Pat Robertson resigned today as
president and member of the board of directors of the Christian Coalition, a
political force of the religious right.
The religious broadcaster said he plans to concentrate on his Christian
ministry.
"I'm going to be 72 in March, and I felt that in these years left to me
that the most important thing was for me to focus on the spiritual ministry,
where I started back in 1960," Robertson said in a telephone interview
from his Christian Broadcasting Network headquarters in Virginia Beach. He
founded CBN in 1960.
"We have seen what I consider the most extraordinary movement of spiritual
revival in my entire lifetime. I want to be part of that."
Robertson said he also wants to be more active overseas, noting that CBN now
operates in more than 90 countries. He just returned from a visit to China last
week.
"I would rather be active in spiritual ministry than engaged in political
activity anymore," Robertson said.
The board chose Roberta Combs, who had been executive vice president, to
replace him as president, he said.
Robertson founded the Christian Coalition in 1989, a year after his failed bid
for the Republican nomination for president.
He said he will continue to comment on public affairs on his "700
Club" television program. "But my active participation as a member of
the Christian Coalition has come to an end," he said.