The beginning of the end of Robert H. Schuller's Crystal Cathedral Ministry
A towering failure in crisis management as reflected through media narratives of financial crisis, family conflict, and follower dissent
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 12007797 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Douglas J Swanson (California State University, Fullerton, Department of Communications, 800 N. State College Boulevard, CP 460-15, Fullerton, CA 92831, USA, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2012 |
| Volume | 49 |
| Issue | 4 |
| Pages | 485-493 |
| Publication date | 2012-11-16 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | The Social Science Journal (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0362-3319 • E-ISSN: 1873-5355 |
| Publisher | Taylor & Francis (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1016/j.soscij.2012.10.005 |
| OpenAlex | W2040597644 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 1 |
| References cited | 9 |
In 2010–2011, the Crystal Cathedral Ministry, one of the world's most respected Christian megachurches (Frankl, 1990 R.FranklTeleministries as family businessesMarriage and Family Review153–41990195205[Taylor & Francis Online] , [Google Scholar]), endured a series of crisis events culminating with a court ordered sale of its property. This signaled the end of Robert H. Schuller's ministry. This research analyzes dozens of news stories published during the crisis, documenting that the ministry failed to effectively use the media to communicate on vital issues. This failure exacerbated the crisis by allowing, unchecked, a proliferation of news stories portaying the ministry as out of touch, and Schuller family members as quarreling spendthrifts. Despite Schuller's decades of service, national prominence, and ‘positive thinking’ focus, his ministry was overcome by the materialism he purported to stand against. The rapid downfall is an extraordinary event within Christian televangelism. Examining media reporting of it allows important conclusions to be reached about any organization's communication with media gatekeepers in a time of crisis
Art · Christian ministry · Dissent · Economics · Financial crisis · Literature · Media studies · Narrative · Political science · Sociology · Disaster Management and Resilience · Law · Media, Religion, Digital Communication · Public Relations and Crisis Communication
| Unique citing works | 1 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 0.25 |
| Citation span | 2022 - 2022 (1) |
| Citation velocity | historical |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 1 |