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Liberty University mourns the loss of Pat Robertson, evangelical luminary and friend in Christian education

Pat Robertson with Liberty founder Dr. Jerry Falwell and his wife, Macel Falwell, at an event for ‘The 700 Club’ in 1996.

Longtime religious broadcaster, educator, and humanitarian Pat Robertson passed away early Thursday morning at the age of 93, according to the Christian Broadcast Network (CBN), the organization he founded in 1960.

The former host of “The 700 Club” used his media ministry to offer both prayer and political commentary. Robertson is the founder of Regent University, located in Virginia Beach, Va., and the international non-governmental organization (NGO) Operation Blessing focused on disaster relief, and a legal advocacy group, The American Center for Law and Justice. He ran for President of the United States in 1988 and founded the Christian Coalition in 1989.

“I am beyond grateful for the visionary leadership and friendship of Pat Robertson. Pat was a longtime friend of my father who stood shoulder to shoulder with him to advance the Gospel of Jesus Christ, call the nation to repentance, and defend religious liberty in the public square,” said Liberty University Chancellor Jonathan Falwell. “Both my father and I had numerous opportunities over the years to speak and engage with Pat at the Christian Broadcasting Network and Regent University. There is simply no way to measure the impact and legacy he has left behind. We join countless others in mourning his loss today and praying for his family while praising God for his life that continues to inspire so many.”

“Pat Robertson was a man of God and evangelical pioneer whose life and influence spanned more than 60 years and left a permanent mark on the evangelical world,” said Liberty Interim President Jerry Prevo. “There is no way to talk about American evangelicalism over the last two centuries without speaking of Pat Robertson. He understood the Christian faith was not just a call to prayer but action. Please join us in praying for his family.”

Marion “Pat” Gordon Robertson was born in Lexington, Va., on March 22, 1930, and once planned to be a successful businessman after growing up the son of a U.S. senator and studying law at Yale University, according to CBN. He also served as a reservist in the U.S. Marine Corps before spending roughly two years on active duty during the Korean War. However, his plans changed in the 1950s when he chose to follow Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior.

With $70 in his pocket, Robertson created CBN in 1960 with the goal of reaching the world with the Gospel, and it has grown into a global media ministry that has reached hundreds of millions of people across six of the seven continents.

Robertson launched “The 700 Club” in 1966. The daily talk show remains one of the longest-running programs in television history. He retired as the daily host in 2021.

Robertson is survived by his four children, 14 grandchildren, 24 great-grandchildren, and thousands across the CBN family of domestic and international ministries. His wife, Dede, who was a founding board member of CBN, died last year at the age of 94.

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