Televangelists Thriving Again

During the 1980s televangelists were a common feature on America's televisions. Eventually a couple of prominent figures, like Jimmy Swaggert and Jim Bakker self-destructed and for the most part they faded out of our culture. But not permanently! They are started to return once again...

The Tallahassee Democrat reports:

Americans, at least many of them, seem to have forgotten and forgiven. TV's salvation shows are still here, bigger and flashier than ever, thanks to the proliferation of the Internet and the continued spread of satellite and cable TV. Believe with all your heart and soul, they tell the faithful. And give, give, give until you can't give any more.

But critics, from Bible-quoting theologians to groups devoted to preserving the separation of church and state, abound. At best, they say, such a theology is a simplistic and misguided way of living. At worst, they say, it is dangerous. Michael Scott Horton, who teaches historical theology at the Westminster Theological Seminary in Escondido, Calif., calls the message a twisted interpretation of the Bible - a "wild and wacky theology."

I don't think that televangelists will ever go away because as long as the medium of television exists, there will be people who use it to spread their message. Some will want to spread a basic religious message and try to get people to agree with them - not unlike political messages. Others, however, will be trying to fleece trusting viewers by selling them religious ideas for no other reason than to get them to give, give, give until they can't give any more.

If there are a few high-profile failures again, then televangelists will become unpopular enough that they will go back underground... but they may have learned their lesson. We may not see such failures again, just the fleecing of the flocks.

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• Fundamentalism
• Religious Right
• Evangelicalism