Public unrest was caused by Charles Stanley and Anna Stanley’s divorce, particularly among his congregation. The well-known author and televangelist related fragments of his experience throughout the separation.
Many of their fans have been wondering what transpired after the regrettable separation.
Anna Stanley: Who is she?
Charles Stanley, a theologian, wed in 1955. After being introduced by a church minister, he married Anna Stanley. She was not the typical type of woman Charles would choose, he has frequently said.
Anna was attractive, intelligent, and creative. Most significantly, she had a strong devotion to God. She left the reception to work while the preacher finished his job at the seminary.
Andy Stanley and Becky Stanley, the couple’s twin children, were born to them. The North Point Community Church is located in Alpharetta, Georgia, and Andy is the church’s founder and senior pastor. Although Becky Stanley has kept her personal affairs discreet, she is married and has two kids.
Charles Stanley, who is he?
Charles and Rebecca Stanley welcomed Charles Frazier Stanley into the world on September 25, 1932 in Dry Fork, Virginia. He was raised outside of Danville. Stanley’s father sadly went away when he was just nine months old.
Charles Stanley, who is he?
The 88-year-old entered the ministry as a young pastor at the age of 14 after becoming a born-again Christian at the age of 12. He attended the University of Richmond for his undergraduate studies before enrolling at the Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Texas for his master’s in divinity.
Charles completed a second Masters program at Luther Rice Seminary in Florida in theology. He afterwards pursued a doctorate in theology through study. He established the In Touch Ministry.
The marriage of Charles Stanley and Anna Stanley ended.
Although Charles and Stanley appeared to have a happy marriage, things were not as they seemed. The preacher describes how he became busy when they relocated to Atlanta in his 1991 book How to Handle Adversity.
Charles Stanley and Anna Stanley’s Marriage Ended
He states that he got married to the ministry and began to neglect his family. This, he says, caused Anna immense hurt and rejection. It took him several years to realize the damage he had caused. The intimate details of that season are not known publicly, but the couple’s children have attempted to share.
In his book, Deep and Wide, Andy Stanley peeks into his parents’ marriage. He says that the union had been dead long before his parents took the divorce route. Andy describes long efforts at marital counseling with trained therapists and doctors.
However, he also writes that despite the prevailing issues, his parents opposed divorce, so none of them wanted to initiate it.
The process of divorce
In 1993, Anna Stanley decided to start the process. She filed for divorce but later amended it to a request for “separate maintenance,” a form of legal separation. Anna and Stanley could not agree on the terms, so she refiled in 1995, asking for a jury trial. Tireless efforts to reconcile the couple did not bear any fruit.
The separation caused much tension within the Christian community and, more so, Stanley’s local church. None of them revealed the details of what led them there, but there was seemingly no other way to go.
The divorce process was long and tedious and affected the First Baptist Church, where he was serving then. Stanley had committed to resigning once the divorce proceedings were finalized, but his church members voted overwhelmingly to retain him as their pastor as long as he did not remarry.
The divorce process was eventually concluded in 2000 when it was officially announced. Despite calls from some clergy, Stanley continued with his ministry that he should step aside for some time to get his life back in order. Charles Stanley steps down.
Charles Stanley steps down
In 2020, Charles Stanley stepped down from the position of senior pastor at First Baptist Church. He stated that the time had come for him to do so, and George, his assistant of many years, would be taking over the helm. When he visited Dr. Charles Stanley in the hospital, George shared that the two had several discussions where the senior pastor had hinted he wanted to exit.
However, he felt that the time was not right. Charles Stanley has not been married since his divorce. He has remained busy writing books and serving at his church. Charles Stanley’s house is located in Atlanta, Georgia, and he currently lives there.
Anna stayed away from the spotlight but continued to serve actively in various churches. Anna Stanley remained unmarried until the time of her death.
What happened to Anna Stanley?
Unfortunately, Anna Stanley passed away in November 2014 at 83 years old after an undisclosed illness. She and Charles rarely spoke after the termination of the marriage.
There is also no mention of Anna in recent publications compared to his previous work. Anna was survived by her two children, six grandchildren, one great-grandchild, and two sisters.
Two decades on, the discussion surrounding Charles Stanley’s divorce still sparks massive debate. The religious fundamentalist has remained mum about his marital problems but continues to serve faithfully in his church.
What Are the Reasons for Dr. Charles Stanley and Anna Stanley Divorce?
Dr. Charles Stanley’s divorce from his wife in 2000 was reportedly caused by what his former wife described as many years of marital disappointments and conflict.
Anna Stanley initially filed for divorce in June 1993 but was persuaded by Charles Stanley to amend it to a legal separation. Anna Stanley again filed for divorce in 1995, officially stating that their marriage of over 40 years was broken beyond repair.
Dr. Charles’ divorce also caused An unfortunate misunderstanding between Andy and Charles forced Andy to leave his dad’s church.
Andy and Charles forced Andy to leave his dad’s church.
Andy’s talent as a preacher became apparent when he took over one of his dad’s satellite churches. Soon enough, he had to turn away congregants because the church had no space for them to sit.
In some ways, Charles and Andy looked like a father-son duo working together, but at other times, they looked like 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.”
Andy was perceived as the heir to his father’s throne once Charles stepped aside. Charles was widely expected to resign due to his divorce, but he did not intend to.
Andy didn’t want his father to resign, but Charles thought that Andy supported his resignation thanks to a misunderstanding. Andy chose to leave Charles’ church after his father confronted him for siding with his enemies.
“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 by seeking counseling. Eventually, they restored the bond that they had erroneously broken.
In 1995, Andy formed North Point Community Church with a group of friends. When Charles heard the news, he interrupted his regular order of service one Sunday morning to tell his congregation, “And he has my blessing,” he said.
Now that you know about Anna Stanley’s extraordinary life, let’s take a closer look at some quick facts,
How old was anna stanley when she died?
Anna Stanley died in 2014 at the ripe old age of 83, the ex-wife of Charles Stanley. She was born Anna Margaret Johnson on October 9, 1931, and lived a full life until her death.
How did anna stanley die?
Anna Stanley passed away after a long battle with cancer. She had been diagnosed with ovarian cancer five years prior and had fought bravely until the end. She initially responded well to treatment, but eventually, her health deteriorated, and her family surrounded her as she passed away peacefully.
Who are Anna Stanley’s children?
Charles Stanley and Anna Stanley have two children together. Their names are Andy Stanley and Becky Stanley. Andy Stanley is a well-known pastor who founded North Point Ministries, which includes several Atlanta churches. Becky Stanley has worked with children and has been involved in ministry.