John Hagee

John Charles Hagee (born **April 12, 1940**) is an *American pastor*, televangelist, and author who rose to prominence by founding **John Hagee Ministries**, a network that broadcasts religious programming across the United States and Canada. After completing a Bachelor of Science at Southwestern Assemblies of God University and a second B.Sc. at Trinity University, he earned a master’s degree in educational administration from the University of North Texas in 1966. That same year he established Trinity Church in San Antonio, Texas, marking the beginning of a ministry that would expand into **Cornerstone Church** and later become the hub for his prolific speaking, publishing, and political activism. Hagee’s theological stance blends Pentecostal literalism, speaking in tongues, divine healing, and the prosperity gospel, while his public life is marked by staunch anti‑abortion advocacy and unwavering support for the State of Israel, culminating in the 2006 formation of **Christians United for Israel (CUFI)**, now the nation’s largest Christian‑Zionist organization.

Beyond the pulpit, Hagee has frequently entered the political arena, endorsing figures such as George Wallace (1968), Alan Keyes (1996), John McCain (2008), Donald Trump (2016), and Nikki Haley (2023). His controversial statements on Catholicism, Islam, and the Holocaust have sparked widespread criticism, prompting public apologies and occasional distancing by political allies. Hagee also co‑promoted the **blood‑moon prophecy** with Mark Biltz, asserting that a series of lunar eclipses signaled biblical end‑times events—a claim dismissed by scientists. Married twice—first to Martha Downing (1960‑1975) and later to Diana Castro (1976‑present)—he is father to **Matt Hagee**, who follows his father’s pastoral path. Despite ongoing disputes, Hagee remains a polarizing yet influential figure in contemporary American evangelicalism.