Critiques of the Prosperity Movement

Lewis Brogdon

1. Introduction:
1.1 Critiques of Prosperity Theology
While the prosperity movement in particular and the Word Faith and Charismatic
movement in general were growing in prominence everyone was not supportive of this
movement. Beginning in the late 1980s and extending into 2007 the burgeoning movement was
increasingly subjected to scholarly critiques.1 I intend to survey a select number of major critical
arguments against the prosperity movement beginning in the 80s and extending to contemporary
works. I will survey critiques of the prosperity movement in the scholarly community, critiques
from the fundamentalist community, critiques from the Evangelical community critiques from
the African American community, and finally critiques from the Pentecostal Charismatic
community. This cursory survey will provide an insightful and rounded understanding of the
historical and theological contours of this religious movement.2
2. Critiques from the Scholarly Community
2.1 Prosperity Teachings Failure to Legitimize its Claims
At the heart of the prosperity issue are the real life socio-economic conditions of people.
People in need are drawn to these churches as they seek to interpret and understand the
1

In fact these major critiques fall into three distinct periods: 1985-87, 1992-97, and 2006-07.
From a methodological standpoint the project will primarily be descriptive since my primary purpose is to provide
a summary of arguments against the movement I am studying this movement from an historical and religious
perspective. As a historian I am employing a synchronic method that takes the data of historical research and
constructs an account of an aspect of this movement as it developed. As a religionist, I seek to explore the movement
from a phenomenonological standpoint. Cornelius P. Tiele was one of the first phenomenonologists. Phenomenology
of religion for Tiele has three components that are particularly germane for this project. First of all, theological
agendas must be set aside if one is to critically study religious phenomenon. Secondly, one must to a certain extent
detach oneself or bracket ones belief in order to study a religious phenomenon for the sake of learning. Finally,
from a critical analysis of religious phenomenon, one moves to classification or explanation. Both the synchronic
and phenomenological component is employed. I have researched critiques and pieced together a historical account.
Through the headings and sub-headings one finds a synchronous history and a critical account of the prosperity
religious phenomenon. James E. Bradley and Richard A. Muller, Church History: An Introduction to Research,
Reference Works, and Methods (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans, 1995), 31. Ivan Strenski, Thinking About
Religion: An Historical Introduction to Theories of Religion (Great Britain: Blackwell Publishing, 2006), 169-73.
2

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Lewis Brogdon

implications of faith for their particular economic context. But therein lies the problem. People
are drawn to these churches but their needs are not always met. The Heresy of Prosperity
Teaching: A Message for the Church in its Approach to Need is one of the more negative
treatments of the movement. In the article David T. Williams deals with what he refers to as the
casualties of the faith message.3 In other words, receiving prosperity by faith in Gods word
does not always work. This failure occurs in two ways: one does not receive the money claimed
by faith and secondly monies (blessings) that are not received in spite of large investments made
in prosperity churches and ministries. As a result, Williams explained, some non-prosperity
preaching churches are left to pick up the pieces when the promised results fail while others lose
their faith when it fails to produce. Prosperity teachers do not provide an adequate response for
these failures and so conclude that a particular Christian did not prosper must have been a lack of
faith instead of a faulty doctrinal system.
Williams furthers his critique by explaining what may appear to be a problem with his
reasoning. How does one explain the successes or the prosperity received by the advocates of the
message? In other words, does the fact that the teaching works for some and not others discredit
it as a viable theological system? He provides an engaging assessment concerning the pragmatic
issue. He asserts that teachers prosper because they share in the prosperity of the organization or
ministry in which they oversee. For example, he argues, prosperity churches can operate a large
scale ministry because it employs the mandatory tithing principle as the key to prosperity. As a
result larger amounts of money are received and the ministry is able to grow through the
generosity of the faithful. The implication is clear. Leaders in large organizations and ministries
prosper through the voluntary giving of its members while those giving do not have the same
3

David T. Williams, The Heresy of Prosperity Teaching, Journal of South African Theology (Dec 1987): 33.

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reliable base of support. If this is true then what works in this system is to encourage people to
support their organizational success and not necessarily that God supernaturally prospers faithful
givers. It would appear that the only ones prospering are the churches and ministries themselves.
Having dealt with the pragmatic issue, Williams now turns his attention to the theological
issue. Prosperity teaching can be condemned for a defective view of faith and consequently a
defective view of God.4 What is meant by a defective view of faith is that through positive
confession and agreement, God is forced to act, a belief that many scholars believe resembles
pagan magic. Such belief undermines the sovereignty and freedom of God to act in any way even
if it is contrary to the desires of humans. Williams boldly asserts that the heretical nature of
prosperity teaching lies in its insistence on limiting God and communicating teachings that are
inconsistent with the nature of God.
In his concluding assessment though he views prosperity teaching as heretical he keenly
alerts the church about the nature of heresy and the opportunity heresy presents the church. The
result of heresy is twofold. Firstly it is very naturally an overreaction to the problem, just as the
pendulum will swing to the opposite extreme, but secondly the final result, although this may
still be disputed, is a balance in doctrine, just as the pendulum will find its mean.5 The
pendulum effect of radical prosperity teaching may be a reaction of a position in the church in
need of modification. Williams contends that there is room in the Christian tradition for a
theology of material benefit. As we conclude our analysis of his comments it is clear that the
indication is that in the absence of a viable theology of wealth prosperity teaching flourished
leaving in its wake disappointed Christians who did not prosper but an opportunity for the church
to develop a theology that speaks to these considerations.
4
5

Williams, The Heresy of Prosperity Teaching, 35.

Williams, The Heresy of Prosperity Teaching, 37.

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Lewis Brogdon

2.2 Prosperity Teachings Connection to Norman V. Peale

One of the most consistent critiques leveled against the movement is its origins in New
Thought metaphysics and Christian Science. One such example of this critique is found in an
insightful essay that links prosperity teaching to positive thinking. In the essay Prosperity
Teaching and Positive Thinking David T. Williams explores the problematic connection and its
resultant theological implications.6 For Williams, the movements connection to the positive
thinking of Norman Vincent Peale is a serious theological flaw.7 When the prosperity movement
first came to South Africa it was done so by Pentecostal and Charismatic groups. Instead of the
traditional emphasis on the Holy Spirit the increasing emphasis on material prosperity, for
Williams, is not an extension of Pentecostal thought but actually an ideology outside the
parameters of Christianity, ideas known as positive thinking. In the article he characterizes
prosperity teaching accordingly: material prosperity is the right of the Christian, positive
confession of ones faith, a fundamentalist usage of the Bible where texts are extracted from
context, belief in faith that acts on what one expects and not circumstances, other techniques like
seed faith, the dominance of the substitutionary atonement view of salvation, and health.8
Norman Peale believed that material success is right and realized through a positive
attitude. He used the scriptures as an asset in conditioning the mind to receive as well as faith in
Gods power that is frequently expressed in ones mind. For Peale if ones thinking is positive
then it naturally progresses to the importance of positive confession. As a result Peale asserted if
you expect the best you get the best and big thoughts get big results, edicts that sound very
6

David T. Williams, Prosperity Teaching and Positive Thinking Evangelical Review of Theology 11.4 (October
1987): 197-208.
7
The fundamental tenets of prosperity theology as presented by Williams are: material prosperity, positive
confession, faith, the power of agreement in faith, and health. He also mentioned that these churches use the Bible in
a fundamentalist manner where texts are extracted from context to justify a contemporary and new interpretation.
David Williams provided these particular beliefs in order to substantiate the connection to Norman Peale and
positive thinking.
8
David T. Williams, Prosperity Teaching and Positive Thinking 197-99.

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familiar to those in prosperity churches.9 In addition, negative thoughts should be avoided.

These beliefs are very similar to core Word Faith principles employed to expound the prosperity
message particularly the belief in the power of creative faith filled words and the renewed mind
that thinks like God. In the concluding discussion Williams was careful not to over emphasize
the connection with Peale. He also illustrates how core Pentecostal Charismatic beliefs are
combined with Peales positive thinking which possibly resulted in these hybrid theological
beliefs.10
3. Critiques from Fundamentalist Community
3.1 Prosperity Teachings Faulty Understanding of New Testament Christianity
Harold Wilmington penned a stinging critique against the prosperity movement in the
Fundamentalist Journal. In the article Prosperity Theology: A Slot Machine Religion Wilmington
stated by viewing the Bible through the eyes of a playboy philosopher, prosperity theology is
self-seeking and self-centered to its very core.11 The reference to a playboy philosopher is just
a pejorative accusation that is not apart of this article but the self-seeking criticism was
marginally qualified. Contributing causes to the rise of the movement are summarized as
poverty backlash, sheer greed, and biblical ignorance. In times past churches abused the poverty
principle and rarely gave ministers a sufficient amount of money to maintain a modest living. As
a result, Wilmington thinks prosperity teachers are going to the opposite extreme by insisting on
wealth. This overly compensatory impetus has led to the growth of this movement. Wilmington
did not make any mention of the possible connection between the poverty backlash and the
almost ascetic-like tendencies and simple Puritan-like values of many early Pentecostals and

David T. Williams, Prosperity Teaching and Positive Thinking 201.

This is an important distinction because A. A. Allen taught what could appear to be positive thinking before the
Word Faith movement in books like Send Now Prosperity (Miracle Valley AZ: A. A. Allen Revivals, Inc., 1968).
11
Harold Wilmington, Prosperity Theology: A Slot Machine Religion Fundamentalist Journal 6.10 (1987): 15.
10

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Protestants alike. He also fails to mention or discuss whether or not those values no longer
adequately addressed the existential concerns of contemporary Pentecostals.
In this staunch rejection of all forms of prosperity teaching, he criticizes the fundamental
philosophical tenets of the theology and then corrects the biblical verses used to under-gird this
theological system. First of all, in regard to the philosophical foundation, he mentions three
troubling beliefs. He begins with the belief in universal and immutable laws that govern all
aspects of life even health and wealth. Then Wilmington criticizes the positive confession
teaching and finally he challenges the Word Faith belief that faith-filled believers are little gods
that in essence can create their little worlds characterized by health, wealth, and happiness. In the
article he does not clarify why he rejects these philosophical tenets but my suspicion is that these
beliefs are inconsistent with scripture. In fact these philosophical tenets seem to determine how
scripture is read. Philosophical tenets by nature come from the broader culture and not
necessarily the text or tradition itself. They almost functionally determine how to approach
religious issues. Lastly, he attacks the supposed proofs of prosperity teaching. He addresses
biblical verses commonly employed and challenged their faulty understanding and use of these
verses. Verses like Joshua 1:8; Mark 10:29-20; Luke 6:38; and 3 John 2. These verses, according
to Wilmingtons understanding do not in the least manner support any form of prosperity
teaching. He then employs verses from scripture that refute prosperity teaching as further proof
of their lack of understanding (Matthew 16:24; Luke 9:58, 12:15; Philippians 4:11-13; 1 Timothy
6:10; 2 Corinthians 12:7-10; Hebrews 11:25; and 2 Timothy 3:12). Wilmington basically
counters bad proof texting good proof texting.
In his final assessment of the movement he deals with the harm it has on the Christian
witness as a whole and with the harm the movement does to people. The prosperity movement

Critiques of the Prosperity Movement

Lewis Brogdon

reduces the Christian faith to a slot machine religion because it encourages Christians to
gamble dimes in hopes of hitting the jackpot and it also makes them-centered.12 Both charges
reflect poorly on what Christianity is fundamentally about. On a personal note, Wilmington
believes that it condemns and unfairly judges godly believers who struggle with financial or
health issues. Again when the teachings are carefully followed with no result the effect is
devastating. When this happens believers feel condemned or rejected by God because they are
not prospering and they are often rejected or viewed suspiciously for not prospering.
3.2 Prosperity Teaching as a Bankrupt Theological System
David Jones provides a critique of prosperity teaching in the 1998 issue of Faith and
Mission. Jones, who was a Master of Divinity student at the time of writing, represents a
Southern Baptist critique of the movement that fundamentally holds to the belief that there is
basically only one correct interpretation of scripture, namely theirs. Obviously, Jones and many
Southern Baptists completely reject the theological validity of the claims made by prosperity
teaching.
In The Bankruptcy of the Prosperity Gospel: An Exercise in Biblical and Theological
Ethics Jones provides four reasons why the movements teaching are incorrect. A faulty
understanding of the Abrahamic covenant, the Atonement, giving, and faith are the strongest
proofs for the movements error, errors which emanate from faulty theology and biblical
interpretation.13 In regard to their faulty understanding of the Abrahamic covenant, Jones claims
that the prosperity teachers wrongly apply the blessings of the covenant in material instead of
spiritual terms. Secondly, it is commonly believed by prosperity teaching that sin, sickness,

12

The reference to gambling dimes is connected to the mandatory tithing principle that is commonly invoked. It is
commonly taught that one cannot prosper without first paying tithes.
13
David W Jones, The Bankruptcy of the Prosperity Gospel: An Exercise in Biblical and Theological Ethics,
Faith and Mission (Fall 1998): 79-87.

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poverty, and death were once and for all overcome by Jesus on the cross. Jones, views this belief
as the second cracked pillar of the movement. Because they misunderstood that Jesus was not
rich during his earthly ministry and their warped view of 2 Corinthians 8:9 leads to a wrong view
of the atonement. Jones mentions, one of the most striking characteristics of the prosperity
theologians is their seeming fixation with the act of giving.14 His problem is that not only is
giving overemphasized; the motivation for giving is receiving- in essence giving to get. Jones
concludes by challenging the belief in faith as universal force by which believers attain the
blessings of God. Whereas he argues that faith is trust in the person of Jesus Christ, the truth of
his teaching, and the redemptive work He accomplished on Calvary.15 In the concluding section
of the essay, Jones analyzes the misuse of 3 John 2 in prosperity teaching. He claims those who
use 3 John 2 to support the prosperity gospel are committing two crucial errors, the first
contextual and the second grammatical. Jones maintains it was not Johns intention to articulate
a doctrine of prosperity through this verse and the Greek word for prosperous is incorrectly
understood to mean financial when in all actuality it implies having a good journey. As a result
both on the theological and biblical front Jones believes the prosperity movement has been
weighed in the balances and been found wanting. While others mention the movements
implications for those who subscribe to its teaching, Jones critique is primarily based on biblical
interpretation.16

14

David W Jones, The Bankruptcy of the Prosperity Gospel: An Exercise in Biblical and Theological Ethics, 82.
David W Jones, The Bankruptcy of the Prosperity Gospel: An Exercise in Biblical and Theological Ethics, 82.
16
For him, the movements greatest problem is mis-interpreting biblical texts. On a deeper level this reveals one of
the fundamental weaknesses of conservative traditions and their approach to scripture. An appeal to scripture does
not satisfy conflicting interpretations of the Bible or solve theological problems. A century ago that lesson was
made apparent by the countless number of churches divided over the issue of slavery and the Bible in American
society. Both sides appealed to scripture. The same seems to be true for these critiques of the prosperity movement.
Fundamentalists correct mis-interpretation by reinterpreting the same texts. They also identify cultural influences
that significantly affect how scripture is read but they do not readily admit such influence in their approach to
biblical interpretation. So in the end, it makes the critique one-sided.
15

Critiques of the Prosperity Movement

Lewis Brogdon

4. Critiques from the Evangelical Community

4.1 The Interpretation and Authority of Scripture in Prosperity Teaching
One of the earliest critical works is written by Ken Sarles in a prominent biblical studies
journal Bibliotheca Sacra. Sarles takes issue with the theology of the movement on several fronts
but I will focus on his criticisms of the hermeneutics of prosperity. I will mention three areas of
concern shared. In the article A Theological Evaluation of the Prosperity Gospel Sarles criticizes
the flawed hermeneutics because of its over reliance on inerrancy and flat literalism, the almost
equal authority with scripture that prosperity teachers claim, and the practice of proof texting to
support its beliefs.17
For Sarles, the fact that biblical inerrancy is not challenged leads to troubling
hermeneutical tendencies among Word Faith teachers. As a result Word Faith teachers accept
every part of scripture as equally inspired without making any distinction in regard to genre,
authorial intent, and context. Scripture is read and interpreted in a flat and uncritical manner.
Word Faith teaching is flawed because the hermeneutical principles employed to support its
beliefs are flawed. He stated,
Prosperity hermeneutics also leaves much to be desired. The method of interpreting the
biblical text is highly subjective and arbitrary. Bible verses are quoted in abundance
without attention to grammatical indicators, semantic nuances, or literary and historical
context. The result is a set of ideas and principles based on distortion of textual
meaning.18
The interpretive flaw is most evident by the beginning point for prosperity teachers. Prosperity
teachers, according to Sarles, begin the hermeneutical process with their American middle class
experience. That experience or ideal is equated with the divine agenda and will. Then they
proceed to baptize that experience with a handful of Bible verses that seem to substantiate what
17
18

Ken Sarles, A Theological Evaluation of the Prosperity Gospel, Bibliotheca Sacra (Oct/Dec 1986): 329-352.
Ken Sarles, A Theological Evaluation of the Prosperity Gospel, 337.

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Lewis Brogdon

is claimed. His line of reasoning leads one to believe that prosperity teaching is not rooted in the
teachings of scripture but scripture is used to justify a lifestyle that is desired and imported on the
text.19
4.2 Paganistic Views of God and Religious Life in Prosperity Teaching
Another staunchly negative critique of the movement is given by evangelical pastor and
theologian John MacArthur in his book Charismatic Chaos. He charges that the movement is
partly a false religion because it creates a god whose function is to deliver some sort of cargo
Word Faith theology has turned Christianity into a system no different from the lowest human
religions- a form of voodoo where God can be coerced, cajoled, manipulated, controlled, and
exploited for the Christians own ends20 He mentions book titles of popular Word Faith works
written by advocates as proof. Titles like How To Write Your Own Ticket With God, Godliness Is
Profitable, and Gods Formula For Success prove their materialistic theological base.21 In fact
Charismatic Chaos charges that this movement shares the following cultic tendencies: distorted
Christology, exalted view of humans, theology based on human works, belief that new revelation
from within the group is unlocking secrets that have been hidden, extra biblical human writings

19

Sarles comment raises a host of critical questions about biblical interpretation especially the intersection between
engaging the text and the influence of culture. Postmodernism has in one sense done the church a service by
pointing out how our reading of texts cannot be separated from the influence of cultural location. There has,
however, been considerable debate about postmodernism and biblical interpretation. Some traditionalists still hold
to the modernist notion that texts can be read objectively to the extent that one is minimally influenced by cultural
location. Such a notion on the other hand, is not generally accepted by most scholars. Cultural location and social
conditioning are significant factors that influence how scripture is read and interpreted. The question that is still
debated is the extent of influence and can one move beyond culture to a broader interpretive posture. I would by no
means agree that they always determine the conclusions reached. One can concede the influence the influence of
culture but cannot to the extent that it pre-determines interpretive conclusions otherwise there is no viable basis to
critique the American prosperity teachers. An important first step in biblical interpretation is to identify aspects of
culture that are redeeming from those that are not. On this front one can criticize the prosperity movements
sanction for American cultural values. But one cannot criticize them for being influenced by culture to varying
degrees because everyone is so influenced.
20
John MacArthur, Charismatic Chaos (Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1992), 323.
21
Ken Hagin, How To Write Your Own Ticket with God (Tulsa: Faith Library, 1979). Ken Hagin, Godliness is
Profitable (Tulsa: Faith Library, 1982). Oral Roberts, Gods Formula for Success and Prosperity (Tulsa: Healing
Waters, 1955).

Critiques of the Prosperity Movement

Lewis Brogdon

that are deemed inspired and authoritative, and they shun any criticism or teaching that is
contrary to the movement.22
MacArthur fundamentally rejects prosperity because of the theological implications it
carries for theology, Christology, and the Christian life. Prosperity theology is founded upon the
wrong God, the wrong Jesus, and the wrong faith. Some of the teachings highlighted in this
discussion are: the teaching that God is bound by spiritual laws, the teaching that God is not able
to work until believers release him to do so, the teaching that Jesus was only a divinely
empowered man, the teaching that Jesus spent time in hell paying the price for our redemption to
the extent that satan dragged Jesus into hell, the teaching that faith is an immutable law that
works regardless of who uses it; and the teaching of positive confession. For these reasons John
MacArthur views prosperity theology as completely hostile and opposed to Christian orthodoxy.
As a result, in the epilogue MacArthur encourages evangelicals to confront this teaching and call
Charismatics to reexamine what they believe.
4.3 Hermeneutical Controls and Divine Revelation in Prosperity Teaching
Andrew Perriman provides a balanced historical, sociological, and theological account of
the word of faith movement. The strengths of Faith, Health, and Prosperity are that Perriman
focuses on the issues, both weaknesses and strengths, instead of producing the standard
polemical and uncritical assessments of Word of Faith teaching.23 Faith, Health, and Prosperity
is written to facilitate dialogue between evangelicals and Charismatics, and therefore written to
facilitate dialogue and not to categorize word of faith or Charismatics as heretics or unorthodox
Christians.

22
23

John MacArthur, Charismatic Chaos, 268.

Andrew Perriman, Faith, Health, and Prosperity. (Great Britain: Paternoster Press, 2003).

Critiques of the Prosperity Movement

Lewis Brogdon

In the discussion about the origins of Word of Faith movement, Perriman traces the
different streams of the WF movement to classical Pentecostalism, to the American social milieu,
and 19th century metaphysical cults, especially the teachings of E. W. Kenyon. In fact, he asserts
that it is New Thought that introduced the ideology of success into the mainstream consciousness
of America.
Faith, Health, and Prosperity provides a discussion of the interpretive issues related to
WF teaching, and scriptures teaching on poverty and wealth in the Old Testament, the gospels,
and the New Testament church. More specifically in a chapter entitled Problems of
Interpretation and Theology Perriman outlines three broad problems with the theological and
interpretive approaches employed by the prosperity teachers. These problems are persistent flaws
in the movements hermeneutic is due to the largely undeclared set of presuppositions and rules
that govern interpretation; intellectual pre-commitments and interpretive controls pre-determine
the way scripture is read and guarantees the interpretive outcome for many advocates of
prosperity; the belief in revelation knowledge.24 In regard to the first two problems, his most
convincing indictment is that the prosperity doctrine operated as the interpretive control. As a
result of this a number of other problems arise. Prosperity teachers rely on a small number of
texts to support their teaching, the historical context is ignored, scripture is viewed contractually
and some interpretations rely on misleading or poor translations. Prosperity teachers pension for
resorting to the claim that their interpretations of scripture come from direct revelation
knowledge is a monumental hermeneutical problem. Perriman notes that prosperity teachers
make this claim when their views tend to conflict with traditional Christian teaching. Two even
more unfortunate implications result. When prosperity teachers rely on divine revelation they
view themselves and their teaching as somehow being above criticism. Beliefs and attitudes of
24

Andrew Perriman, Faith, Health, and Prosperity, 81.

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Lewis Brogdon

superiority are common among preachers who do not have time to entertain the critiques of those
who have not received revelatory insight. It also tends to denigrate the use of reason in the
interpretive process. Why use or rely on human logic when God does the thinking for the
believers. Perrimans insights are particularly useful because his intention was to provide
concrete suggestions that would facilitate dialogue.25
5. Critiques from the African American Community
5.1 The Prosperity Movement as a Threat to the Black Church
The debate in the Black church regarding prosperity teaching and its effects in the
African American community has been contentious. In a recent edition of the African American
pulpit that discusses trends in the Black church, Martha Simmons mentioned the growth of the
prosperity movement. This trend receives a rather brief and negative assessment. She describes
the movement as focusing heavily on money and success and less on social justice and crisis
issues. In another popular work Blow the Trumpet in Zion Jeremiah Wright, prominent pastor of
Trinity United Church of Christ, levels a disparaging charge against the movements teachers
calling them prosperity pimps.26 This strong charge results from the firm belief that this
movement represents a betrayal of sorts, of the core or organizing principles of the black
religious experience. Wright levels three critiques on the movement in the Black church.
Prosperity teaching operates as if it lives in a cultural vacuum and it preaches capitalism as being
synonymous with Christianity. These aforementioned critiques lead to the final critique. Because
25

Perrimans discussion leaves room for Renewal considerations in regard to the interpretation of scripture. Three
questions worth exploring are: 1. has prosperity hermeneutics been unjust criticized for its hermeneutical
methodologies when other voices and traditions in the church have already begun interpreting scripture to speak to
the existential realities of the marginalized? Many critiques come from voices in the tradition that do not allow for
multiple interpretive meanings i.e. Evangelical and Fundamentialist. But such beliefs have long been called into
question in the global Christian context; 2. Is prosperity hermeneutics another form of contextual theology and
interpretation that is a prominent part of theological discourse today; and 3. from a New Testament perspective (esp.
Lukan and Pauline texts), can a hermeneutic of prosperity be developed and sustained? In other words, is prosperity
theology biblical?
26
Jeremiah Wright The Continuing Legacy of Samuel Dewitt Proctor in Blow the Trumpet in Zion. Eds Iva
Carruthers, Frederick D. Haynes III., and Jeremiah Wright. (Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2005), 8.

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Lewis Brogdon

prosperity advocates ignore its connection to a capitalistic society, it neglects how capitalism in
America was built by slave labor and continues to thrive by oppressing the two thirds world. For
Wright, the movements failure to unpack the significance of slavery by black prosperity
preachers is deplorable. How can black preachers forget how their ancestors were enslaved to
build an unjust economic system? How can they be content to prosper themselves in a system
designed to exploit the weak, many of which are their sisters and brothers? Faithful preaching
cannot be cut off from the culture that produced it and the culture that produced us. As a result
instead of following the prosperity teachers accomodationist tendencies, those who really want to
honor their heritage must make the critical distinction between philosophies and practices in
culture that need correction (capitalism) from those that are worthy of acceptance (African
culture).
Robert Franklin, one of the foremost ethicist in the country, made an alarming charge
when he said that the prosperity movement is the single greatest threat to the historical legacy
and core values of the contemporary Black church tradition.27 This alarming statement rests on
Franklins belief that this movement poses significant dangers for the future of the Black
church.28 First the movements teachers tend to focus on institutional well-being at the expense of
serving the vulnerable. Secondly, prosperity teachers deliberately suppress, ignore and/or delete
language about radical sacrifice for the sake of the kingdom. Thirdly, the bishops and pastors of
prosperity operate as spiritual entrepreneurs who know how to produce, package, market and
distribute user-friendly spirituality for the masses. Finally and also somewhat connected to the
aforementioned critique, the teachers rarely make stringent ethical demands because their
27

Robert Franklin, Crisis in the Village: Restoring Hope in African American Communities (Minneapolis: Fortress
Press, 2007), 112.
28
Franklin argues that the prosperity emphasis represents a shift of commitments away from love, service, and
justice and resultantly poses not only a new threat for black clergy for a broader crisis of mission in the black
church. It is in the context of this crisis of mission that Franklins offers such a strong rejection of black prosperity
churches.

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Lewis Brogdon

primary concern is to market and distribute products. With leaders of the African American
community on both sides of this issue it is necessary to identify the issues at stake.
The prosperity movement is a betrayal of the core principles of the Black religious
experience on several fronts. It subverts the principle of liberation and justice by its failure to
address systemic and structural inequality. It prioritizes individual attainment over communal
and social responsibility. Ironically this movement can only thrive in the presence of social
amnesia. For example, some black prosperity preachers believe that blacks are somehow already
in the Promised Land does not resonate with the social realities of most black Americans.29
On a more fundamental level the movement fails to deal with structural inequalities and
social issues, it fail to connect prosperity with pressing social concerns of our community and
rarely understood in terms providing an agenda for social change or advancement but a tool for
individual betterment. For example Brad Braxton mentioned,
In the messages Ive heard the focus tends to be on the individual and I have not heard
many of his messages that are addressing some of the systemic issuesbut Im also
going to ask when are we going to hear sermons by Jakes that call into question the
whole prison culture of how corporate America is getting fat on building prisons at an
alarmingly faster rate than white boys? When do you hear those kinds of messages?30
In the black religious context there are two issues at stake, both of which feed into the other, the
theological and the social. The debate over the movement is so contentious because so much is at
stake both theologically and as well as socially. It is no wonder that the seminal works on this
movement in the black community are all sociological.
5.2 A Former Insider Analyzes the Word Faith Movement in the Black Community
29

In a meeting with civil rights veterans Bishop Eddie Long stated that blacks must forget about racism because they
had already reached the Promised Land. John Blake, Not all at seminary welcome bishop, graduation invites
provokes protests, Atlanta Journal Constitution, May 11, 2006, A1. Fred Price told members of his mega-church
Crenshaw Christian Center not to blame the white folks and do not blame the blacks in the ghetto. They are not
your problemI am thrilled to find out that nobody can mess me up. I like that. Thank God I am the one who
decides. Fred Price, Name It and Claim It: The Power of Positive Confession (Los Angeles: Faith One, 1992), 59.
30
Shayne Lee, T. D. Jakes: Americas New Preacher, (New York: New York University Press, 2005), 114-15.

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Lewis Brogdon

Righteous Riches is another sociological account of the Word of Faith movement but its
focus is the movement in the African American religious context.31 Milmon F. Harrison makes an
important contribution by situating the Word Faith movement historically as a product of
Charismatic movement, socially as phenomenon unique in the American religious milieu, and
concludes with a keen analysis of the prosperity movement and assesses recent changes in the
Black church. Harrison studies an African American Word Faith church through interviews with
members and also offers reflections of his experience as a member of Faith Christian Center.
Righteous Riches provides an insiders perspective of an African American Word Faith church as
a template for examining the larger phenomenon of not only Word Faith movement but
especially the prosperity movement.
Harrison contends that the Word Faith movement and its prosperity emphasis is not new
but actually stands in line with antecedent movements in the black religious community. Earlier
movements in the black religious community have always had to address the spiritual and
material aspects of life. For example, Johnnie Coleman and Rev. Ike introduced New Thought
metaphysics into the African American religious context in the 1950s and 60s. Johnnie
Coleman founded the Christ Unity Temple in Chicago and the Johnnie Coleman Institute and
Universal Foundation for Better Living. Frederick Eikerenkoetter popularly known as Rev. Ike
taught that one can live a better life through positive thinking and that poverty is the root of all
evil.
On the other hand, there are other black churches that do not preach neither metaphysical
prosperity nor Word Faith prosperity but proclaim a gospel of economic development. Churches
like Allen Temple AME Church in New York are examples of churches promoting the gospel of
31

Milmon F. Harrison, Righteous Riches: The Word Faith Movement in Contemporary African American Religion.
(New York: Oxford Press, 2005).

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Lewis Brogdon

economic development. These churches serve as the economic and developmental hub of their
respective communities. Thus in the wake of the depressing state of Black America, these
churches have provided economic empowerment through personal responsibility and faith in the
God who prospers the faithful. These churches located in inner city communities with large
African American populations are concerned with not only saving souls but providing jobs,
addressing societal ills, and creating wealth for its members.32 This was an important discussion
because Harrison argues that the spiritual and material, faith and money; are intricate parts of the
African American religious milieu. So the issue is not the proclamation of a gospel with strong
economic component to it because such movements are vital parts of the black religious
experience, but the implications of this particular movement in the black context. He concludes
with some important assessments. First of all, he believes that the prosperity or faith message
resonates with people who aspire to be successful. Secondly, this movement is a type of poor
peoples movement. Thirdly, it is based on the belief that America is a meritocracy. Finally, it
does not reform or seek to overthrow an unjust economic system as long as they can prosper
within it. Though Harrisons work is primarily sociological, his analysis highlights some of the
weaknesses of this movement in the black religious context. Other voices have addressed the
heavy emphasis on success and the failure to address systemic injustice.
6. Critiques from the Pentecostal Charismatic Community
6.1 Charismatic Fear about Word Faith Movement and Prosperity Teaching
D. R. McDonnell offers a strong critique of the Word Faith movement in this work.33 In
fact his guiding belief is that the Word Faith movement is heretical and a serious threat to both
Christian orthodoxy and the burgeoning Charismatic movement. In the introduction McConnell
32
33

Milmon F. Harrison, Righteous Riches, 138.

D. R. McDonnell, A Different Gospel. Peabody MA: Hendrickson Publishers, 1995.

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places the Charismatic movement at a crossroads because of its close allegiance to the Word
Faith movement. He insists that this movement should not be viewed as an extension of
Pentecostalism or the Charismatic movement.
Traditionally Kenneth Hagin has been regarded as the founder of the Word Faith
movement. Prominent leaders such as Kenneth Copeland, Fred Price, Charles Capps, and John
Osteen have all view Hagin to varying degrees as instrumental in the development and growth of
Word Faith teaching. In Different Gospel McConnell contends that E. W. Kenyon, not Hagin is
founder of the Word Faith movement. The most important aspect of this text is his
documentation of the plagiarism of Kenyon by Hagin. Hagin meticulously copied large portions
of Kenyons thought without giving credit to Kenyon. McConnell views this as not only
problematic but also an indication that the origin of Word Faith teaching is metaphysical cultic
teachings and not the revelation knowledge often claimed by Hagin. Kenyons roots, according
to McConnell, are not Pentecostalism but actually the metaphysical religious beliefs of 19th
century luminaries like Mary Baker Eddy and Charles Emerson. This unchristian link should
prove the true origins as Word Faith teaching.
In this highly controversial text, McDonnell provides an insightful summary of prosperity
teaching. He contends that there are two types of prosperity teaching: the egocentric type that
advocates giving to the preacher as the key to prosperity and the cosmic type that centers on
universal principles or faith formulas that release prosperity. He also asserts that the doctrine of
prosperity has only two influences: the cultic meta-physical influence and the cultural influence
which he views as the churchs accommodation to the worldly values of America. Furthermore,
he offers what he terms a biblical analysis of the doctrine of prosperity. Some of the issues he
raised in this important section relate to need. McDonnell asks, how much does one need,

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Lewis Brogdon

because he believes faith teachers misconstrue need. Another issue raised was the prosperity of
Paul. Paul appears to be a counter example of the kings kid rule prominent in Word of Faith and
prosperity circles. In the Philippian letter Paul admitted to having experienced both abundance
and lack. There was absolutely no indication from Paul that his experience of lack was somehow
problematic for his faith. On the other hand, McDonnell sees a parallel between the kings kid
rule and the immature attitude of the Corinthians that Paul vigorously sought to correct.
Moreover, the central issue for McDonnell is the implications of the cross as it relates to
the Word of Faith movement in general and prosperity teaching in particular. I will focus on the
latter issue. He argues, at stake is nothing less than the meaning of the central event of
Christianity: the cross and resurrection of Jesus.34 This strong claim is made because prosperity
teaching apparently contradicts the cross on multiple levels. It subverts the demand of the cross
for self-denial, it reduces God to a means to an end, and it is focused on the things of the world
as a sign of Gods approval. On a fundamental level this contradicts the central event and its
meaning as related to faithful living. Beyond the cross, prosperity teaching is deficient because
of its understanding of the teachings of scripture about the poor. In fact, McDonnell believes they
construct a theology that not only rationalizes the disparity between rich and poor, but also that it
degrades and insults the poor by claiming that they dishonor God. In addition scriptures warning
to the rich is either ignored or greatly minimized. In summary, he emphasizes three key critiques
in his biblical analysis. The notion of prosperity is not consistent with key teachings in scripture,
it completely challenges the traditional theology of the cross, and it disregards the Bibles
teachings about the poor.
6.2 Prosperity Teaching and its Faulty Hermeneutical Base

34

D. R. McDonnell, A Different Gospel, 178.

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Lewis Brogdon

Gordon Fee, a prominent Pentecostal biblical scholar, provides essays of the two pillars
of the word of faith movement: the gospel of prosperity and the gospel of perfect health. Fee
states that the prosperity gospel is more a product of American society than the teachings of
scripture.35 Fee believes prosperity theology is sub-Christian. In the article he asserts that the
basic problem of this brand of teaching is their interpretation of scripture. He lists four larger
problems and provided critiques. Firstly, the belief that God wills for the financial prosperity of
all believers control or guides how scripture is read. Secondly, prosperity teachers read scripture
in a purely subjective and arbitrary way. Fee argues that prosperity teaching is nowhere taught in
the New Testament. It is based on randomly selecting texts while ignoring hundreds of texts that
oppose this view. Thirdly, Fee asserts that the prosperity gospel is not biblical in that it has a
truncated view of scriptures theology of wealth and possessions. Lastly, it is based on
hermeneutical selectivity. The critique of hermeneutical selectivity consists of various parts.
Firstly it is based on the belief that there is direct one to one correlation between good and evil.
In other words, it is largely based on a strong belief in divine retribution: where God immediately
blesses obedience and punished disobedience. Secondly, it fails to account for the fact that God,
to a certain extent, allows the blessings of creation to be enjoyed by the just and unjust (see
Matthew 5). Prosperity teaching and its selective use of texts fails to account for the ways
creation has been permeated and affected by the fall.
For Fee, scripture views wealth and possessions as having zero value instead of the
belief that they are indicators of divine favor. He argues that in the New Testament wealth has a
double danger, possessions are to be sold to the poor, life does not consist in having a surplus of
possessions, and the poor should be content with food and clothing. These claims challenge the
35

Gordon Fee, The Disease of the Health and Wealth Gospels. (Beverly MA: Frontline Publishing, 1985).

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Lewis Brogdon

foundation of prosperity teaching and prove the selective extent of texts use to base their system
upon. These critiques are situated in a much larger problem with this movements inability to
understand the importance of suffering and weakness and its failure to address the eschatological
tension latent in the writings of the New Testament.
7. Conclusion
Scholars and leaders from various Christian traditions have offered critiques against the
prosperity movement for its historical and theological inconsistencies and errors. I have
attempted to distill what I have found to be the major theological issues consistently alluded to
by these leading Christian thinkers. Delineating these issues allows Renewal historians and
theologians to develop a critical understanding of this movement. In an earlier essay David
Williams mentioned how even heresy compels the church to clarify and articulate a more
orthodox position on a theological issue. He viewed the prosperity movement as another
heretical-type of movement that compels the church to develop, clarify, and articulate a theology
of prosperity for the church. This essay may be one important step toward developing such a
theology. I have provided a template that delineates the issues at stake, highlighted the
theological fault lines in the popular movements theology, and briefly suggested areas where
there is promise or benefit. Any attempt to construct a theology of prosperity or an attempt to
find more positive aspects in the movements theology must, at some point, engage these issues.