Socioeconomic analysis In the United States, the movement has drawn many followers from the
middle class and is most popular in
commuter towns and
urban areas. In
Exporting the American Gospel: Global Christian Fundamentalism Steve Brouwer, Paul Gifford, and Susan Rose speculate that the movement was fueled by a prevailing disdain for
social liberalism in the United States that began in the 1970s. Rosin argues that prosperity theology emerged because of broader trends, particularly American economic optimism in the 1950s and 1990s. Tony Lin of the
University of Virginia has also compared the teaching to
manifest destiny, the 19th-century belief that the United States was entitled to the
West.
Marvin Harris argues that the doctrine's focus on the material world is a symptom of the
secularization of American religion. He sees it as an attempt to fulfill the
American Dream by using supernatural power. Prosperity theology has become popular among
poor Americans, particularly those who seek personal and social advancement. It has seen significant growth in black and Hispanic churches and is particularly popular among immigrants. Apologists for the movement note its ethnic diversity and argue that it encompasses a variety of views. Joel Robbins of Cambridge University notes that most anthropologists attribute the theology's appeal to the poor—especially in the
Global South—to the fact that it promises security and helps explain capitalism. Simon Coleman developed a theory based on the doctrine's rhetoric and the feeling of belonging it gave parishioners. In a study of the Swedish
Word of Life Church, he noted that members felt part of a complex gift-exchange system, giving to God and then awaiting a gift in return (either directly from God or from another church member).
Hillsong Church, the largest congregation in Australia, teaches a form of prosperity theology that emphasizes personal success.
Marion Maddox has argued that this message has drawn a significant number of upwardly mobile Australians.
Scott Morrison, who became the 30th
Prime Minister of Australia in August 2018, is a member of
Horizon Church, a Pentecostal church that believes in prosperity theology. In a 1998 interview in
Christianity Today,
Bong Rin Ro of the
Asia Graduate School of Theology suggested that the growth in popularity of prosperity theology in South Korea reflects a strong "shamanistic influence". Bong pointed to parallels between the tradition of paying
shamans for healing and the prosperity theology's contractual doctrine about giving and blessings. Asia's economic problems, he argued, encouraged the growth of the doctrine in South Korea, though he claims it ignores the poor and needy. During the interview, he stated that he saw the problem beginning to be reversed, citing calls for renewed faith and other practices.
Cho Yong-gi, pastor of
Yoido Full Gospel Church in Seoul, has been criticized for shamanizing Christianity. This criticism has focused on his healing and exorcism ministries and his promise of material blessings. Malaysian Christian writer Hwa Yung has defended Cho's healing and exorcism ministries, arguing that he successfully contextualized the gospel in a culture where shamanism was still prevalent. However, Hwa criticizes Cho's teaching of earthly blessings for not reflecting a trust in God's daily provision and for their heavy focus on earthly wealth.
Comparisons with other movements Historian
Carter Lindberg of
Boston University has drawn parallels between contemporary prosperity theology and the medieval
indulgence trade. Comparisons have also been made to
Calvinism, but
John T. McNeill disputes the widespread semi-
Weberian idea that Calvinism promoted the idea of prosperity as a marker of
the elect. Coleman notes that several pre–20th century Christian movements in the United States taught that a holy lifestyle was a path to prosperity and that God-ordained hard work would bring blessing. Coleman has speculated that modern-day prosperity theology borrows heavily from the
New Thought movement, though he admits that the connection is sometimes unclear. Jenkins notes that critics draw a parallel between prosperity theology and the
cargo cult phenomenon. While citing the popularity of prosperity theology in agrarian African communities, he argues that it can also bear similarities to
traditional African religious rituals. J. Matthew Wilson of
Southern Methodist University compares the movement to
Black theology owing to its focus on uplifting oppressed groups, though he notes that it differs in its concentration on individual success rather than corporate political change. Observers have proposed that some doctrines and beliefs found in
the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) are reminiscent of prosperity theology. This includes a similar interpretation of Malachi 3:10 found among LDS members as among Protestant prosperity theology and LDS lesson manuals teaching a "prosperity cycle" that shows material wealth follows from obedience to God. A ''
Harper's Magazine'' editorial from 2011 alleged that these similarities were behind the Republican Party's economic policies, and further claimed that "In comparison to most other Protestant denominations, Mormonism has an established tradition of entrepreneurship and less ambivalence about the pursuit of wealth." However, it also explicitly noted that "None of the prosperity gospel's proponents are themselves Mormon."
Criticism Mainstream
evangelicalism has consistently opposed prosperity theology as
heretical and prosperity ministries have frequently come into conflict with other Christian groups, including those within the Pentecostal and Charismatic movements. Critics, such as Evangelical pastor
Michael Catt, have argued that prosperity theology has little in common with traditional Christian theology. Prominent evangelical leaders, such as
Rick Warren,
Ben Witherington III, and
Jerry Falwell, have harshly criticized the movement, sometimes denouncing it as heretical. Warren proposes that prosperity theology promotes the idolatry of money, and others argue that
Jesus' teachings indicate a disdain for material wealth. In
Mark: Jesus, Servant and Savior,
R. Kent Hughes notes that some 1st-century rabbis portrayed material blessings as a sign of God's favor. He cites Jesus's statement in Mark 10:25, "It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God" (KJV), as evidence against such thinking. Other critics of the movement assail promises made by its leaders, arguing that the broad freedom from problems they promise is irresponsible.
Televangelists are often criticized for abusing the faith of their listeners by enriching themselves through large donations. Prosperity theology has been opposed for not adequately explaining the poverty of the
Apostles. For instance, some theologians believe that the life and writings of
Paul the Apostle, who is thought to have endured significant suffering during his ministry, are particularly at odds with prosperity theology.
Cathleen Falsani, a religion writer in an opinion piece in
The Washington Post, points to the conflict with basic Christian teachings: "Jesus was born poor, and he died poor. During his earthly tenure, he spoke time and again about the importance of spiritual wealth and health. When he talked about material wealth, it was usually part of a cautionary tale." In their book
Health, Wealth and Happiness, theologians David Jones and Russell Woodbridge characterize the doctrine as poor theology. They suggest that righteousness cannot be earned and that the Bible does not promise an easy life. They argue that it is inconsistent with the gospel of Jesus and propose that the central message of the gospel should be Jesus's life, death, and resurrection. Jones and Woodbridge see Jesus's importance as vital, criticizing the prosperity gospel for marginalizing him in favor of a focus on human need. In another article, Jones criticizes the prosperity theology interpretation of the
Abrahamic covenant, God's promise to bless Abraham's descendants, arguing that this blessing is spiritual and should already apply to all Christians. He also argues that the proponents of the doctrine misconstrue the atonement, criticizing their teaching that Jesus's death took away poverty as well as sin. He believes this teaching stems from a misunderstanding of Jesus's life. He criticizes John Avanzini's claim that Jesus was wealthy as a misrepresentation, noting that Paul often taught Christians to give up their material possessions. Although he accepts giving as "praiseworthy", he questions the motives of prosperity theology. He criticizes the "Law of Compensation", which teaches that when Christians give generously, God will give back more. Rather, Jones cites Jesus's teaching to "give, hoping for nothing in return". Jones and Woodbridge also note that Jesus instructed followers to focus on spiritual rewards, citing his command in Matthew 6:19–20 "Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth ... But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven" (KJV). Jones criticizes the doctrine's view of faith: he does not believe that it should be used as a spiritual force for material gain but seen as selfless acceptance of God. The
General Council of the Assemblies of God USA criticized the doctrine of positive confession in 1980, noting examples of negative confessions in the Bible (where Biblical figures express fears and doubts) that had positive results and contrasting these examples with the focus on positive confessions taught by prosperity theology. The Council argues that the
biblical Greek word often translated as "confess" literally means "to speak the same thing" and refers to both positive and negative confessions. The statement also criticizes the doctrine for failing to recognize the will of God: God's will should have precedence over the will of man, including their desires for wealth, and Christians should "recognize the sovereignty of God". The statement further criticizes prosperity theology for overlooking the importance of prayer, arguing that prayer should be used for all requests, not simply positive confession. The Council noted that Christians should expect suffering in this life. They urge readers to apply practical tests to positive confession, arguing that the doctrine appeals to those who are already in affluent societies, but that many Christians in other societies are impoverished or imprisoned. Finally, the paper criticizes the distinction made by advocates of prosperity theology in the two Greek words that mean "speaking", arguing that the distinction is false and that they are used interchangeably in the Greek text. The Council accused prosperity theology of taking passages out of context to fulfill its own needs, with the result that the doctrine of positive confession is contradictory to the
holistic message of the Bible. The president of the
Nigerian Baptist Convention criticized prosperity theology as a damaging teaching that departs from the central message of the
Bible, namely the
cross of Jesus. In April 2015,
Dallin H. Oaks, an
apostle of
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, stated that people who believe in "the theology of prosperity" are deceived by riches. He continued by saying that the "possession of wealth or significant income is not a mark of heavenly favor, and their absence is not evidence of heavenly disfavor". He also cited how Jesus differentiated the attitudes towards money held by the
young rich man in Mark 10:17–24, the
good Samaritan, and
Judas Iscariot in his betrayal. Oaks concluded this portion of his sermon by highlighting that the "root of all evil is not money but the love of money". That same year, well known pastor and prosperity gospel advocate Creflo Dollar launched a fundraising campaign to replace a previous private jet with a $65 million
Gulfstream G650. On the August 16, 2015 episode of his
HBO weekly series
Last Week Tonight,
John Oliver satirized prosperity theology by announcing that he had established his own tax-exempt church, called
Our Lady of Perpetual Exemption. In a lengthy segment, Oliver focused on what he characterized as the predatory conduct of televangelists who appeal to people in financial distress or personal crises for repeated gifts, and he criticized the very loose requirements for entities seeking tax-exempt status as churches under U.S. tax law. Oliver said he would ultimately donate any money the church collects to
Doctors Without Borders.
Antonio Spadaro and Marcelo Figueroa, in the Jesuit journal
La Civiltà Cattolica, examined the origins of the prosperity gospel in the United States and described it as a reductive version of the
American Dream which had offered opportunities of success and prosperity unreachable in the
Old World. The authors distinguished the prosperity gospel from
Max Weber's
Protestant ethic, noting that the Protestant ethic linked prosperity to religiously inspired austerity. In contrast, the prosperity gospel viewed prosperity as a direct result of personal faith. They criticized many aspects of the prosperity gospel, noting particularly the tendency of believers to lack compassion for the poor, since their poverty was seen as a sign that they had not followed the rules and therefore are not loved by God. A 2019 documentary entitled
American Gospel: Christ Alone presents many critical analyses of the prosperity gospel while following the stories of individuals whose lives had intersected with prosperity teachings, including
Costi Hinn, nephew of
Benny Hinn. The reality television series
Preachers of L.A. follows the lives of pastors who adhere to prosperity theology. In a review, Cathleen Falsani described it as imitating other reality series with "McMansions, bling, hair extensions, luxury cars, pontificating, preening and epic delusions of grandeur".
John Piper has said that "the prosperity gospel will not make anybody praise Jesus; it will make people praise prosperity." == Notable works by advocates ==