More Of The Same, With Some Minor Differences, At The Crystal Cathedral

"Pushing ahead with his father's brand of unfettered optimism, the Rev. Robert A. Schuller plans to attract more young people to the Crystal Cathedral and recruit a million new members around the globe. The handsome pastor assumes the post of his father, the Rev. Robert H. Schuller, a charismatic figure who built the nation's first megachurch and influenced religious leaders worldwide. Groomed for decades to head Crystal Cathedral Ministries, the younger Schuller has experienced firsthand the ideas and leadership style of his father. It was announced Sunday that he will become head pastor of the church Jan. 22....Schuller's son earned a bachelor's degree in liberal arts at Hope College in Holland, Mich., the same school his father attended, and a master's of divinity degree at Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena....Unlike his father, he says, he is a hands-off manager who gives people more leeway in their jobs, empowering them to use their talents and allowing them the freedom to make mistakes. One of his top priorities will be to attract younger people to the church, which has aged along with his father, now 79. He says he will call on the help of his son, Robert V. Schuller, who is attending Fuller Theological Seminary....The Rev. Billy Graham said in a statement that the younger Schuller 'is a great communicator and will more than fill his father's shoes.'" (Los Angeles Times)