The separation of Charles and Anna Stanley resulted in a public upheaval, particularly among his followers. The internationally acclaimed televangelist and author shared fragments of his experience during the split.
His divorce was perceived as unfaithfulness, given his strong religious convictions. His open discussion of the divorce was contentious, as some individuals thought it was improper for him to publicly address it.
A lot of their supporters have been wondering what led to their unfortunate split.
Who is Anna Stanley?
The theologian Charles Stanley married Anna Stanley in 1955 after being introduced by a church deacon. Charles has frequently mentioned that she was not the typical type he would normally be attracted to.
Anna was attractive, intelligent, and creative. More significantly, she had a profound devotion to God. After their wedding, she entered the workforce while the minister completed seminary.
The couple has two offspring together, Andy Stanley and Becky Stanley. Andy is the founder and senior pastor of the North Point Community Church in Alpharetta, Georgia.
Becky Stanley has kept her life private but is married and has two children.
Who is Charles Stanley?
Charles Frazier Stanley was born on September 25, 1932, in Dry Fork, Virginia, to Rebecca and Charles Stanley.
He grew up on the outskirts of Danville. Unfortunately, his father passed away when Stanley was only nine months old.
The 88-year-old became a born-again Christian at 12 years old and joined the ministry as a young pastor when he turned 14.
He pursued a bachelor’s degree at the University of Richmond before proceeding to Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Texas for a Master of Divinity degree.
Charles attained a second master’s degree in Theology from Luther Rice Seminary in Florida. Later on, he studied for a Doctorate in Theology.
He is the founder of In Touch Ministries.
He died at Atlanta, Georgia, United States, on April 18, 2023.
End of the Marriage between Charles Stanley and Anna Stanley
Charles and Anna Stanley appeared to have a happy marriage, but reality contradicted appearances. In his 1991 publication, “How to Handle Adversity,” the pastor shares how he became heavily involved when they relocated to Atlanta.
He admits that he prioritized the ministry over his family, causing immense hurt and rejection to Anna. It took him several years to acknowledge the damage he had caused. The intricate details of that time are not publicly known, but the couple’s children have attempted to share.
Moving was challenging for the couple as it necessitated starting anew in a new city, away from their social circle. The pastor’s choice to concentrate on his ministerial responsibilities and not prioritize his family left Anna feeling overlooked and spurned.
Years later, the pastor realized the serious mistake he had made, which led to a profound division in their marriage.
In his book “Deep and Wide,” Andy Stanley provides a glimpse into his parents’ marriage. He mentions that the union had been deteriorating for some time before the divorce.
Andy talks about extended periods of marital counseling with trained therapists and doctors.
While acknowledging the prevalent issues, he also emphasizes that neither of his parents advocated for divorce despite their lingering issues.
The Divorce Process
It was in 1993 that Anna Stanley initiated the divorce process. However, after filing for divorce, she revised her petition to request “separate maintenance,” which is a legal separation.
As Stanley and Anna were unable to reach an agreement, she filed for divorce again in 1995, seeking a jury trial. There has been no indication of any reconciliation between them.
Despite efforts to reach an agreement, Anna Stanley and her husband were unable to resolve their differences and led separate lives. This has resulted in an unresolved divorce, and Stanley failed to achieve the desired outcome through the legal system.
The separation caused significant tension within the Christian community and, particularly, Stanley’s local church.
While the specific details that led to their situation were not divulged, it seemed that there was no alternative.
The divorce proceedings were protracted and had an impact on the First Baptist Church where he was serving at the time.
After the divorce proceedings were finalized, Stanley committed to stepping down. Nevertheless, his church members voted overwhelmingly to retain him as their pastor on the condition that he did not remarry.
Charles Stanley stepped down from his position after the official announcement of the divorce process in 2000.
Despite calls from some members of the clergy for him to take a break, Stanley continued with his ministry, despite the need to reorganize his personal life.
Charles Stanley Steps Down
In 2020, Charles Stanley stepped down from his role as senior pastor at the First Baptist Church. He stated that the time had come for him to do so and that George, his long-time assistant, would assume leadership. When George visited Dr. Charles Stanley in the hospital, he mentioned that the two had numerous discussions where the senior pastor had hinted at his desire to retire.
Following his conversation with George, it became apparent that Charles Stanley had decided to retire, although the exact timeframe was not disclosed.
It seemed that the two had been discussing this transition for quite some time, making it a natural progression for George to assume the leadership role.
However, the timing wasn’t right, as Charles Stanley has not remarried since his divorce. He has focused on writing books and serving at his church. Charles Stanley currently resides in Atlanta, Georgia.
Anna stayed out of the public eye but continued to be active in various church activities. Anna Stanley remained single until her death.
What Happened to Anna Stanley?
Regrettably, Anna Stanley passed away in November 2014 at the age of 83 after an undisclosed illness. She and Charles rarely communicated after the breakdown of their marriage.
Recent publications do not mention Anna as much as his earlier works. Anna is survived by her two children, six grandchildren, one great-grandchild, and two sisters.
Two decades later, the discussion about Charles Stanley’s divorce still sparks considerable debate. The devout religious figure has remained silent about his marital issues but continues to faithfully serve in his church.
Reasons for the Divorce between Dr. Charles Stanley and Anna Stanley
According to his former wife, Dr. Charles Stanley’s divorce from his wife in 2000 resulted from many years of marital disappointments and conflict.
In June 1993, Charles Stanley persuaded Anna Stanley to amend her initial divorce filing to a legal separation. However, in 1995, Anna Stanley filed for divorce again, officially declaring that their over 40-year marriage was irreparably broken.
Dr. Charles’ Divorce and Its Impact on Andy’s Departure from Charles’ Church
Andy’s talent as a preacher became evident when he took over one of his father’s satellite churches. Soon, he had to turn away congregants because the church could not accommodate them.
In some respects, Charles and Andy seemed like a father-son team, but at other times, they appeared to be competitors.
Almost 20 years later, when asked in an interview with CNN whether he was competing with his father, Andy said, “Not intentionally, but I felt like what we were doing was better.”
Once Charles stepped aside, Andy was seen as the heir to his father’s leadership. It was widely expected that Charles would resign due to his divorce, but he had no intention to do so.
Andy did not want his father to resign, but Charles believed that Andy supported his resignation due to a misunderstanding. After his father confronted him for siding with his adversaries, Andy opted to leave Charles’ church.
“It was really bad,” Andy told CNN. “It was horrible. But you know what? I had perfect peace. I’ve never been so sure of a decision even when the whole world blew up around us.“
Charles and Andy rebuilt their relationship by spending time together and seeking counseling, eventually restoring the bond that they had mistakenly severed.
In 1995, Andy established the North Point Community Church with a group of friends. When Charles learned about this, he interrupted his regular order of service one Sunday morning to tell his congregation, “And he has my blessing,” he said.
