Erick Stakelbeck Explained

Erick Stakelbeck
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Birth Date:21 January 1976
Education:Holy Family University
Nationality:American
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Subscribers:934,000
Views:156 million
Years Active:2016–present
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Stats Update:May 23, 2024

Erick Stakelbeck (born January 21, 1976) is an American author, and television host and presenter of The Watchman on TBN and The Watchman Newscast on YouTube.[1] As a Christian Zionist,[2] the show is sponsored by Christians United for Israel,[3] Stakelbeck being the director of its Watchman Project.[4] Stakelbeck has also been noted as an investigative reporter and author on radical Islam,[5] [6] [7] and is TBN's news director.[8]

Early life

Stakelbeck had a working-class upbringing in Philadelphia, with his father, who was a factory electrician by trade, also being "an autodidact who loved to study biblical history."[9] [10] Growing up in the Fox Chase neighborhood, Stakelbeck graduated from the Holy Family University in the same city. While a long-time supporter of Israel, he also became increasingly drawn to studying the roots of Islamic terrorism after the September 11 attacks, and began writing articles for FrontPage Magazine.[9]

Television career

Stakelbeck worked as a senior writer and analyst at the Investigative Project on Terrorism from 2003 to 2005, and his articles appeared in several newspapers.[11] From 2005 he worked as a television correspondent, host and analyst for CBN News, where he covered "U.S. national security, the Middle East, Israel-related issues and the growth of radical Islam at home and abroad."[11] He has also been a regular contributor and guest host on The Blaze TV, and a regular guest on several Fox News shows. He received the Ben Hecht Award for Outstanding Journalism from the Zionist Organization of America in 2014,[12] and a media "Truth" award from the Endowment for Middle East Truth in 2015.[13]

He began hosting The Watchman on TBN in 2016.[3] For his show, he has travelled throughout Israel, reporting from the borders of Gaza, Syria and Lebanon, and interviewing senior Israeli leaders.[9] [10] He regularly highlights Israel's "strategic predicament", noting its proximity to radical Islamic terror groups such as Hezbollah and Hamas at its borders.[9] He also focuses on biblical end times prophecy, believing that "we live in prophetic times", and that "the miraculous rebirth of Israel ... set the prophetic time clock into overdrive".[14] In 2022, he recorded an exclusive interview with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.[1] [15] He additionally became a correspondent for TBN's new Centerpoint, a nightly news and analysis program in 2022,[16] and host of the new show Stakelbeck Tonight in 2024.[17]

Views

Stakelbeck has addressed several conferences and events of conservative groups such as ACT for America, the David Horowitz Freedom Center and the Family Research Council,[18] including the Values Voter Summit,[19] [20] and has aligned himself with counter-jihad activists.[21] [22]

He has stated his view that "the Left sees Islam as an ally and Western Civilization and the Judeo-Christian tradition is the enemy" and that Islam and the Left "have a shared hatred for this country".[23] He also claims that there is a "concerted effort by Islamists to infiltrate the very heartland of American society" and that American Muslims are engaged in "stealth" or "civilizational" jihad to impose Sharia in the US.[18]

Personal life

Stakelbeck is married and has two children, and currently lives in the Dallas–Fort Worth area.[17] He previously lived outside Washington, D.C.[11]

Bibliography

Notes and References

  1. News: Benjamin Netanyahu Came Back 'to Stop Iran,' Says Journalist Who Interviewed Him. Michael. Foust. Crosswalk. December 22, 2022.
  2. News: Christian Zionists still uncertain about Trump — but know they're glad Obama is out. Ron. Kampeas. Jewish Telegraphic Agency. July 18, 2017.
  3. News: Q&A with Erick Stakelbeck, Host of CUFI's "The Watchman" on TBN. February 23, 2016. The Jerusalem Post.
  4. News: Local Christians rally at ‘Night to Honor Israel’ in Cherry Hill . Barbara S.. Rothschild. Jewish Community Voice. April 12, 2017.
  5. Sinai. Joshua. Counterterrorism Bookshelf: 12 Books on Al-Qaida and ISIS-related Subjects. Perspectives on Terrorism . 10. 6 . 2016. 212. 26297717.
  6. ISIS Exposed: Beheadings, Slavery and the Hellish Reality of Radical Islam. Sarah. Akram. Strategic Studies. Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad. 35. 4. 2015. Winter 2015. 109-111. 48536005.
  7. News: Southern Exposure. Kathryn Jean. Lopez. National Review. May 13, 2011.
  8. News: How celebrity influencers are helping Israeli NGOs reach Christians. Israel National News. December 18, 2022.
  9. News: Christian Zionist praises Israel, warns of jihadist terror. August 3, 2017. Dan. Pine. The Jewish News of Northern California.
  10. News: Stakelbeck 'Almost Shed Tear' at Cave of Machpela. Gil. Ronen. Israel National News. December 8, 2012.
  11. Web site: Erick Stakelbeck. CBN News. August 6, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230806030615/https://www2.cbn.com/person/erick-stakelbeck. August 6, 2023. live.
  12. News: Local honorees to be awarded by Zionist organization. September 4, 2014. Northeast Times.
  13. News: Gohmert: Obama Outed Israeli Iranian Spy Mission. Israel National News. Mark. Langfan. June 20, 2015.
  14. News: 'We live in prophetic times': Breakdown of the history of Hanukkah and End Times Bible prophecy. Billy. Hallowell. The Washington Times. December 13, 2023.
  15. News: Netanyahu gives exclusive interview to TBN as he finalizes new government, prepares to go head-to-head with Iran . Joel C.. Rosenberg. All Israel News. December 22, 2022.
  16. News: Evangelical TV network TBN to launch nightly news/analysis show. Mark A.. Kellner. The Washington Times. March 4, 2022.
  17. News: TBN Announces New Weeknight Program with Network's Host and News Correspondent, Erick Stakelbeck. TBN. PR Newswire. March 11, 2024.
  18. News: Meet the Extremists Attending the ACT for America Conference. September 1, 2016. Southern Poverty Law Center.
  19. News: Pilgrims in an Unholy Land. Clare. Malone. The American Prospect. September 17, 2012.
  20. News: Courting leaders of an anti-Muslim hate fest. Zaid. Jilani. Salon. September 18, 2012.
  21. News: Stakelbeck on Terror: The West and Free Speech. October 2, 2012. CBN News.
  22. News: The Watchman Show: Is ISIS Winning Against the West?. September 15, 2015. Erick. Stakelbeck. CBN News.
  23. Belt. David. Islam as a Platform for Politics: The Post-9/11 US Conservative Popular Security Discourse. American Journal of Islam and Society . 33. 2 . 2016. 9. 10.12816/0037438.