I Double‐Dog Dare you in Jesus’ Name! Claiming Christian Wealth and the American Prosperity Gospel

Abstract

Since the 1980s, prosperity gospel Christianity has exploded in its size and influence, with global television ministries like Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN), Daystar Television Network, and The Word Network expanding the reach of the American-born religion to every nation. Most popularly called the Faith movement many may recognize this form of Christianity by a variety of other labels, such as the Gospel of Wealth and Health, Word of Faith, Prosperity Theology, Name it and Claim it, Seed-Faith, Abundant Life, or the more derisive Blab it and Grab it. Most observers associate the Faith movement with two teachings: first, God grants all his faithful followers physical health and financial prosperity; second, believers claim their divine right to wealth and health through positive confession, financial offerings, and the persistent faith that God must fulfill his promises. Promises of total transformation, concern over exploitation, and controversies over Biblical interpretation have made the prosperity gospel a topic of scholarly and popular interest. This article explores the history of the prosperity gospel, with particular emphasis on understanding the largest and most visible of these traditions, the Faith movement. Throughout, I will highlight scholarly literature critical for understanding the contemporary and historic development of the prosperity gospel and ministries that have coalesced around its optimistic message. As I explore relevant works on New Thought, African American religions, and the Faith movement, I hope to provide insight into central questions, possible pitfalls, and under-investigated dimensions of the American prosperity gospel, and finally to gesture towards fruitful avenues for future inquiry.

Prosperity Beliefs and Value Orientations: Fueling or Suppressing Entrepreneurial Activity

“…It is a belief that is attractive and compelling: “God wants you to thrive” (Schieman and Jung :738). Adherents just have to believe it and speak it into being (Hladky ).…”

“…Half of U.S. congregations over 10,000 in size are prosperity churches (Bowler ). Interest in prosperity beliefs is particularly high among those whose social and economic mobility are perceived to be hindered by institutional discrimination (Hladky ).…”

Toward a divine economic system: Understanding exchanges in a religious consumption field

“…Also, whenever I bake, I get people to buy…I used to not pay tithe and now that I pay my tithe regularly, I know the difference so as for my tithe I don’t joke with it. (Joana, F, 38)The Pentecostal prosperity gospel advances that sacrificial giving in church must be accompanied by effort in the market where the promises of wealth as blessings for their giving will be reaped (Haynes, 2012; Hladky, 2012). Other informants like Betty, Amoah, Jennifer, and Theo all testify to enjoying gains from the marketplace due to the blessings from their tithe payments in church.…”

Therapeutic Culture and Religion in America

“…6–7; Hammer , p. 72; Schmidt ). New Thought and its concept of the instrumental power of thoughts is seen as a predecessor to a variety of 20th century developments that are influenced by popular psychology and that can be framed both as secular and as religious/spiritual, such as positive thinking, self‐help, the Human Potential movement, New Age spirituality, and the so‐called Prosperity Gospel (Albanese ; Anker , ; Bowler ; Haller ; Hladky ; McGee ; Melton ; Meyer ; Muravchik ).…”