Rick Scarborough
Encyclopedia
Rick Scarborough is a former Southern Baptist pastor from Pearland, Texas
, who heads Vision America
, Vision America Action and the Judeo-Christian Council for Constitutional Restoration
.
, a M.Div.
from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary
, and a D.Min.
from Louisiana Baptist Theological Seminary. From 1990 to June 2002, he served as the Senior Pastor of First Baptist Church of Pearland in Houston, Texas
. In 1998, he founded Vision America
. He has been involved with Focus on the Family
.
He has traveled extensively and is viewed by some conservative leaders as the values voter leader in 2006 and in 2008. He has been interviewed and has appeared in the media on several occasions, including Larry King Live
.
He is married with two children.
morality
apply to civic affairs. He was quoted on Christiane Amanpour's
documentary series "God's Christian Warriors" on CNN
as saying, "I'm not a Democrat
, I'm not a Republican
. I'm a Christocrat. He has said, "America is at war with the devil", and he supports "voting Biblically." In 2006, he criticized John Danforth
for supporting stem cell research. He has publicly supported Justice Antonin Scalia
.
He supports filing lawsuits wherever he perceives homosexuality
as contradicting Christian religious freedom. Thus, he has been described as anti-gay
.
He has also recently endorsed Mike Huckabee
for president. Concerning the decision of Texas Governor Rick Perry
to vacinate all 6th grade women against those HPV strains that are most likely to produce cancer after infection, Scarborough said, "Nor we can not overlook the moral dimension. The governor's action seems to signify that God's moral law regarding sex outside of marriage can be transgressed without consequence."
He has been accused of not being a real Baptist.
Pearland, Texas
Pearland , is a city located along the Gulf Coast region in the US state of Texas within the metropolitan area and is in the counties of Brazoria, Fort Bend, and Harris. As of the census of 2000, the city's population was 37,640. As of 2008, Pearland is estimated to have a population of 90,700...
, who heads Vision America
Vision America
Vision America is a conservative American Christian organization founded in 1994 by Baptist pastor Rick Scarborough, which describes itself as formed to "inform, encourage and mobilize pastors and their congregations to be proactive in restoring Judeo-Christian values to the moral and civic...
, Vision America Action and the Judeo-Christian Council for Constitutional Restoration
Judeo-Christian Council for Constitutional Restoration
The Judeo-Christian Council for Constitutional Restoration is a conservative, religious organization formed in early 2005 that runs the website ....
.
Biography
Rick Scarborough received a B.A. from Houston Baptist UniversityHouston Baptist University
Houston Baptist University is a private Baptist institution founded in 1960. It is located in Greater Sharpstown in Houston, Texas near the Southwest Freeway.- History :...
, a M.Div.
Master of Divinity
In the academic study of theology, the Master of Divinity is the first professional degree of the pastoral profession in North America...
from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary
Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary
Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas, is a private, non-profit institution of higher education, associated with the Southern Baptist Convention...
, and a D.Min.
Doctor of Ministry
The Doctor of Ministry degree is, according to The Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada , a doctoral level degree oriented toward ministerial leadership often in an area of applied theology, such as missions, evangelism, church leadership, pastoral psychology or the...
from Louisiana Baptist Theological Seminary. From 1990 to June 2002, he served as the Senior Pastor of First Baptist Church of Pearland in Houston, Texas
Houston, Texas
Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...
. In 1998, he founded Vision America
Vision America
Vision America is a conservative American Christian organization founded in 1994 by Baptist pastor Rick Scarborough, which describes itself as formed to "inform, encourage and mobilize pastors and their congregations to be proactive in restoring Judeo-Christian values to the moral and civic...
. He has been involved with Focus on the Family
Focus on the Family
Focus on the Family is an American evangelical Christian tax-exempt non-profit organization founded in 1977 by psychologist James Dobson, and is based in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Focus on the Family is one of a number of evangelical parachurch organizations that rose to prominence in the 1980s...
.
He has traveled extensively and is viewed by some conservative leaders as the values voter leader in 2006 and in 2008. He has been interviewed and has appeared in the media on several occasions, including Larry King Live
Larry King Live
Larry King Live is an American talk show hosted by Larry King on CNN from 1985 to 2010. It was CNN's most watched and longest-running program, with over one million viewers nightly....
.
He is married with two children.
Views
Scarborough believes that the tenets of fundamentalist ChristianChristian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
morality
Morality
Morality is the differentiation among intentions, decisions, and actions between those that are good and bad . A moral code is a system of morality and a moral is any one practice or teaching within a moral code...
apply to civic affairs. He was quoted on Christiane Amanpour's
Christiane Amanpour
Christiane Amanpour, CBE is anchor of ABC News's This Week and formerly chief international correspondent at CNN, where she worked for 27 years. She is a Board Member at the IWMF .-Early years:...
documentary series "God's Christian Warriors" on CNN
CNN
Cable News Network is a U.S. cable news channel founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. Upon its launch, CNN was the first channel to provide 24-hour television news coverage, and the first all-news television channel in the United States...
as saying, "I'm not a Democrat
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
, I'm not a Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
. I'm a Christocrat. He has said, "America is at war with the devil", and he supports "voting Biblically." In 2006, he criticized John Danforth
John Danforth
John Claggett "Jack" Danforth is a former United States Ambassador to the United Nations and former Republican United States Senator from Missouri. He is an ordained Episcopal priest. Danforth is married to Sally D. Danforth and has five adult children.-Education and early career:Danforth was born...
for supporting stem cell research. He has publicly supported Justice Antonin Scalia
Antonin Scalia
Antonin Gregory Scalia is an American jurist who serves as an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. As the longest-serving justice on the Court, Scalia is the Senior Associate Justice...
.
He supports filing lawsuits wherever he perceives homosexuality
Homosexuality
Homosexuality is romantic or sexual attraction or behavior between members of the same sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, homosexuality refers to "an enduring pattern of or disposition to experience sexual, affectional, or romantic attractions" primarily or exclusively to people of the same...
as contradicting Christian religious freedom. Thus, he has been described as anti-gay
Heterosexism
Heterosexism is a system of attitudes, bias, and discrimination in favor of opposite-sex sexuality and relationships. It can include the presumption that everyone is heterosexual or that opposite-sex attractions and relationships are the only norm and therefore superior...
.
He has also recently endorsed Mike Huckabee
Mike Huckabee
Michael "Mike" Dale Huckabee is an American politician who served as the 44th Governor of Arkansas from 1996 to 2007. He was a candidate in the 2008 United States Republican presidential primaries, finishing second in delegate count and third in both popular vote and number of states won . He won...
for president. Concerning the decision of Texas Governor Rick Perry
Rick Perry
James Richard "Rick" Perry is the 47th and current Governor of Texas. A Republican, Perry was elected Lieutenant Governor of Texas in 1998 and assumed the governorship in December 2000 when then-governor George W. Bush resigned to become President of the United States. Perry was elected to full...
to vacinate all 6th grade women against those HPV strains that are most likely to produce cancer after infection, Scarborough said, "Nor we can not overlook the moral dimension. The governor's action seems to signify that God's moral law regarding sex outside of marriage can be transgressed without consequence."
He has been accused of not being a real Baptist.