Two outspoken Christians–Pat Robertson and T. D. Jakes–are joining forces for the sake of education, according to Regent University.
The Virginia-based school founded by Robertson announced this morning that it will partner with Jakes, pastor of The Potter’s House, a 30,000-member Dallas megachurch, and CEO of for-profit TDJ Enterprises. The collaboration will increase opportunities for minority and international students by certifying educational programs already offered by The Potter’s House, as well as making Regent’s online programs available to Jakes’ church network.
As part of the agreement, Jakes will also serve as a visiting lecturer at Regent, which now counts 5,800 students in campus and online, each semester.
CT has long reported on Robertson, including when he retired from his post as Regent’s president in 2010. Shortly after, Regent debated CT’s summary of the school’s financial position, telling CT that a $95 million boost from Robertson’s Christian Broadcasting Network was not a signal of a financial struggle.
Jakes has long been a controversial figure for many evangelicals. In 2001, CT reported that Time magazine called Jakes ‘the next Billy Graham,’ but Jakes previously has been unwilling to affirm the Trinity. However, CT reported last year that Jakes “moved away from a ‘Oneness’ view of the Godhead to embrace an orthodox definition of the Trinity.”
More recently, CT noted that Jakes was one of the 12 pastors named as a ‘false teacher’ by Christian rapper Shai Linne.
