Oral Roberts Remembered

Oral Roberts died Dec. 15, 2009 of complications from pneumonia in Newport Beach, California. He was 91 years old. He was born a Native American in 1918, the son of Rev. Ellis and Claudia Roberts in Bebee, Oklahoma of Pontotoc County.  Although he will be most remembered for his high profile global ministry as well as the university and graduate schools founded in his name, the Jewish community and the state of Israel likely will remember Oral Roberts as a loyal friend and a close ally.  In 1991, on the eve of the first Gulf War when Saddam Hussein rained missile attacks upon Israel, Roberts stood side by side with esteemed orthodox Rabbi Asher Kahn of B'nai Emunah congregation to pray the twenty third psalm.  The rabbi recited the psalm in Hebrew and Roberts led the packed out crowd of thousands in the Mabee Center by saying the Psalm in English.  It was a night to honor Israel. 

Roberts made many trips to Israel and became acquainted with Israeli Prime Minister David Ben Gurion. Being a pioneer in religious broadcasting, in 1957 Roberts made Television productions in the Holy Land. In the seventies, he achieved enormous fame in his major TV specials for holidays, competing effectively in prime time programming with the then, only two other networks.  Roberts would involve famous stars like Jerry Lewis and Johnny Cash. Roberts' theme, "Something good is going to happen to you!" gave hope to millions of viewers.   

But few people knew that Oral Roberts and wife Evelyn studied Hebrew privately with Israeli friends in Tulsa.  After reading Rabbi David Wolpe's book, Healer of Shattered Hearts, Roberts invited the prominent conservative Rabbi to preach in the university chapel.  In fact, Roberts' personal library contained volumes of books like Midrash Rabbah, the writings of Maimonidies, and the Encyclopaedia Judaica.  During a 1989 interview with Larry King, King asked Roberts if he would go to hell simply because he was Jewish. In his reply, Roberts publically rejected the theological teachings that the covenants with Israel had been abrogated.  When King asked Roberts if the evangelist considered himself to be someone special and better than other people because of the claim that he heard God speaking to him, Oral Roberts told King that God spoke to the talk show host as well, but he did not listen. 

Oral Roberts was controversial.  Some critics called him a faith healer, a name Roberts rejected.  He simply stated, "God heals. I don't." In fact, Roberts built a medical school and a hospital arguing that prayer and medicine should be merged to deal with both physical and spiritual needs in the healing process.  Other critics have called him the patriarch of the prosperity Gospel.  But Roberts' teaching on seed faith, emphasized the sovereignty of God in three points.  First, God is the source of supply for everything.  Second, a person should give out of personal need like planting a seed.  If someone needed time, for instance, instead of taking time from family and friends, that individual must give time to others in need.  By giving time, out of personal need, one stops being self absorbed and begins to see the needs of others. This is a seed planted. Planting seeds to help others would strengthen each person. Third, the individual should be filled with hope and expect a miracle.  While faith is important, faith is not the crucial element.  Oral Roberts' teaching emphasized divine goodness and compassion. He grew up in poverty and did not believe that being poor brought a person closer to God.  On the contrary, God has a plan for each person to achieve a measure of success in finding fulfillment and meaning through life's experiences and faith in God.   

While education was not always valued by some Pentecostal, evangelical and charismatic Christian leaders, Oral Roberts built a fully accredited university with Graduate Schools that stressed supreme excellence in education.  Roberts recruited the best educators in their fields whether they agreed with his theology or not. But he taught the students in the biweekly required Chapels and stressed the authority of Scripture and the Spirit empowered life. The school must be an university with the highest academic standards.  Concerned about health issues, Roberts insisted that health education and fitness training be incorporated into the educational experience. The commitment to spiritual life is seen in the most prominent architecture among the modern styled buildings, which is the Prayer Tower in the center of the campus. Roberts believed that education must involve the intellect, but not neglect the body and the spirit.   

In 1986, Roberts made the controversial statement to his base of support, that if he did not raise 8 million dollars for the medical school that his mission on earth would be over.  The news media widely reported that Oral Roberts demanded eight million dollars from his supporters or God would kill him. In the end, a non religious businessman from Florida who ran a dog race track, contributed over 3 million dollars to the school and brought the needed funds up and over the 8 million dollar goal.  While Roberts was criticized for fund raising, sometimes he would point to the buildings on the 500 acre campus of the university, and note that anyone can see what happened to the funds that had been contributed.  Last year, Roberts annual salary was reported to be 87,000 dollars.       

Roberts was dedicated to his wife, Evelyn who preceded him in death in 2005.  He had four children. Son Ronald committed suicide. Daughter Rebecca was killed in a plane crash.  Daughter Roberta graduated from the ORU Law School and practices law in her own firm.  Son Richard followed his father as the second President of ORU. After serving 13 years, he resigned in 2007.  Billionaire Mart Green came to the rescue of the university which had acquired $54 million in debt. Though the Green family was not previously acquainted personally with Oral Roberts, they have worked to strengthen the founding purpose of the school.  Now the entire debt has been retired. The new president of ORU, Dr. Mark Rutland was installed into his leadership position, with a prayer from Oral Roberts, his last public appearance at the Mabee Center on the ORU campus. Moreover, in 2008, ORU established a new Center for Israel and the Middle East as well as a new Master of Arts degree in Judaic-Christian Studies. One long time friend and supporter of Oral Roberts observed, "The man planted many good seeds in a life time of service obeying God, and now he has been able to see ORU, debt free and on course moving ahead toward her founding purpose." 

Historians have called Oral Roberts one of the most influential religious leaders of the century.

by Brad H. Young