appreciate your take on the RCA as well — most useful.
Am glad I brought up Amyraldianism, as you have once again shared some of your encylopaedic knowledge with us. Wow — I had no idea that we almost adopted Dordt. Nor did I know about the commissioners to Dordt. Gives one pause for thought.
LikeLike
October 22, 2010 at 3:53 pm
The young fogey
Peale wasn’t born Dutch Reformed (RCA) – he switched not long before becoming pastor of Marble Collegiate Church in NYC. I think he was Methodist to begin with. (Wikipedia says: yes, and he was a Methodist minister for 10 years before switching.)
Schuller of course is ethnic Dutch and a born member.
I’ll admit I’m tempted to throw Schuller’s bad news in his face with one of his own slogans: ‘Tough times don’t last… but tough people DO!’ But Peale and his protégé Schuller were/are OK as far as they go. One critic wrote Schuller ‘channelled ’50s mainline Protestantism’, not strong on theology but a generic message of ‘chin up, accentuate the positive and be nice to each other’; to be honest, the same message ethnic, un-self-consciously traditional American RC and Orthodox priests then (’50s) and now preach most of the time.
A mild form of prosperity gospel but not Oral Roberts obnoxious and AFAIK Schuller was/is apolitical unlike when Francis Schaeffer turned Jerry Falwell onto political activism.
LikeLike
October 22, 2010 at 4:48 pm
churchmouse
Trust you to know everyone’s denominational origins — wonderful! You commented here before on someone else’s. I had things on Peale from a few Christian sites. I’d read where his dad was Methodist. Just shows one shouldn’t give up on Wikipedia! It’s always worth a check. Thanks for that! 🙂
Now I’m more intrigued about Peale, and will do more research before doing a post on him. Interesting that he would transfer from an Arminian to a ‘Reformed’ church. That’s now put several questions in my mind. Hmm!
You say that Peale and Schuller are ‘OK as far as they go’. From that point of view Joel Osteen and, for older folks, Reverend Ike (‘Don’t wait till you die for your pie in the sky’) are / were okay, too. The difficulty with these chaps is that there is a fine line between truth and error. Time and time again we see or hear them tweak Scripture ever so slightly. How many of their followers have said, ‘The Bible says …’ because ‘Norman Vincent Peale / Robert Schuller / Joel Osteen told me so’ when it might be a paraphrase? I’ve got scads of posts on error, and it’s an easy trap in which to fall. As believers, we need to be so careful.
Nice new picture, by the way!
Enjoy your weekend and thanks for stopping by once again!
LikeLike
October 22, 2010 at 10:31 pm
James E. Townsend
Is that a small, color photo of the chancel of the Berliner Dom with the church mouse at the lower right-hand corner being used as a heading-graphic of this website? If it’s not, it certainly looks like it. If it is, great! James E. Townsend, Lutheran minister, retired
LikeLike
October 22, 2010 at 11:18 pm
churchmouse
I’m not at all sure about the church graphic, Pr Townsend, but I’m glad you like it.
Thank you for stopping by!
LikeLike