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Rev. Ray Brubaker Evangelical Booklet collection, bulk 1970s

 

Summary

Creator:
Brubaker, Ray
Abstract:
Collection represents Rev. Ray Brubaker's writings on religiosity and eschatology.
Extent:
1 boxes
14 folders
Language:
English
Preferred citation:

Rev. Ray Brubaker Evangelical Booklet collection, Nelson Poynter Memorial Library Special Collections and University Archives, University of South Florida, St. Petersburg, FL.

Background

Scope and content:

Collection consists of 13 Evangelical booklets and 1 pamphlet written by Rev. Ray Brubaker. Although there's no dates of publication given, references made in the various booklets place their creation in the 1970s.

Biographical / historical:

Ray Metzler Brubaker (5 April 1923-1 May 2009), the son of a minister, grew up in a conservative Christian Pennsylvania household where he was forbidden to listen to the radio. Eventually his parents permitted him to listen to religious broadcasts and news programs; this, along with his Christian upbringing, influenced the course of Rev. Brubaker's life. Although clergy had preached over the air since the earliest days of radio, Brubaker took religious broadcasting a step further by discussing current news events and connecting them with his religious message. A great believer in the Second Coming of Christ, Brubaker often interpreted news events to be signs of the Apocalypse. Brubaker's program, God's News Behind the News, first aired in 1954 on a Pennsylvania radio station; during the 1960s he moved his family to St. Petersburg, Florida, and began broadcasting his program from a studio in his house. The popularity of God's News Behind the News grew to the point that it transitioned to a television program in 1974.

Aside from the radio/TV broadcast aspect of his ministry, Brubaker also authored several short publications expounding on his beliefs. The religious value of this collection is subjective; what is notable is the influence broadcasts such as God's News Behind the News would later have over the American public, as "televangelists" such as Oral Roberts and Pat Robertson built upon Brubaker's format and transformed the broadcast pulpit into a popular way to reach many of the faithful who regularly attended church while also reaching out to those whose ailments and circumstances made it difficult to get to church. One of the longest running Christian television stations, WCLF-Channel 22 (analog), began its operations in the Tampa Bay area in the fall of 1979.

Access and use

Terms of access:

None. The contents of the collection may be subject to copyright. Visit the United States Copyright Office's website at http://www.copyright.gov/ for more information.

Preferred citation:

Rev. Ray Brubaker Evangelical Booklet collection, Nelson Poynter Memorial Library Special Collections and University Archives, University of South Florida, St. Petersburg, FL.

Location of this collection:
140 7th Avenue South
St. Petersburg
FL
33701
USA