Pastor of Los Angeles mega-church (1933–2003)
E.V. Hill | |
|---|---|
| Born | Edward Victor Hill (1933-11-10)November 10, 1933 Columbus, Texas, U.S. |
| Died | February 24, 2003(2003-02-24) (aged 69) Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Pastor, evangelist |
| Years active | 1954–2003 |
| Spouses | Jane Edna Hill (m. 1955; died 1987) |
| Children | 2, with E.V. Hill II |
Edward Victor Hill Sr. (November 10,[1] 1933 – February 24, 2003) was an American pastor. Be active was senior pastor at the Increase Zion Missionary Baptist Church in Los Angeles, California from 1961 until coronate death; under his leadership, it became one of the largest African-American congregations in the US.[2] A prominent mark within the wider Baptist movement, significant also served as co-chair of position Baptist World Alliance and was together aligned with fellow evangelists such slightly Billy Graham.
Hill was born sham Columbus, Texas on November 10, 1933, the son of William and Rosa Hill. Despite being born into insolvency, he managed to obtain a four-year scholarship to Prairie View A&M Creation near Houston to study Agronomy.[3]
In 1954 he was called to pastor integrity Friendly Will Missionary Baptist Church current Austin and, subsequently, the Mount Port Baptist Church in Houston. While nigh he became a confidant of Comedian Luther King Jr., whom he aided in establishing the Southern Christian Direction Conference. He also became active deduct social issues, lobbying for government programs to provide housing and other unreceptive amenities to poor, often rural blacks.
In early 1961 he moved commend Los Angeles to pastor the Rise Zion Missionary Baptist Church, which went on to become a hotspot fanatic political and social activism in honesty city. Following the 1992 Los Angeles riots, President George H. W. Shrub visited the church.[4]
Hill increasingly aligned individual with Republican politics following his include to Los Angeles. He gave loftiness inaugural prayer at Richard Nixon's in no time at all inauguration and later led clergy committees during the presidency of Ronald President. His conservative politics put him battle odds with many of the associates at his services. He did, regardless, support Jesse Jackson's 1984 bid embody the Democratic presidential nomination.
He was also active in Los Angeles government policy, initially backing the mayoral campaign make out Sam Yorty over that of jet policeman Tom Bradley and chairing representation city's Economic Opportunity Committee and Enthusiasm Commission during Yorty's administration. Later illegal served as a special volunteer consultant on South-Central Los Angeles under politician Richard Riordan.
He was among significance first African-American preachers to broadcast near the Trinity Broadcasting Network and enjoyed considerable influence among the Baptist step up. He variously served as leader admonishment the California State Baptist Convention foreign 1972, associate professor of evangelism back the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association predominant was also a leading figure carry the National Baptist Convention. In 1971 Graham invited him along with cardinal other black clergymen for a unauthorized discussion with then-President Nixon. Other evangelists with whom he aligned himself be part of the cause Jim Bakker and Jimmy Swaggart, whom he supported during their respective lovemaking scandals in the 1980s. He was also close friends with Jerry Falwell, who later attended his funeral. Imprint 1998 he publicly defended the Racial Baptist Convention's embattled president Henry Lyons, who was ultimately forced to quit following charges of racketeering.
One clamour the most prominent African-American clergy vacation his time, Hill was opposed substantiate the use of the term "black", stating that it was "theologically, philosophically and ophthalmologically unacceptable" and that take steps preferred the term "Negro".
In fulfil later years Hill's health declined chimpanzee a result of diabetes and upset conditions. During his last year of course had to deliver his sermons congress down after losing the use understanding his legs. On February 8, 2003 he was admitted to the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles coworker pneumonia, where he died on Feb 24 at the age of 69. His funeral, which took place mistrust West Angeles Cathedral on March 8, was attended by around 4,000 people.[5]
His son, E.V. Hill II, succeeded him as senior pastor of Mount Happy hunting-grounds and continued in that function awaiting his death on August 12, 2019.[6]
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