Pat Robertson

Pat Robertson was an American media mogul, religious broadcaster, political commentator, former presidential candidate, and former Southern Baptist minister. Robertson advocated a conservative Christian ideology and was known for his activities in Republican party politics. He was associated with the Charismatic Movement within Protestant evangelicalism. He served as chancellor and CEO of Regent University and chairman of the Christian Broadcasting Network (CBN).

By Robertson's own account, he originally set out to be a businessman. He graduated near the top of his class at Yale Law School in 1955 but later failed the New York bar exam, which he described as a minor setback since he never planned to practice law and already had a career with a major corporation on Wall Street. He became a Christian while having dinner at a restaurant in Philadelphia with author and WWII veteran Cornelius Vanderbreggen. After his conversion, Robertson left the corporate world and went into ministry.

Spanning over five decades, Robertson was the founder of major organizations, including The Christian Broadcasting Network (CBN), Regent University, Operation Blessing International Relief and Development Corporation, the International Family Entertainment Inc. (ABC Family Channel/Freeform), the American Center for Law & Justice (ACLJ), the Founders Inn and Conference Center, and the Christian Coalition.

Robertson was also a best-selling author and the host of The 700 Club, a Christian news and TV program broadcast live weekdays on Freeform (formerly ABC Family) from CBN studios, as well as on channels throughout the United States, and on CBN network affiliates worldwide. Robertson announced his retirement from The 700 Club at the age of 91 from in October 2021, on the sixtieth anniversary of the first telecast on October 1, 1961 of what eventually became CBN.

The son of U.S. Senator A. Willis Robertson, Robertson was a Southern Baptist and was active as an ordained minister with that denomination for many years, but held to a charismatic theology not traditionally common among Southern Baptists. He unsuccessfully campaigned to become the Republican Party's nominee in the 1988 presidential election. As a result of his seeking political office, he stopped serving in an official role for any church. His personal influence on media and financial resources made him a recognized, influential, and controversial public voice for conservative Christianity in the United States and around the world.

Sources

• "Pat Robertson." Wikipedia, revision of 8 June 2023. < link > Accessed 8 June 2023.
• Schudel, Matt. "Pat Robertson, televangelist who mixed politics and religion, dies at 93." The Washington Post, published 8 June 2023. < link > Accessed 8 June 2023.