Carlton Pearson, the religion switcher

The Rev. Carlton Pearson, who used to be the spiritual leader of a Tulsa, Okla., megachurch, is officially fitting into the religion-switching trend. First, he was Pentecostal, but he was denounced as a “heretic” by the Joint College of African-American Pentecostal Bishops when he embraced universalist theology. Then, last fall, he folded the remnants of […]

The Rev. Carlton Pearson, who used to be the spiritual leader of a Tulsa, Okla., megachurch, is officially fitting into the religion-switching trend.

First, he was Pentecostal, but he was denounced as a “heretic” by the Joint College of African-American Pentecostal Bishops when he embraced universalist theology.

Then, last fall, he folded the remnants of his church into a Unitarian Universalist congregation in Tulsa, embracing its inclusiveness.


Now, he’s making an official move to a prominent Chicago congregation connected with New Thought, a movement he previously affirmed that focuses on positive thinking.

He has announced that he will serve as interim senior minister of Christ Universal Temple. The founder, the Rev. Johnnie Coleman, retired three years ago.

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