Former insider: Suit no surprise
BY BILL SHERMAN World Religion Writer
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
Bishop Carlton Pearson, who for
15 years was on the Oral Roberts
University Board of Regents, said
Tuesday he was not surprised by
the lawsuit filed against ORU, its
president Richard Roberts and others.
Pearson told the Tulsa World he
had no first-hand evidence that allegations
in the lawsuit were true.
“But this kind of behavior is typical
in family-run and -owned ministries,”
he said.
“You’re talking about the founder’s
son. He does what he wants to
do. Oral Roberts University is not
the only one guilty of that.”
Three ORU professors who recently
lost their jobs sued the
school and its leaders last
week for wrongful termination
and slander.
The suit alleges they were
forced out for uncovering a
report that Richard Roberts’
family improperly benefited
from ORU money, among
other things.
Pearson, who attended
ORU, was a regent until he
fell out of favor with the
school several years ago for
adopting a universalist theology,
that because of what
Christ did, all people will go
to heaven.
As an ORU student, he had
a close relationship with Roberts,
and sang in a singing
group that Roberts directed.
“We were real close,” Pearson
said. “We didn’t like each
other, necessarily, but we
loved each other; you know,
some siblings are like that.”
Pearson suggested Roberts’
actions may have precipitated
the lawsuit.
“Richard fires people
abruptly,” he said. “He has a
record of making people
clear out their desk by 5 o’-
clock. He humiliates them,
so he’s created some enemies.
You have to fire people
sometimes, but there’s a way
to do it with dignity. These
are college-trained Ph.Ds,
brilliant, Christian educators.
You don’t treat them like children.
I think these guys have
just said, ‘That’s enough.’ ”
He said he was concerned
about the lawsuit’s impact on
ORU.
“It can hurt. We’re real
concerned, because the money
is already tight, and if partners
stop dropping off . . .
“I personally think they’re
making more of this than
they need to. I mean it’s not
like Richard is squandering
millions of dollars. He did do
some things that are excessive,
but it’s not worth throwing
the whole ministry away.
“Richard and (Roberts’
wife) Lindsay’s little escapades
are not worth comparing
to the 40 years of a man’s
life (Oral Roberts) and labor
to build a half-billion-dollar
entity that has trained some
25,000 students, with missions
all over the world and
churches all over the world.”
Pearson also said he is
worried about what might
happen if ORU does not survive
the crisis.
“It would be a crushing
blow, and a terrible loss to
the city, and to what we call
the body of Christ. There’s
nothing like ORU on the
planet.
“I don’t think Tulsa can afford
to lose ORU. We need to
do what we need to do to
shore it up. The university
has never hurt this city. It’s
only been a blessing.”
Pearson founded and pastored
Higher Dimensions
Family Church in Tulsa, a
large charismatic church. He
lost most of his congregation
and his building when he became
a universalist. He is
now a United Church of
Christ minister who pastors
New Dimensions Church,
meeting Sunday afternoons
at Trinity Episcopal Church
in downtown Tulsa.
Bill Sherman 581-8398
bill.sherman@tulsaworld.com
Associated Images:
ONCE CLOSE
Bishop Carlton Pearson: As an ORU
student, he had a close relationship with
Roberts. “We were real close,” he said. “We
didn’t like each other, necessarily, but we
loved each other.”
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