Robert Schuller

== Early years ==
Robert Harold Schuller was born on September 16, 1926, near [[Alton, Iowa]], the second son of Jennie (née Beltman; 1891&ndash;1970) and Anthony Schuller (1882&ndash;1964).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nndb.com/people/603/000022537/ |title=Robert Schuller |publisher=Nndb.com |access-date=February 5, 2014}}</ref> He was the youngest of five children. All of his grandparents were [[Dutch American|Dutch]] immigrants,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.toetsalles.nl/htmldoc/schuller1.htm |title=Robert Schuller A Profil |publisher=Toetsalles.nl |date=September 14, 1980 |access-date=February 5, 2014}}</ref> and he was raised on his parents' farm nearby in a small, close-knit community of Dutch-Americans, without running water.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://ktla.com/2015/04/02/rev-robert-schuller-founder-of-crystal-cathedral-megachurch-in-garden-grove-dies-at-88/|title=Rev. Robert Schuller, Founder of Crystal Cathedral Megachurch in Garden Grove, Dies at 88|work=KTLA|date=April 2, 2015}}</ref>

In 1927 on the day of his baptism at his family’s [[Reformed Church]] in Newkirk, Iowa, the six month old Schuller was clothed in a certain "baptismal-gown.” Years later Schuller announced that he had kept his baptismal-gown and placed it on display in his office, referring to it as his most-prized-possession.  To Schuller apparently the gown had represented the day that his life had first been dedicated to God. In his later years Schuller placed an inscription beneath the gown reading: "This is the reason my life has been a success. As a child I was dedicated to our Lord."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/2015/04/02/robert-schuller-iowa-crystal-cathedral/70835232/|title=Robert Schuller rose from Iowa farm to world fame|date=April 2, 2015|work=Des Moines Register}}</ref>

In 1931, just weeks before his fifth birthday a visiting uncle who was a minister had predicted that the young boy was destined to spread the word of God to many when he grew up. Schuller called the moment that he had first heard his uncle's prediction the "single most defining moment of my early life."<ref name="ocregister.com">{{cite web|url=http://www.ocregister.com/articles/schuller-656270-church-cathedral.html|title='It was a life well-lived': Rev. Robert Schuller, leader of Crystal Cathedral and 'Hour of Power,' dies at 88|work=The Orange County Register|date=April 3, 2015}}</ref> After graduating from Newkirk High School in Newkirk, Iowa, in 1944,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.achievement.org/autodoc/page/sch2bio-1|title=Robert Schuller Biography|work=achievement.org|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150410130100/http://www.achievement.org/autodoc/page/sch2bio-1|archive-date=April 10, 2015|df=mdy-all}}</ref> Schuller continued his education at [[Hope College]], located in [[Holland, Michigan]].

Schuller received his [[Master of Divinity]] degree in 1950 from [[Western Theological Seminary]], which taught in the theological tradition and practice of [[John Calvin]]. He was soon [[ordination|ordained]] as a [[Minister (Christianity)|minister]] in the [[Reformed Church in America]]. After his ordination, he first worked at Ivanhoe Reformed Church in [[Riverdale, Illinois]], before moving to [[Garden Grove, California]].