Jay Bakker was absent from his father Jim Bakker’s funeral on Monday, saying he had already been able to say goodbye to the televangelist in person before his death.
Jay, who is also a pastor, recorded a video for the service in which he described their relationship as “complicated” and explained why he did not attend.
He said he had visited his father before he died and that they had shared several good conversations. For Jay, that private farewell meant he did not feel the need to be present at the funeral.
In a message accompanying the video on Instagram, Jay thanked people who had supported his family during the loss.
“Those of you who have stood up for me and my family during this tough time by encouraging others to allow us to process this loss have been priceless,” he wrote.
He added: “It’s a very difficult perspective for some to grasp and I understand the struggle to sympathize much less give a damn.”
Jim Bakker, whose former wife was televangelist Tammy Faye Bakker, died last week after being in hospice care in Missouri. No cause of death has been disclosed.
