Jay Bakker

Bakker was born December 18, 1975 in Charlotte, North Carolina, to Christian televangelist pastors Jim Bakker and Tammy Faye Bakker (née LaValley). and spent six years in federal prison. The trauma of his father's imprisonment, combined with the subsequent ostracism by others in the Church and religious community, led Bakker to engage in a period of substance abuse and partying during his young adult years. ==Political and social views==

Bakker has advocated for an open, inclusive Christianity that embraces those with alternative lifestyles and encourages doubt and uncertainty. He has also endorsed gay marriage and has been an advocate for the church's acceptance of the LGBTQ community. He has also questioned traditional interpretations of the atonement and salvation. When asked by Larry King if he was "part of the liberal sect of Christianity," he said that he was "more liberal than most". He also decries the influence of politics in religion, saying that it prevents civil discussion of topics such as homosexuality and abortion. Bakker's church used rainbow-colored communion bread to celebrate the legalization of gay marriage in Minnesota. ==Appearances in media==

In 2001, Bakker wrote the book Son of a Preacher Man: My Search for Grace in the Shadows which is an autobiography that details his youth, relationship with his parents, the PTL scandals, his anguish at his father's imprisonment, and the founding of Revolution Church. In 2006, he was featured in the six-part documentary One Punk Under God on the Sundance Channel. He has appeared on Larry King Live and The Joy Behar Show (August 23, 2011) and has been featured in Rolling Stone, The New York Times, Time, The Economist, FHM and New York Magazine. In 2011, Bakker and co-author Martin Edlund wrote the book Fall to Grace: A Revolution of God, Self, and Society. The book explores the radical, transformative, and inclusive nature of grace, challenges Christians to reassess their understanding of salvation, and encourages non-believers to see Jesus with fresh eyes. In an episode of American Scandals with Barbara Walters (aired on December 14, 2015, for Investigation Discovery), Bakker was interviewed by Walters about growing up amidst the intense criticism that followed the fall of his famous father. ==See also==