But Robertson’s staying power — which necessarily included overcoming embarrassing moments — is an essential part of his legacy.
“When other well-known ministries fizzled for a variety of reasons, he maintained a ministry that was respected because of his moral and spiritual consistency,” said the Rev. Jim Henry of Orlando, a former president of the Southern Baptist Convention, in an interview with RNS. “He finished well. He finished strong, and I join with a host of others in saluting this man of faith.”
But other prominent evangelical voices said his legacy was tainted by his more outlandish comments. “Pat Roberson’s ministry should not be judged by a single quote that offends,” said Richard Cizik, president of the New Evangelical Partnership for the Common Good. “The problem is the sum of the parts. After putting televangelism on the map, Robertson devolved to an enfant terrible on progressive social movements, from the environment to women’s rights and race relations. In doing so he became more of a target for humor than any preacher would want.”
Some of his critics go beyond his ability to gaffe his way into the headlines. One group dubbed him “the Apostle of Hate” for his longtime opposition to LGBTQ rights.
“Pat Robertson contributed greatly to some of the worst trends in American Christianity over the last forty years,” said the Rev. David P. Gushee, distinguished university professor of Christian ethics at Mercer University. “These included the fusion of conservative white Protestantism with the Republican Party, the use and abuse of supernaturalist Christianity to offer spurious and unhelpful interpretations of historical events and the development of a conservative Christian media empire that made money and gained power in the process of making everyday Christians less thoughtful contributors to American life.”
Lisa Sharon Harper, president and founder of Freedom Road and author of the forthcoming “Fortune: How Race Broke My Family and the World — And How to Repair It All, “ said Robertson had to answer for his racial message. “He has been a dreamer and a builder,” said Harper. “Unfortunately, for people of color and for the post-colonizing majority church in the world, Robertson’s dreams were awash with the protection and retention of white male domination; in church life, in public space and in pink-knuckled politics.”
In the end history will likely tip its hat to Robertson’s skill at drawing the attention of the country to the views of white evangelicals. What he did with that attention will be judged more harshly.
“Pat Robertson had enough religious savvy to get on a national stage and enough outrageous proclamations to keep blowing up his chances for success outside his religious realm,” said the Rev. Joel C. Hunter, a former megachurch pastor who now heads the Parable Foundation.
“From his failed attempt to become president, to claiming to divert Hurricane Gloria with prayer from his TV studio couch — protecting his headquarters but causing millions of damages and eight deaths up the coast — Robertson had a talent for gaining power, resulting in social good through his ministry, but also in political divisiveness and cynicism outside his spiritual audience.”
Said Fitzgerald: “He was pretty much always a crazy uncle, except when he was running for president.”
This article originally appeared here.
