Tulsa Pastor Declared Heretic for Views on Hell Dies at 70

The controversial Bishop, Carlton D. Pearson, whom many know for several reasons, is dead. Pearson made many headlines during his time alive as his views on religion were quite interesting.

His story was so interesting that Netflix had to make a movie about it. The 2018 movie “Come Sunday,” featured Pearson’s story with actor Chiwetel Ejiofor playing the minister. 

Pearson died at the age of 70 after a brief battle with recurring cancer on November 19th, 2023. He was in a hospice, where he received palliative care for over three months. While in care, he made a Tiktok to address his followers and people who believed in his teachings. 

He titled the video “a departing message,” as he knew it might be one of the last times they hear from him. Pearson said, “This will be probably one of the last times you’ll see me like this, as I may be closing some things out.”

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He also shared some love and prayers for everyone watching the video. “I love you, I cherish you, I respect you, honor you, have needed you all along to be the audience to let me sound off on,” he said, laughing softly. He added, “I’ve done a lot of thinking out loud, and you’ve eavesdropped on a lot of it — but I knew you were there.”

It was evident that he was tired and mentioned his exhaustion in the video. However, he also wanted his followers to know that he would always be there for them in some way.

“I’ll never close you out in consciousness. I’ll never stop thinking of who you are, and why you are, and how, somehow, we were divinely drawn together in this divine intersection of lives. But I feel you, and I hope you feel me, even when I’m in heaven, or on the other side, or the other iteration, I’ll be thinking of you,” Pearson said in the video. 

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Closing his departing message, the Bishop said, “But know that I love you and wanted you to hear from my own voice how deeply appreciative I am of who you are and that you are. Peace and blessing.”

Pearson gained a lot of fame for his “inclusive” views regarding Christianity. A San Diego native, he began having doubts about traditional Christian beliefs and faith. He wrote a book in 2006 titled “The Gospel of Inclusion: Reaching Beyond Religious Fundamentalism to the True Love of God and Self.”

This book received a lot of criticism from Christian leaders who believed his views were “heresy.” In response, other bishops also aired their opinions on this book.

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One of them wrote, “Because of our concern for the many people that could be influenced to adopt this heresy and in so doing put at risk the eternal destiny of their souls, we are compelled to declare Bishop Carlton Pearson a heretic.” 

However, Pearson never wavered in his views and beliefs till his death. He even responded to the bishops, saying, “If I am judged for perceiving Christ or Christianity in error, I’d rather be wrong for overestimating the love of God than underestimating it. I’d rather err on the goodness, greatness, and graciousness of God than the opposite.”

He reportedly passed away peacefully in his bed, surrounded by loved ones. Believers also prayed for him and his soul in the passing days.

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