John Hagee
Hagee in Washington, D.C., July 2007
Born
John Charles Hagee

(1940-04-12) April 12, 1940 (age 83)
Baytown, Texas, U.S.
EducationBSc, MSc
Alma materTrinity University
University of North Texas
Occupation(s)Pastor, author
OrganizationJohn Hagee Ministries
Websitewww.jhm.org

John Charles Hagee (born April 12, 1940) is an American pastor and televangelist. He founded John Hagee Ministries, which telecasts to the United States and Canada. He is also the founder and chairman of the Christian Zionist organization Christians United for Israel.

Hagee has attracted controversy over his comments on the Catholic Church, Jewish people and Islam, and promotion of the blood moon prophecy.

Early life

Hagee was born in Baytown, Texas on April 12, 1940.[1] He studied at Southwestern Assemblies of God University in Waxahachie, Texas, and received a Bachelor of Science, and then studied at Trinity University and obtained a second Bachelor of Science. He also studied at the University of North Texas in educational administration and received a master's degree in 1966.[2]

He has a son, Matt Hagee, who is also a pastor.[3]

Career

Cornerstone Church

Hagee founded Trinity Church in San Antonio, Texas in 1966, a second Trinity Church in 1975, and Cornerstone Church in 1975.[4] The church has adopted Pentecostal beliefs, including biblical literalism, speaking in tongues, divine healing, the prosperity gospel, and absolute opposition to abortion.[5] Beginning in 1981 in San Antonio, following Operation Opera, Hagee has organized "A Night to Honor Israel" events aiming to show support for the State of Israel.[6]

Hagee has been politically active. In 1968, he endorsed Democrat George Wallace in his bid for president. His advocacy included organizing and mobilizing a youth movement called "Wallace Youth".[7][8][9]

In 1996, Hagee spoke on behalf of Republican presidential primary candidate Alan Keyes, who in 2004 lost the U.S. Senate election in Illinois to Barack Obama.[10] In 2002, Hagee endorsed the conservative State Representative John Shields in the latter's unsuccessful bid for the Republican primary for the District 25 seat in the Texas Senate. Hagee dubbed Shields's opponent, incumbent Jeff Wentworth, "the most pro-abortion" of 181 legislators in both houses of the Texas legislature.[11]

On February 7, 2006, Hagee and some 400 leaders from across the Christian and Jewish communities formed Christians United for Israel (CUFI). This lobbies members of the United States Congress, using a biblical stance for promoting Christian Zionism. Around that time he received death threats for his activism on behalf of the State of Israel and hired bodyguards for protection.[12]

In 2008, Hagee endorsed Senator John McCain in the presidential contest against Barack Obama.[10] After Hagee's endorsement of McCain, a furor arose over statements made by Hagee that were perceived by some as anti-Catholic and antisemitic.[13][14][12][15][16] Following Hagee's remarks, McCain publicly distanced himself from Hagee.[17][18]

Hagee was the primary funding source for the Israeli Zionist group Im Tirtzu, until he cut ties with the organization in 2013.[19] He is also anti-abortion and stopped giving money to Israel's Hadassah Medical Center when it began offering the procedure.[20]

In 2016, Hagee endorsed Donald Trump in the 2016 presidential election.[21]

Views

LGBT

In 2006, he claimed that Hurricane Katrina was God's punishment for a planned pride parade.[22]

Catholicism

Hagee purported that Adolf Hitler's antisemitism was especially derived from his Catholic background, and he also purported that Hitler was "a spiritual leader in the Catholic Church,"[23] as well as purporting that the Catholic Church under Pope Pius XII encouraged Nazism.[24] Hagee also blamed the Catholic Church for instigating the Dark Ages, claiming that it allowed the Crusaders to rape and murder with impunity.[25] William Donohue, the president of the Catholic League for Civil and Religious Rights, rejected the comments and Hagee's explanations for them. On May 12, 2008, after discussions with Donohue and other Catholic leaders, Hagee issued a letter of apology, expressing regret for "any comments that Catholics have found hurtful."[26][15][16][27] The apology was accepted by William Donohue.[26]

Jewish people

Hagee has stated that he believes the Bible commands Christians to support the State of Israel.[28]

Reform Rabbi Eric Yoffie criticized Hagee for being "extremist" on Israeli policy and for disparaging other faiths.[29]

Hagee has claimed that Adolf Hitler was born from a lineage of "accursed, genocidally murderous half-breed Jews".[30] Citing material from Jewish tradition,[31][12] he claimed that the persecution of Jews throughout history, implicitly including the Holocaust, was due to the Jewish people's disobedience of God.[32][33][34][12]

In 2008, Hagee claimed that the anti-Christ will be "a homosexual" and "partially Jewish, as was Adolf Hitler"[35] and he also claimed that a reference in Jeremiah 16:16 to "fishers" and "hunters" was symbolic of positive motivation (Herzl/Zionism) and negative motivation (Hitler/Nazism) respectively, both men were sent by God for the purpose of having Jews return to Israel, and he suggested that the Holocaust was willed by God because most Jews "ignored" Herzl.[36][37][38][39][12]

Islam

Hagee has made demonizing comments about Islam.[40][41] Hagee has claimed that "Islam not only condones violence; it commands it".[42][43] He has also claimed that a contrast exists between Islam's "violent nature" and Christianity's "loving nature"[42][44] and that the Quran teaches, and Muslims have a mandate, to kill Jews and Christians.[45][46]

Blood moon prophecy

Hagee, along with Mark Biltz, made the blood moon prophecy, which they promoted in a 2013 book. The two men claimed that a tetrad which began with the April 2014 lunar eclipse was a sign of the end times as described in the Bible and the tetrad ended with the lunar eclipse on September 27–28, 2015.[47][48] The prediction was criticized by scientists.[49][50]

Global warming

In 2007, Hagee stated that he does not believe in global warming, contradicting the scientific consensus on climate change, and he also said that he sees the Kyoto Protocol as a "conspiracy" aimed at manipulating the U.S. economy.[51]

References

  1. ^ Inbari, Motti (2012). Messianic Religious Zionism Confronts Israeli Territorial Compromises. Cambridge University. p. 173. ISBN 9781107009127.
  2. ^ Glenn H. Utter, James L. True, Conservative Christians and Political Participation: A Reference Handbook, ABC-CLIO, USA, 2004, p. 230
  3. ^ "Matt Hagee". TBN. Retrieved August 8, 2023.
  4. ^ Cornerstone Church set to unveil $5 million Noah's Ark for kids Archived January 23, 2019, at the Wayback Machine, My San Antonio, March 10, 2013
  5. ^ William Martin, Cornerstone Church, texasmonthly.com, USA, January 15, 2006
  6. ^ FOREIGN MINISTRY HONORS RABBI FOR JEWISH-CHRISTIAN INTERFAITH WORK Archived February 6, 2019, at the Wayback Machine, JPost, November 11, 2018
  7. ^ Juan Vasquez (August 16, 1968). "Wallace Speaker Raps Demos, GOP". San Antonio Express. p. 8F. Retrieved May 20, 2022.
  8. ^ "Wallace Youth to Stage Rally". San Antonio Express. July 30, 1968. p. 4.
  9. ^ Juan M. Vasquez (July 31, 1968). "Wallace Youth Hold Rally". San Antonio Express. p. 36.
  10. ^ a b "Will Alan Keyes Be John McCain's Worst Nightmare?, April 24, 2008". talkwaction.org. Retrieved September 19, 2011.
  11. ^ "Morgan Smith, "Primary Races Tend to Be Bloody," November 3, 2009". texastribune.org. November 3, 2009. Retrieved September 19, 2011.
  12. ^ a b c d e "Hagee's Prosperity Gospel and Jews". talk2action.org. Talk to Action, LLC.
  13. ^ Wilson, Bruce ‘Half-Breed Jew’ Committed Holocaust, Claims Netanyahu Ally John Hagee Huffington Post. December 3, 2015
  14. ^ Santus, Rex Pastor who thinks Jews can't be saved led opening prayer at U.S. embassy in Jerusalem. Vice News. May 14, 2018.
  15. ^ a b Washington Post: McCain Backer Apologizes For Anti-Catholic Remarks. May 14, 2008.
  16. ^ a b "Catholic League: McCain's Next Move". Archived from the original on March 16, 2008. Retrieved April 15, 2017.
  17. ^ Jews defend Hagee's words, The Washington Times 5/24/08
  18. ^ "Hagee's Jewish Endorsers". Archived from the original on May 25, 2008.
  19. ^ "JOHN HAGEE TO CUT IM TIRTZU FUNDING". The Jerusalem Post.
  20. ^ Evangelicals seeing the error of 'replacement theology' Jerusalem Post.
  21. ^ Gutierrez Cachila, Suzette (May 22, 2016). "Donald Trump receives support in presidential bid from Pastor John Hagee". The Christian Times. New York, NY. Retrieved October 13, 2016.
  22. ^ Terry Gross, Pastor John Hagee on Christian Zionism, Katrina, npr.org, USA, May 16, 2008
  23. ^ Hagee, John. Final Dawn Over Jerusalem. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc. 1998. online
  24. ^ (pp. 79–81). Hagee previously argued that exactly the same connections between the Roman Catholic Church and Hitler existed in his 1987 Should Christians Support Israel? (pp. 20–30) — summarizing it in the sentence, "Roman Church policy shaped the policy of the Third Reich". (p. 20)
  25. ^ (p. 73) Hagee, John. Final Dawn Over Jerusalem. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc. 1998. online
  26. ^ a b "Pastor Hagee Apologizes for anti-Catholic remarks". Fox News. May 13, 2008. Retrieved May 23, 2008.
  27. ^ "Minister Backing McCain Apologizes to Catholics" Goodstein, Laurie, New York Times, May 14, 2008
  28. ^ CBS: Hagee: Pro-Israel, Anti-Semitic?, May 23, 2008.
  29. ^ Jewish leader calls Hagee an 'extremist.' Archived July 12, 2008, at archive.today
  30. ^ Nationally Prominent Mega-Pastor Hagee Claims Hitler Was a "Half-Breed Jew" by Bruce Wilson, The Huffington Post, August 1, 2009
  31. ^ Hagee uses Jeremiah 9:13–16; 44:2–4, 15–17
  32. ^ Matthew Yglesias, A Friend Indeed The Atlantic.com March 7, 2008
  33. ^ Max Blumenthal, AIPAC Cheers an Antisemitic Holocaust Revisionist (and Abe Foxman Approves) The Huffington Post. March 14, 2007
  34. ^ Bruce Wilson, "Pro Israel" Christian Leader Blames Jews For The Holocaust, Talk2Action, March 5, 2007
  35. ^ Blumenthal, Max (June 10, 2008). "Pastor Hagee: The Antichrist Is Gay, "Partially Jewish, As Was Adolph Hitler" (Paging Joe Lieberman!)". The Huffington Post. Retrieved December 28, 2019.
  36. ^ Ami Eden, "Q & A: John Hagee" Archived February 27, 2012, at the Wayback Machine
  37. ^ McCain Backer Hagee Said Hitler Was Fulfilling God's Will, by Sam Stein, Huffington Post 5/21/08
  38. ^ Libby Quaid (AP),"McCain seeks distance from Pastor" The Washington Post
  39. ^ Juliet Eilperin and Kimberly Kindy. "McCain Rejects Pastor's Backing Over Remarks". The Washington Post
  40. ^ Quinn, Paul (2012). "Anti-Catholicism, Islamophobia, and Modern Christian Multi-Media". From the Far Right to the Mainstream: Islamophobia in Party Politics and the Media. Campus Verlag: 136–137.
  41. ^ Herron, Kyle W. (2011). "Embracing the Other: Toward an Ethic of Gospel Neighborliness". Journal of Religious Leadership. 10: 94–5.
  42. ^ a b Hagee, John (2007). Jerusalem Countdown. p. 75.
  43. ^ Spector, Stephen. Evangelicals and Israel: The Story of American Christian Zionism. p. 85.
  44. ^ Andresen, Kjersti B. (2009). "Det nye kristne høyre - finnes det i Norge? : En analyse av to kristne aviser i lys av den amerikanske New Christian Right-diskursen": 47. ((cite journal)): Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  45. ^ "Pastor John Hagee on Christian Zionism". NPR.org. Retrieved June 4, 2018.
  46. ^ Johnston, David L. (2016). "American Evangelical Islamophobia: A History of Continuity with a Hope for Change". Journal of Ecumenical Studies. 51 (2): 224–235. doi:10.1353/ecu.2016.0018. S2CID 152029042.
  47. ^ Elizabeth Weise (April 3, 2014). "Blood moon eclipse on April 15 is a special event". USA Today. Retrieved April 3, 2014.
  48. ^ Sarah Pulliam Bailey (April 15, 2014). "'Blood moon' sets off apocalyptic debate among some Christians". The Washington Post. Religion News Service. Retrieved April 15, 2014.
  49. ^ "Four Blood Moons: Total Lunar Eclipse Series Not a Sign of Apocalypse". Space.com. April 9, 2014. Retrieved April 14, 2014.
  50. ^ Bruce McClure; Deborah Byrd (March 30, 2014). "What is a Blood Moon?". Earth & Sky. Retrieved April 4, 2014.
  51. ^ Glenn Beck Honest Questions with John Hagee.

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