1982
Pat Robertson and the "judgment on the world" statement of 1980
Record disputed Historical record is disputed End TimesEvangelicalismModern Predictions
Quick facts
- Predicted date
- 1982
- Who predicted it
- Pat Robertson
- When announced
- 1980
- Reasoning
- The reasoning behind the statement is not documented in the sources consulted. It is commonly described as being based on Robertson's reading of current events and prophecy.
- What happened
- The year 1982 passed. No documented event was widely identified as the predicted judgment.
- Historical status
- Record disputed. Historians disagree on what was actually claimed, by whom, or how widely it was believed.
- Outcome label
- Historical record is disputed
- Editorial certainty
- Low: thin or conflicting sources
- Editorial review
- Pending. This entry has not yet been checked line by line against its sources. Treat details as provisional.
Prediction
What did Pat Robertson predict?
In a 1980 broadcast of The 700 Club, Pat Robertson said that a judgment on the world would come by the end of 1982. Whether he meant the end of the world is disputed.
Interpretation by the author
Why did they believe it?
The reasoning behind the statement is not documented in the sources consulted. It is commonly described as being based on Robertson's reading of current events and prophecy.
Scripture as used by the author
Biblical basis cited
Not documented here.
Historical record
Historical context
The statement is widely quoted in secondary coverage, including in discussions of Robertson's 1988 presidential campaign. Accounts differ on whether Robertson meant the end of the world or a more general judgment, and the original wording should be checked before the quotation is relied on.
Historical record
What happened when the date passed?
The year 1982 passed. No documented event was widely identified as the predicted judgment.
Historical record
What happened afterward
Robertson continued to comment on prophecy for decades. The 1982 remark was repeatedly cited by critics.
Sources
Sources and further reading
- Pat Robertson. The 700 Club (broadcast statement). Christian Broadcasting Network. 1980. Primary source The original broadcast transcript has not been located for this entry. The quotation comes from later press coverage and must be verified before this entry is relied on.
Found an error or a better source? Send a correction. See also the methodology.