Today's update on the Oral Roberts University president's recent resignation involves one of Richard Roberts' right hand men mentioning that God told him to do whatever Roberts said.
George Pearsons, the chairman of ORU's Board of Regents, also is going back on what he publicized as God's request. I applaud him for taking a stance against this economic corruption, but Pearsons demonstrates why claiming to speak God's word can become a problem. I don't mean to denigrate Pearsons, because he didn't expect Roberts to be corrupt, so I can't fault him for saying what he truly believed.
Yet, when these leaders — who are looked up to by many students and parishioners — project themselves as models of Christian values and violate these values, where does that leave those in their spiritual guidance?
In addition, I have an update to Roberts' connection with The Church Business inquiries, which I've been covering for weeks now. Pearsons is in fact the son-in-law of Kenneth Copeland, one of the preachers currently under investigation by the Senate (follow the above link for more info. on that situation):
When George Pearsons accepted the position of chairman of the ORU regents in May, he said in an address to the board: "I am standing here today because the Lord clearly spoke to me and said, ‘Do whatever Richard Roberts asks you to do,'” according to a copy of the address.
Pearsons is the son-in-law of Kenneth Copeland, a televangelist and ORU regent. Pearsons said in the address that the "covenant” between the Roberts and Copeland families also contributed to his decision to accept the chairman position. He said the "families are forever connected.”
Holding the Roberts in such high regard is typical of many ORU regents, particularly the other ministers and televangelists serving on the board, the president of a religious watchdog group said.
"They all, in essence, pay obeisance to Oral. They all almost bow down in Oral's presence,” said Ole Anthony, president and co-founder of Trinity Foundation, which has investigated religious organizations, including ORU, for decades.
But after the lawsuit was filed and regents initiated an outside review of the claims, Pearsons' stance appeared to change.
Pearsons recently said "the buck stops with the board” when it comes to Richard Roberts' future at ORU. He has maintained that stance, despite the Roberts' public claims of innocence and Oral Roberts' vow that his son would return to power.
This delineates pretty well an example of what amounts to a Royal Family in American Evangelicalism. I wonder how common these kind of connections might be?
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