John Hagee facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
John Hagee
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Hagee in Washington, D.C., July 2007
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John Charles Hagee
April 12, 1940 Baytown, Texas, U.S.
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| Education | BSc, MSc |
| Alma mater | Trinity University University of North Texas |
| Occupation | Pastor, author |
| Organization | John Hagee Ministries |
| Spouse(s) | Martha Downing (1960-1975) Diana Castro (1976-current) |
John Charles Hagee (born April 12, 1940) is an American pastor and televangelist. A televangelist is someone who preaches on television. He started John Hagee Ministries, which shares religious messages across the United States and Canada. He also founded and leads Christians United for Israel, which is a large group that supports Israel based on Christian beliefs.
Hagee has faced some discussion because of comments he has made about the Catholic Church, Jewish people, and Islam. He also promoted something called the blood moon prophecy.
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Early life and education
John Hagee was born in Baytown, Texas, on April 12, 1940. He studied at Trinity University and earned a science degree. He later got a master's degree from the University of North Texas in mechanical engineering. His son, Matt Hagee, is also a pastor.
Career and church work
In 1966, Hagee started Trinity Church in San Antonio, Texas. Later, in 1975, he founded The Church at Castle Hills. This church grew a lot. After two expansions, its main building was named Cornerstone Church.
The church follows Pentecostal beliefs. This includes taking the Bible literally, which means they believe everything in it is exactly true. They also believe in speaking in tongues, which is a special spiritual language. Other beliefs include divine healing, which is the idea that God can heal sickness. They also follow the prosperity gospel, which teaches that faith can bring wealth and success.
Since 1981, Hagee has organized "A Night to Honor Israel" events. These events are held in San Antonio to show strong support for the State of Israel.
Political involvement
John Hagee has been active in politics. In 1968, he supported Democrat George Wallace when Wallace ran for president. Hagee even helped organize a youth group called "Wallace Youth."
In 1996, Hagee spoke for Republican presidential candidate Alan Keyes. In 2002, he supported John Shields, a conservative politician in Texas.
In 2006, Hagee and about 400 other leaders created Christians United for Israel (CUFI). This group talks to members of the United States Congress. They encourage politicians to support Israel based on their religious beliefs. Around this time, Hagee even received threats and needed bodyguards for protection.
In 2008, Hagee supported Senator John McCain for president. After this, some of Hagee's past statements caused debate. Some people felt his comments about the Catholic Church and Jewish people were unfair. Because of this, McCain publicly said he disagreed with Hagee's remarks.
Hagee was a main funder for an Israeli group called Im Tirtzu. However, he stopped supporting them in 2013. In 2016, Hagee supported Donald Trump in the presidential election. In 2023, he endorsed Nikki Haley for the 2024 Republican Primary.
Beliefs and discussions
Hagee has said that he believes the Bible tells Christians to support the State of Israel.
In 2007, Hagee stated that he does not believe in global warming. He also said he sees the Kyoto Protocol as a "conspiracy." He meant it was a secret plan to trick people and control the U.S. economy.
Hagee has been criticized for comments about Jewish people, the Catholic Church, and Islam. Some Jewish leaders, like Rabbi Eric Yoffie, have said Hagee is too extreme on Israeli policy. They also felt he spoke negatively about other religions.
Blood moon prophecy
Hagee, along with Mark Biltz, created the idea of the blood moon prophecy. They wrote a book about it in 2013. The two men claimed that a series of four lunar eclipses (called a tetrad) was a sign of the end times. They said these events were described in the Bible. This tetrad started with an eclipse in April 2014 and ended in September 2015. Hagee and Biltz's claims got a lot of attention in the news. However, scientists and other Christians disagreed with their prediction.
See also
In Spanish: John Hagee para niños
