Religious broadcaster and one-time presidential candidate Pat Robertson has died. Robertson passed away at his home in Virginia Beach, Virginia, early Thursday. He was 93.
The Christian Broadcast Network (CBN), which Robertson founded in 1960, announced the news of his death.
“With great sadness, we announce that Dr. M.G. “Pat” Robertson has gone home to be with his Lord and Savior today, June 8, 2023.”
Robertson’s colleagues asked for prayers for the Robertson family and CBN ministry.
With great sadness, we announce that Dr. M.G. “Pat” Robertson has gone home to be with his Lord and Savior today, June 8, 2023. Thank you for your prayers for the Robertson family and the ministry of CBN at this time. For more details on Pat’s life and legacy, visit… pic.twitter.com/vxbvrNxEG8
— CBN News (@CBNNews) June 8, 2023
Robertson is perhaps best known for offering prayer and political commentary as the host of The 700 Club on CBN. He began hosting the daily talk show in 1966. The show is still on the air today and is one of the longest-running programs in television history.
Robertson’s political activism led him to run for president as a Republican in 1988. He lost the GOP nomination to George H.W. Bush and later expanded his political influence as the founder of the Christian Coalition.
According to the CBN website, Robertson served as chancellor of Regent University, a Christian college he founded in Virginia Beach in 1977.
In his later years, he suffered several health setbacks, including a horseback riding accident in 2017 and a stroke in 2018. In a show of resilience, he returned to the set of The 700 Club ten days after his embolic stroke on February 12, 2018.
“I’m kind of like an old car. They just keep putting parts in,” he joked during his televised appearance describing his pacemaker.
In October 2021, Robertson announced he was stepping down as a daily host – coinciding with the show’s 60th anniversary. However, even after retirement, he frequently made monthly appearances fielding a range of questions and topics from viewers.
Robertson’s wife of nearly 70 years, DeDe Robertson, passed away in April 2022. They are survived by their four children, Tim, Elizabeth, Gordon, and Ann; 14 grandchildren; and 24 great-grandchildren.
