Ruth Carter Stapleton

Ruth Carter Stapleton (August 7, 1929 - September 26, 1983) was a sister of Jimmy Carter and was known in her own right as a Christian evangelist. She died of pancreatic cancer in 1983.

Early life

Ruth Carter was born August 7, 1929, in Plains, Georgia, the third of the four children in the family of James Earl Carter, Sr. and Lillian Gordy Carter. Besides the former president, Stapleton had an older sister, Gloria (1926-1990) and a younger brother, Billy (1937-1988). All three of them died of pancreatic cancer, along with their parents.

Education, career, and family

Stapleton earned her Bachelor's degree in English from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Stapleton later earned her theological degree.

Stapleton married Robert Thome Stapleton, a successful veterinarian, in 1948 and had four children: Gloria Lynn (born 1950), Sydney Scott (born 1951), Patricia Gordy (born 1954) and Robert Michael (born 1958). Stapleton suffered from chronic depression and a car wreck which nearly cost her her life during the time immediately following the birth of her children.

In 1977, she became friends with pornographer Larry Flynt and managed to briefly convert him to Christianity. She was portrayed during this portion of Flynt's life by Donna Hanover in the film The People vs. Larry Flynt.

Stapleton was also known for her involvement in the healing ministry, especially in healing of memories. Her books, The Gift of Inner Healing, The Experience of Inner Healing and In His Footsteps: The Healing Ministry of Jesus, Then and Now, illustrate her beliefs on inner healing, which involved healing of memories, in which a person would go over their memories and bring Jesus into the memory to help them forgive, or be comforted as required by Jesus.

Sources

• http://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/nge/Article.jsp?id=h-2735
• http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?sec=health&res=9804E4D91038F937A25756C0A965948260
• http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,955249,00.html?promoid=googlep
• Hayward, Steven F. (2004). The Real Jimmy Carter. Washington, D.C.: Regnery Publishing. ISBN 0-89526-090-5. 

Bibliography

• Stapleton, Ruth Carter (1968). Power Through Release. Macalester Park Pub. Co. 
• Stapleton, Ruth Carter (1973). In His Footsteps. Harper & Row. ISBN 0-06-067516-0. 
• Stapleton, Ruth Carter (1976). The Gift of Inner Healing. Word Books. ISBN 0-8499-0082-4. 
• Stapleton, Ruth Carter (1978). Brother Billy. Harper & Row. ISBN 0-06-014063-1. 
• Stapleton, Ruth Carter (1979). The Experience of Inner Healing. Bantam Books. ISBN 978-0-553-12047-9. 
• Stapleton, Ruth Carter (1979). In His Footsteps : The Healing Ministry of Jesus, Then and Now. Harper and Row. ISBN 978-0-06-067516-5. 

v t e Part of a series on Christianity Jesus Christ Jesus in Christianity Virgin birth Crucifixion Resurrection Son of God Foundations Church Creed Gospel New Covenant Bible Books Canon Old Testament New Testament Theology God Father Son Holy Spirit Apologetics Baptism Catholicism Christology History of theology Mission Salvation Trinity History and tradition Apostles Mary Peter Paul Fathers Early Constantine Ecumenical councils Augustine East–West Schism Crusades Aquinas Protestant Reformation Luther Denominations and movements Western Adventist Anabaptist Anglican Baptist Calvinist Charismatic Evangelical Holiness Lutheran Methodist Pentecostal Protestant Roman Catholic Eastern Eastern Orthodox Eastern Catholic Oriental Orthodox (Miaphysite) Assyrian Church of the East (Nestorian) Nontrinitarian Jehovah's Witnesses Latter Day Saint movement Oneness Pentecostalism Related topics Art Criticism Ecumenism Liturgy Music Other religions Prayer Sermon Symbolism Christianity portal List of Christian denominations