Who was Anna Johnson Stanley? Charles Stanley divorce explored as pastor dies aged 90

Well-known Baptist pastor and writer Charles Stanley recently passed away on April 18 at the age of 90. He breathed his last at his residence in Atlanta and his cause of death has not yet been revealed. He gained recognition as the founder of the global evangelical broadcasting powerhouse In Touch Ministries.

A page called Charles Stanley Ministry on Facebook expressed their grief and wrote:

"Dr. Stanley lived a faithful life of obedience, dedicated to teaching others how to have an intimate relationship with Jesus Christ. Now he is receiving the joy of his soul – seeing his Savior face-to-face. Please join us in praying for the entire Stanley family. Updates regarding memorial arrangements will be posted here, at intouch.org, and at charlesstanley.com."

A public repose is scheduled to be held from 10 am to 4 pm on Saturday at the First Baptist Church of Atlanta.

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Charles Stanley and his ex-wife Anna Johnson Stanley got divorced in 1993

Charles Stanley and Anna Johnson Stanley exchanged vows in 1955 (Image via InsiderLyfe)

Charles Stanley was married to Anna Johnson Stanley for about 40 years. The duo separated in 1992 and got divorced in 1993. Anna passed away at the age of 83 in 2014.

Anna was a Bible teacher and musician and was employed at the Miami George Mueller Christian School. She pursued her graduation from the Richmond Professional Institute in Richmond, Virginia. She then joined the George Mueller Christian School.

Charles and Anna tied the knot in 1955 and had two children – Andy Stanley and Becky Stanley. However, problems emerged between the duo as Charles failed to give time to his family due to his busy schedule at the ministry, as per a report by Opoyi.

Charles and Anna's divorce led to some controversy in the Southern Baptist Convention as Stanley said he would resign as pastor following his divorce. However, when his divorce was finalized, members of the church voted to keep him as a pastor.

He was allowed to remain a pastor as long as he remained unmarried.

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Charles Stanley had been a member of the First Baptist Church of Atlanta since the 60s

Stanley had been a member of the First Baptist Church of Atlanta since 1969. He was also the founder of the Christian evangelical organization, In Touch Ministries.

The organization's work began being broadcast on television by the Christian Broadcasting Network and was featured on several radio and television stations.

Charles' work focused on problems in relationships, finances, emotional matters, and more. He was chosen as the president of the Southern Baptist Convention during the 80s.