Bishop Carlton Pearson the founder of a former megachurch in Oklahoma has died

Carlton Pearson According to his agent, Will Bogle, Bishop Carlton Pearson passed away on Sunday evening while receiving hospice care in Tulsa as a result of cancer. Pearson’s age was 70.

During the initial phase of his ministerial career, he garnered significant attention within the Pentecostal preaching community and made regular appearances on the Trinity Broadcasting Network, thereby expanding his reach to a global viewership.

Pearson initiated a ministry in 1977, and then established Higher Dimensions Family Church in Tulsa in 1981. The church, later renamed New Dimensions Church, experienced significant growth, with a membership of around 6,000 individuals by the year 2000.

The membership had a significant decline, reaching a just few hundred individuals by 2008, subsequent to Pearson’s introduction of what he referred to as “the gospel of inclusion.” This particular ideology, characterized by universalism, entails the absence of acknowledgment towards the concept of hell.

The declaration of heresy regarding Pearson’s teachings on hell was made by the Joint College of African-American Pentecostal Bishops Congress in 2004. The discovery was made one year subsequent to Pearson’s defense of his perspectives at a theological symposium.

According to Religion News Service, Bishop Clifford Leon Frazier, chairman of the joint college’s doctrinal commission, expressed the need to designate Bishop Carlton Pearson as a heretic due to the potential influence his teachings may have on individuals, thereby jeopardizing the eternal fate of their souls.

Pearson’s convictions ultimately resulted in his voluntary departure from the board of regents at Oral Roberts University, his alma mater located in Tulsa. This decision also marked a significant rift between Pearson and the institution’s founder and his personal guide, the renowned evangelist Oral Roberts.

According to Bogle, Pearson conveyed to him that he maintained confidence in his theological shift and did not perceive it as an error.

According to Bogle, individuals were compelled to critically examine their assertions regarding salvation. Despite the divisive nature of Bishop Pearson during his whole lifetime… The individual in question exhibited commendable qualities, as he possessed a humble demeanor and demonstrated genuine concern for others.

In 2007, Pearson played a significant role in mobilizing a large group of clergy members from various regions of the United States to advocate for the enactment of significant legislation addressing hate crimes and employment discrimination against individuals identifying as LGBT.

Pearson experienced social ostracism from fellow evangelical leaders, who denounced him as a heretic, subsequently leading him to pursue a career as a preacher inside the United Church of Christ. In the end, Higher Dimensions experienced the unfortunate event of losing its property due to foreclosure. Consequently, in September 2008, Pearson delivered his last sermon within the premises of the church. Subsequently, the congregation became assimilated into All Souls Unitarian Church located in Tulsa.

Currently, he holds the designation of an affiliate minister at All Souls.

Following the dissolution of his previous ministry, an extensive segment on public radio’s This American Life documented his narrative, subsequently serving as the foundation for the 2018 Netflix film, Come Sunday, featuring Chiwetel Ejiofor in the lead role.

In 2002, Pearson made an unsuccessful bid for the position of mayor in Tulsa. He attributed his defeat to the negative response from the people towards his teachings.

Recently, he had the position of a life coach at New Dimensions, where he conducted a weekly live broadcast on both Facebook and YouTube platforms.

In August, Pearson shared a video on social media, purportedly recorded within a medical setting, when he disclosed his two-decade-long battle with cancer.

In a video released in September, the individual stated that they had received a diagnosis of prostate cancer twenty years ago, and more recently, during the summer, they were diagnosed with bladder cancer.

I am confronted with the prospect of mortality … Pearson expressed a lack of fear towards death and the act of dying.

Pearson expressed a lack of dread towards God and instead suggested that if he were to fear anyone, it would be certain individuals who claim to be followers of God. He further characterized these individuals as potentially exhibiting unkind behavior, using a colloquial expression coined by his brother.

In 1995, Pearson expressed his disapproval of Louis Farrakhan, the head of the Nation of Islam, by characterizing him as a deceptive figure who espoused beliefs contrary to those of Martin Luther King Jr. Pearson also voiced criticism of the Million Man March, an event organized by Farrakhan with the aim of fostering African American unity and promoting family values, which was scheduled to take place in Washington DC.

In the year 2000, Pearson was a member of a cohort consisting of 30 religious leaders that provided counsel to George W. Bush regarding social programs with a faith-based approach.

In addition to his other accomplishments, Pearson has also written several books, one of which is titled The Gospel of Inclusion: Reaching Beyond Religious Fundamentalism to the True Love of God. Furthermore, he has made appearances in the documentary film American Heretics: The Politics of the Gospel.

According to Bogle, Pearson is survived by his mother, a son, a daughter, and his former wife.The individual who established a former megachurch in Oklahoma, and subsequently faced accusations of heresy and a loss of followers due to his rejection of the concept of hell and his support for gay rights, has passed away, as confirmed by his representative on Monday.

According to his agent, Will Bogle, Bishop Carlton Pearson passed away on Sunday evening while receiving hospice care in Tulsa as a result of cancer. Pearson’s age was 70.

During the initial phase of his ministerial career, he garnered significant attention as a promising figure within the Pentecostal preaching community, regularly featuring on the Trinity Broadcasting Network and so gaining exposure to a global viewership.

Pearson initiated a ministry in 1977, and then established Higher Dimensions Family Church in Tulsa in 1981, which was later renamed New Dimensions Church. By the year 2000, the church had amassed a membership of over 6,000 individuals.

The number of members had a significant decline, reaching a few hundred by 2008, after to Pearson’s introduction of his concept termed “the gospel of inclusion.” This ideology, characterized by a universalistic perspective, omits the recognition of damnation.

The declaration of heresy regarding Pearson’s teachings on hell was made by the Joint College of African-American Pentecostal Bishops Congress in 2004. The discovery was made one year subsequent to Pearson’s defense of his perspectives at a theological symposium.

According to Religion News Service, Bishop Clifford Leon Frazier, chairman of the joint college’s doctrinal commission, expressed his concern regarding the potential influence of this heresy on individuals and the subsequent risk it poses to their eternal salvation. Consequently, he felt compelled to declare Bishop Carlton Pearson as a heretic.

Pearson’s convictions ultimately resulted in his decision to step down from the board of regents at Oral Roberts University, his alma mater located in Tulsa. This move also marked a significant rift between Pearson and his mentor, the renowned preacher Oral Roberts.

According to Bogle, Pearson conveyed to him that he held the belief that he had not committed an error in his religious transition.

According to Bogle, individuals were compelled to critically examine their assertions regarding salvation. Despite the divisive nature of Bishop Pearson throughout his whole life… The individual in question exhibited commendable qualities, as he possessed a humble demeanor and demonstrated genuine concern for others.

In 2007, Pearson played a significant role in mobilizing a large group of clergy members from various regions of the United States to advocate for the enactment of significant legislative measures addressing hate crimes and employment discrimination against individuals identifying as LGBT.

Pearson encountered social exclusion from fellow evangelical leaders, who stigmatized him as a heretic, thereby leading him to pursue a vocation as a pastor inside the United Church of Christ. In the end, Higher Dimensions had the unfortunate event of losing its facility due to foreclosure. Consequently, in September 2008, Pearson delivered his last sermon within its premises, as the church became assimilated into All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa.

Currently, he holds the designation of an affiliate minister at All Souls.

Following the demise of his previous ministry, an extensive account of his experiences was documented in a protracted segment of the publicly broadcasted radio program, This American Life. This particular narrative subsequently served as the foundation for the production of the 2018 film, Come Sunday, distributed by Netflix and featuring the acclaimed actor, Chiwetel Ejiofor.

In 2002, Pearson made an unsuccessful bid for the position of mayor in Tulsa. He attributed his defeat to the negative response from the people towards his teachings.

The individual’s most recent professional engagement involved serving as a life coach at New Dimensions, where they conducted a regular live broadcast on both Facebook and YouTube platforms.

In August, Pearson shared a video on social media when he purportedly filmed himself in a hospital setting, revealing his ongoing battle with cancer spanning two decades.

In a video released in September, the individual disclosed that they had received a diagnosis of prostate cancer twenty years ago, and more recently, during the summer, they were diagnosed with bladder cancer.

I am confronted with the prospect of mortality … Pearson expressed a lack of fear towards death and dying.

Pearson expressed a lack of dread towards God and indicated that, if he were to experience terror, it would be directed at certain individuals associated with God, whom he referred to as “mean sons of biscuit eaters,” as per his brother’s colloquial expression.

In 1995, Pearson made a statement characterizing Louis Farrakhan, the head of the Nation of Islam, as a deceptive individual who espoused beliefs contrary to those of Martin Luther King Jr. Pearson also expressed disapproval of the Million Man March, an event organized by Farrakhan with the aim of fostering African American unity and promoting family values, which was scheduled to take place in Washington DC.

In the year 2000, Pearson was part of a cohort consisting of 30 members of the clergy that provided counsel to George W. Bush regarding faith-based initiatives in the realm of social services.

In addition to his scholarly contributions, Pearson has authored several books, one of which is titled “The Gospel of Inclusion: Reaching Beyond Religious Fundamentalism to the True Love of God.” Furthermore, he has been included in the documentary film “American Heretics: The Politics of the Gospel.”

According to Bogle, Pearson is survived by his mother, a son, a daughter, and his former wife.