'''Fred Waldron Phelps''' (November 13, 1929 – March 19, 2014) was the [[pastor]] of the independent [[Westboro Baptist Church]], an extremist organization located in [[Topeka]], [[Kansas]], and a controversial activist against [[homosexual]] behavior. Phelps was noted for rallies displaying signs with highly inflammatory and [[extremist]] statements. This has led to the church being classified as a hate group by various organizations. He was said to hold a "[[Hyper-Calvinism|hyper-Calvinistic]] viewpoint," which was generally regarded as far outside of mainstream Christianity by most Christian scholars. Most of the congregants of the Westboro Baptist Church are related to the late Phelps either by blood or marriage. | '''Fred Waldron Phelps''' (November 13, 1929 – March 19, 2014) was the [[pastor]] of the independent [[Westboro Baptist Church]], an extremist organization located in [[Topeka]], [[Kansas]], and a controversial activist against [[homosexual]] behavior. Phelps was noted for rallies displaying signs with highly inflammatory and [[extremist]] statements. This has led to the church being classified as a hate group by various organizations. He was said to hold a "[[Hyper-Calvinism|hyper-Calvinistic]] viewpoint," which was generally regarded as far outside of mainstream Christianity by most Christian scholars. Most of the congregants of the Westboro Baptist Church are related to the late Phelps either by blood or marriage. |