SANTA ANA, Calif. – The Rev. Robert A. Schuller stepped down as senior pastor of Crystal Cathedral, a month after he was removed from the church’s weekly syndicated television broadcast, the church announced.

In a press release on Crystal Cathedral’s Web site, church officials said they had accepted Schuller’s resignation. Schuller, 54, is the son of Crystal Cathedral’s founder, the Rev. Robert H. Schuller.

“Robert continues to be a valued and long-standing member of the Classis of the Reformed Church in America,” the announcement said. “It is expected that Robert will make an announcement soon regarding plans for his new ministry. The leadership and congregation wishes him all the best as his plans unfold.”

Juan Carlos Ortiz, the founder of Crystal Cathedral’s Hispanic Ministry, will serve as interim senior pastor. He and Executive Pastor Jim Poit will lead the pastoral staff. A number of pastors will speak on Sunday mornings.

The church expects to have a new pastor in as soon as six months, or as long as 15 months.

The elder Schuller told his congregation in October that his son would no longer be the preacher of the church’s weekly “Hour of Power” syndicated TV broadcast. Of late, a guest pastor has preached to the show’s 20 million viewers each week.

He told the congregation at the time he did not force out his son, who had preached on the show since January 2006.

The decision to change the vision of the ministry was made by the church’s board of directors and church leaders, the senior Schuller said.