Robert Schuller

Religious Broadcaster
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The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation Presents

02:26

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About
About this interview

In his two-hour interview, Dr. Robert Schuller (1926-2015) describes his early years growing up poor on a farm in Iowa. He talks about his calling to religion and his eventual move to California. He discusses the formation of the Garden Grove Community Church, where he preached to his congregants gathered at a drive-in movie theater. He describes the growth of the church, and his eventual foray into television on Hour of Power. He discusses the format of the program, his messages, and how the show eventually garnered worldwide distribution. He also speaks of the impact that the PTL scandals had on his ministry and on religious broadcasting as a whole. Karen Herman conducted the interview on November 14, 2003 at the Crystal Cathedral Gardens in Garden Grove, CA.

All views expressed by interviewees are theirs alone and not necessarily those of the Television Academy.

"You can always know what a preacher's weakness is by what he's preaching about all the time. I am preaching to people who need to be encouraged. I'm preaching to me."

People Talking About ...
Robert Schuller
Highlights
Robert Schuller on his early Hour of Power  telecasts and his wife's involvement in the show
03:15
Robert Schuller on Billy Graham's influence on him to get into television
00:57
Robert Schuller on his drive-in church
03:25
Robert Schuller on how the 1987 Jim Bakker scandal impacted his Hour of Power  ministry
04:30
Robert Schuller on why it was important for him to get into television
03:21
Full Interview

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Chapter 1
On his early life and influences; on his interests growing up; on hearing "his calling" to the ministry and studying psychology in college
On learning how to communicate with the masses; on deciding to establish his ministry in California and his drive-in church; on getting the finances for the first telecasts of his services which would become his Hour of Power series

Chapter 2
On Billy Graham's influence on him to get into television and why television was important to him; on his early televised church services and his television audience; on the correspondence he received from his audience over the years
On his early Hour of Power  telecasts and his wife's involvement in the show; on the format of Hour of Power;  on preparing for Hour of Power  and talking about world events and politics on the show

Chapter 3
On how television has changed society; on expanding his Hour of Power  television ministry nationally and internationally; on the Hour of Power  expanding into Russia and meeting Mikhail Gorbachev
On how the 1987 Jim Bakker scandal impacted his Hour of Power  ministry; on the Crystal Cathedral from which is Hour of Power  then-emanated; on the then-future of Hour of Power

Chapter 4
Full Chapter Four
Shows

Hour of Power

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Robert Schuller on getting the idea to televise his services which would become his Hour of Power series
02:42
Robert Schuller on getting the finances for the first telecasts of his services which would become his Hour of Power series
04:27
Robert Schuller on his early Hour of Power telecasts and his wife's involvement in the show
03:15
Robert Schuller on the format of Hour of Power
03:15
Robert Schuller on preparing for Hour of Power and talking about world events and politics on the show
03:55
Robert Schuller on dealing with Civil Rights and racism on Hour of Power
04:01
Robert Schuller on expanding his Hour of Power  television ministry nationally and internationally
03:51
Robert Schuller on Hour of Power  expanding into Russia and meeting Mikhail Gorbachev
05:38
Robert Schuller on how the 1987 Jim Bakker scandal impacted his Hour of Power  ministry
04:30
Robert Schuller on the Crystal Cathedral from which is Hour of Power  then-emanated
07:31
Robert Schuller on the then-future of Hour of Power
04:32
Topics

Civil Rights Movement

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Robert Schuller on dealing with Civil Rights and racism on Hour of Power
04:01

Cold War

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Robert Schuller on Hour of Power  expanding into Russia and meeting Mikhail Gorbachev
05:38

Creative Influences and Inspiration

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Robert Schuller on Billy Graham's influence on him to get into television
00:57
Robert Schuller on Billy Graham's influence on him to get into television
00:57

Criticism of TV

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Robert Schuller on how television has changed society
04:27

Historic Events and Social Change

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Robert Schuller on dealing with Civil Rights and racism on Hour of Power
04:01
Robert Schuller on Hour of Power  expanding into Russia and meeting Mikhail Gorbachev
05:38

Pivotal Career Moments

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Robert Schuller on hearing "his calling" to the ministry 
02:45
Robert Schuller on Billy Graham's influence on him to get into television
00:57

Representation on Television

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Robert Schuller on dealing with Civil Rights and racism on Hour of Power
04:01

Television Industry

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Robert Schuller on how television has changed society
04:27

Underrepresented Voices

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Robert Schuller on dealing with Civil Rights and racism on Hour of Power
04:01

War

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Robert Schuller on Hour of Power  expanding into Russia and meeting Mikhail Gorbachev
05:38
Genres

Religious Programming

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Robert Schuller on his Hour of Power  television ministry (Part 1)
07:09
Robert Schuller on his Hour of Power television ministry (Part 2)
28:17
Robert Schuller on his Hour of Power television ministry (Part 3)
30:29
People

Billy Graham

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Robert Schuller on Billy Graham's influence on him to get into television
00:57

Jim Bakker

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Robert Schuller on how the 1987 Jim Bakker scandal impacted his Hour of Power  ministry
04:30

All Interviews

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