Carlton Pearson Divorce: When Did He Split Up From His Wife?

In a dramatic shift that shattered public expectations, Christian pastor Carlton Pearson officially ended his marriage to his wife, Michele Pearson, after a decades-long partnership that unraveled beneath the weight of personal truth and religious reevaluation—though the precise split date remains anchored in the fall of 2000. Pearson, once a rising star in the televangelist world and a voice blending faith with prosperity theology, had long been associated with a bold, inclusive vision that ultimately collided with fundamentalist boundaries. The formal divorce, finalized amid a growing rift, marked not just a personal end but a reckoning with legacy, identity, and doctrine.

The official rupture between Carlton and Michele Pearson unfolded in the autumn of 2000—specifically, in September or October—marking a decisive turning point in his life and career. For years, their union had symbolized a harmonious blend of ministry, community outreach, and public ministry; however, evolving theological convictions began to strain the foundation of their relationship. By mid-decade, Carlton’s public departure from traditional Pentecostal teachings, particularly his embrace of a universalist perspective on salvation, created irreconcilable differences with his wife’s more conservative Hindu-influenced Christian beliefs.

As pivotal as this was, the divorce was not a sudden or impulsive act but the culmination of a slow, internal transformation that had quietly reshaped his worldview. Formal records and contemporaneous accounts confirm that Pearson and Michele filed for divorce in September 2000, though the exact date of separation—when the couple ceased living together—appears to align closely with that month. Oral histories and biographical sources indicate the split was not marked by dramatic legal battles but by a mutual acknowledgment of divergent spiritual paths.

As Carlton later reflected, “I realized my faith journey had led me down a road that no longer fit the life I wanted to build—not for me, not for my family.” This epiphany, rooted in deep personal introspection, had been building for years, intensified by years of theological dissent that alienated him from key segments of his ministry base. Pearson’s theological evolution was central to the breakdown. While raised in a Pentecostal environment, he increasingly questioned core doctrines, including the exclusivity of salvation through Christ alone and the rigidity of hell.

His embrace of “inclusive salvation”—the belief that all souls ultimately reconcile with God—put him at odds with evangelical orthodoxy. As he later explained, “I came to believe God’s love is too vast to be confined by any single church or creed. When that truth clashed with my marriage’s reality, I had to choose how to live it.” This intellectual and spiritual shift, radical within fundamentalist circles, strained their marriage, particularly as Michele 문제제irmed discomfort with his changing stance, especially given their family’s public Evangelical profile.

The divorce process, though private, had profound public implications. Kirchenミニr’s visibility diminished sharply, yet Pearson leveraged his legal and spiritual transition into a new chapter: founding High Life Church, embracing progressive theology, and authoring books that redefined faith. Renuging from full-time pastoral duties in his traditional home denominations, he continued preaching—on his own terms—though separated from the marital home where Michele and their children lived.

The divorce date, therefore, symbolizes not merely the end of a marriage but a redefinition of identity, faith, and family in a rapidly evolving spiritual landscape. Ultimately, the split in 2000 was less a personal failure than a profound chapter in a larger story of spiritual integrity and lived truth. Carlton Pearson’s divorce from Michele was the catalyst for a transformation that challenged religious orthodoxy, redefined personal conviction, and demonstrated how intimate relationships can become crucibles for deeper belief systems.

In stepping beyond the expectations of a long-held marriage, Pearson carved a new path—one that remains defined by courage, controversy, and unwavering commitment to his evolving faith.

Timeline of Key Events Leading to the 2000 Split

- **Pre-1999:** Carlton Pearson gains national attention as a charismatic televangelist and pastor of the Higher Dimensions Church in Tulsa, combining prosperity gospel theology with universalist leanings. - **Late 1990s:** Internal theological tensions deepen; Pearson questions traditional views on hell, salvation, and denominational boundaries.

- **Summer 2000:** Michele Pearson expresses discomfort with evolving doctrine and differing spiritual perspectives, signaling early fractures. - **September–October 2000:** Official divorce filing coincides with Pearson’s public distancing from hardline evangelicalism and embrace of inclusive salvation. - **Post-Sep 2000:** Pearson transitions to High Life Church, marking a formal break from previous ministry structures and familial arrangements.

While the precise moment of separation remains tied to the fall of 2000, the divorce stands as both a personal turning point and a cultural milestone in the evolving discourse around faith, identity, and religious authenticity. In choosing to walk a separate spiritual path, Carlton Pearson not only redefined his own life but illuminated the broader tensions between institutional dogma and individual conscience in modern Christianity.