Bill Keller (televangelist)
Encyclopedia
William Herbert Keller is a television evangelist
and the host of Live Prayer
.
, Ohio
, raised in the United Methodist Church
, and has identified himself as an evangelical Christian since the age of 12. Keller worked through high school
to save for his post-secondary education because his father—who had owned a Standard Oil gas station—died when he was only 16. Keller went to Ohio State University
for three years with the goal of becoming a Christian minister. While at Ohio State however, Keller began a successful computer sales business. After earning millions of dollars, Keller was convicted of insider trading
and spent nearly three years in prison
.
During his time in prison, Keller attended Jerry Falwell's
Liberty University
through its distance learning program. Keller earned a B.S. in General Studies with concentrations in Biblical studies
and journalism
.
television program debuted in March 2003. Sponsorship of the program fluctuated during the programs run which affected syndication of the show. During most of the shows run, it aired in the Tampa bay market but enjoyed nationwide syndication for a time due to available funds. The show originally aired at midnight EST, but the night-time show was cancelled in August 2007 after the local chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations
complained of the anti-Islamic views Keller expressed. Keller was offered the chance to remain with the studio on condition that he cease making anti-Islamic statements. Keller elected to terminate his contract with the studio because he believed the statements were too critical to the overall mission of Live Prayer. After the affair, Live Prayer aired in the mornings for a short time under contract with a different studio. Currently, Live Prayer is broadcasted online through the show's official website.
. In the film he is shown saying that he likes Mitt Romney
, but that he is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and "following a false theology straight to hell." He also believes Islam is a religion of violence and condemns the Park51 Manhattan project. Perhaps Keller's most infamous anti-Mormon
comment, which he made in 2007, was "A vote for Romney is a vote for satan!", in specific reference to Romney's faith as a Latter-day Saint.
Keller used the suicide of Jamie Hubley, a 15 year old gay teenager from Ottawa
, to rant about gays. The suicide has been widely reported and the teenager was a victim of a systematic bullying campaign.
Televangelism
Televangelism is the use of television to communicate the Christian faith. The word is a portmanteau of television and evangelism and was coined by Time magazine. A “televangelist” is a Christian minister who devotes a large portion of his ministry to television broadcasting...
and the host of Live Prayer
Live Prayer
Live Prayer is a Christian evangelical Internet and television ministry located in Tampa, Florida and run by Bill Keller.Currently the ministry is being operated out of a USED CAR LOT...
.
Early life
Keller was born in DaytonDayton, Ohio
Dayton is the 6th largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Montgomery County, the fifth most populous county in the state. The population was 141,527 at the 2010 census. The Dayton Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 841,502 in the 2010 census...
, Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
, raised in the United Methodist Church
United Methodist Church
The United Methodist Church is a Methodist Christian denomination which is both mainline Protestant and evangelical. Founded in 1968 by the union of The Methodist Church and the Evangelical United Brethren Church, the UMC traces its roots back to the revival movement of John and Charles Wesley...
, and has identified himself as an evangelical Christian since the age of 12. Keller worked through high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
to save for his post-secondary education because his father—who had owned a Standard Oil gas station—died when he was only 16. Keller went to Ohio State University
Ohio State University
The Ohio State University, commonly referred to as Ohio State, is a public research university located in Columbus, Ohio. It was originally founded in 1870 as a land-grant university and is currently the third largest university campus in the United States...
for three years with the goal of becoming a Christian minister. While at Ohio State however, Keller began a successful computer sales business. After earning millions of dollars, Keller was convicted of insider trading
Insider trading
Insider trading is the trading of a corporation's stock or other securities by individuals with potential access to non-public information about the company...
and spent nearly three years in prison
Prison
A prison is a place in which people are physically confined and, usually, deprived of a range of personal freedoms. Imprisonment or incarceration is a legal penalty that may be imposed by the state for the commission of a crime...
.
During his time in prison, Keller attended Jerry Falwell's
Jerry Falwell
Jerry Lamon Falwell, Sr. was an evangelical fundamentalist Southern Baptist pastor, televangelist, and a conservative commentator from the United States. He was the founding pastor of the Thomas Road Baptist Church, a megachurch in Lynchburg, Virginia...
Liberty University
Liberty University
Liberty University is a private Christian university located in Lynchburg, Virginia. Liberty's annual enrollment is around 72,000 students, 12,000 of whom are residential students and 60,000+ studying through Liberty University Online...
through its distance learning program. Keller earned a B.S. in General Studies with concentrations in Biblical studies
Biblical studies
Biblical studies is the academic study of the Judeo-Christian Bible and related texts. For Christianity, the Bible traditionally comprises the New Testament and Old Testament, which together are sometimes called the "Scriptures." Judaism recognizes as scripture only the Hebrew Bible, also known as...
and journalism
Journalism
Journalism is the practice of investigation and reporting of events, issues and trends to a broad audience in a timely fashion. Though there are many variations of journalism, the ideal is to inform the intended audience. Along with covering organizations and institutions such as government and...
.
Live Prayer
In August 1999 Keller began writing material for a ministry show he planned on starting. The Live PrayerLive Prayer
Live Prayer is a Christian evangelical Internet and television ministry located in Tampa, Florida and run by Bill Keller.Currently the ministry is being operated out of a USED CAR LOT...
television program debuted in March 2003. Sponsorship of the program fluctuated during the programs run which affected syndication of the show. During most of the shows run, it aired in the Tampa bay market but enjoyed nationwide syndication for a time due to available funds. The show originally aired at midnight EST, but the night-time show was cancelled in August 2007 after the local chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations
Council on American-Islamic Relations
The Council on American-Islamic Relations is America's largest Muslim civil liberties advocacy organization that deals with civil advocacy and promotes human rights...
complained of the anti-Islamic views Keller expressed. Keller was offered the chance to remain with the studio on condition that he cease making anti-Islamic statements. Keller elected to terminate his contract with the studio because he believed the statements were too critical to the overall mission of Live Prayer. After the affair, Live Prayer aired in the mornings for a short time under contract with a different studio. Currently, Live Prayer is broadcasted online through the show's official website.
Controversies
Keller was interviewed and featured in the documentary film Article VI: Faith.Politics.AmericaArticle VI (film)
Article VI: Faith. Politics. America is a documentary film at the intersection of faith, politics, and bigotry. Religious leaders, political pundits, and average citizens are asked who has the right to be elected? Has the Founding Fathers of the United States vision of religious freedom been upheld...
. In the film he is shown saying that he likes Mitt Romney
Mitt Romney
Willard Mitt Romney is an American businessman and politician. He was the 70th Governor of Massachusetts from 2003 to 2007 and is a candidate for the 2012 Republican Party presidential nomination.The son of George W...
, but that he is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and "following a false theology straight to hell." He also believes Islam is a religion of violence and condemns the Park51 Manhattan project. Perhaps Keller's most infamous anti-Mormon
Anti-Mormon
Anti-Mormonism is discrimination, persecution, hostility or prejudice directed at members of the Latter Day Saint movement, particularly The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints...
comment, which he made in 2007, was "A vote for Romney is a vote for satan!", in specific reference to Romney's faith as a Latter-day Saint.
Keller used the suicide of Jamie Hubley, a 15 year old gay teenager from Ottawa
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
, to rant about gays. The suicide has been widely reported and the teenager was a victim of a systematic bullying campaign.