Pat Robertson

Pat Robertson
Name	Pat Robertson
Birth date	March 22, 1930
Birth place	Lexington, Virginia
Death date	June 8, 2023
Death place	Virginia Beach, Virginia
Occupation	Evangelist, televangelist, author, media executive, political activist
Years active	1960s–2023
Spouse	Davia Jones

Pat Robertson was an American evangelical leader, televangelist, media executive, author, and political activist who played a central role in shaping late-20th-century conservative Christianity and the American religious right. He founded the Christian Broadcasting Network, led the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem (U.S. branch), and helped establish the Christian Coalition of America, intertwining broadcasting, politics, and evangelical activism. Robertson's public life included large-scale media enterprises, presidential campaigning, and sustained influence on debates around Abortion in the United States, Israel–United States relations, and conservative policy agendas.

Early life and education

Born in Lexington, Virginia, Robertson was the son of Absalom Willis Robertson, a long-serving United States Senate member, and Agnes Ross Gilbert Robertson. He attended Staunton Military Academy and later matriculated at Washington and Lee University before transferring to Washington and Lee University School of Law and ultimately studying at Yale University, where he completed a Master of Divinity at Yale Divinity School. Robertson also served in the United States Marine Corps during the Korean War era and worked in the business sector, including roles at Marsh & McLennan and in real estate, experiences that informed his later media and organizational leadership.

Ministry and Christian Broadcasting

Robertson launched religious broadcasting initiatives that transformed evangelical media. He founded the Christian Broadcasting Network (CBN) in 1960, producing programs such as The 700 Club, which combined news, interviews, prayer, and fundraising and featured guests from across conservative circles, including figures associated with the Moral Majority, Focus on the Family, and the National Rifle Association. Under his leadership CBN expanded into international broadcast distribution, founded the Regent University (originally Christian Broadcasting Network University), and developed satellite and cable networks that reached audiences in markets served by DirecTV and other carriers. Robertson's ministry also engaged with organizations such as the National Religious Broadcasters and established outreach efforts in coordination with faith-based groups in Israel, Russia, and countries in Africa.

Political activity and public advocacy

An early architect of modern evangelical political organization, Robertson helped catalyze conservative mobilization through the Christian Coalition of America and allied with activists linked to the Republican Party, the Heritage Foundation, and the Moral Majority. He ran for the Republican Party presidential primaries, 1988 seeking the Republican nomination for President of the United States and courted endorsements and alliances with leaders from the Conservative movement, the New Right, and state-level activists in Texas, Florida, and Virginia. Robertson advocated on policy issues including opposition to Abortion in the United States, support for Israel–United States relations, promotion of school prayer initiatives connected to First Amendment litigation, and backing for faith-based elements of the Welfare Reform Act debates. His political work included voter guides, lobbying, and media campaigns in coordination with figures from Phyllis Schlafly-aligned networks and other social conservative leaders.

Controversies and public statements

Robertson's public statements generated frequent controversy and criticism from media outlets such as The New York Times, The Washington Post, and commentators on MSNBC and Fox News. He made high-profile remarks about natural disasters, foreign leaders, and public figures that provoked responses from civil rights organizations and faith leaders across denominational boundaries including Southern Baptist Convention leaders and clergy in the United Methodist Church. Notable incidents involved commentary about Hurricane Katrina, statements concerning the leadership of Hugo Chávez of Venezuela, and controversial remarks on issues of sexuality that drew rebukes from LGBTQ advocates and legal scholars engaged with Civil rights litigation. These episodes fed into debates in the United States Senate and among advocacy groups such as the American Civil Liberties Union.

Business ventures and philanthropic work

Beyond broadcasting, Robertson oversaw a diversified portfolio of media and real estate ventures, including production companies, publishing arms, and internationally oriented television distribution businesses that worked with entities such as Sony-era distributors and satellite providers. He presided over philanthropic initiatives through CBN-affiliated charities, relief operations in coordination with World Vision-style organizations, and humanitarian efforts directed toward Israel and disaster relief in regions like Southeast Asia and Haiti. Educational philanthropy included endowments and program funding for Regent University, which developed law, theology, and business programs recruiting faculty from institutions such as Harvard University and Georgetown University for visiting engagements.

Later life and legacy

In later decades Robertson continued to host programs, lecture at Regent University, and engage in public commentary on international affairs, religion, and politics, while the organizations he founded—CBN and the Christian Coalition—remained influential in conservative evangelical networks linked to the Tea Party movement and later Republican Party coalitions. His legacy is contested: supporters credit him with expanding evangelical media, founding educational institutions, and mobilizing conservative voters, while critics point to polarizing rhetoric and controversial policy stances that shaped public perceptions of the religious right. Robertson's death in Virginia Beach, Virginia prompted coverage in national outlets and reflections from leaders across political and religious institutions, including former colleagues from the Christian Coalition of America and faculty at Regent University.

Category:American evangelists Category:1930 births Category:2023 deaths