History of the Word-Faith Movement in America

History of the Word-Faith Movement in America A Paper Submitted to the Faculty of the Seminary & Graduate School of Religion Bob Jones University in Candidacy for the Degree of Master of Arts by Elizabeth A. Johnson Greenville, South Carolina November 2017

Table of Contents Table of Contents ii History of the Word-Faith Movement in America 1 Foundations of the Word-Faith Movement 1 Pentecostal Beginnings 2 Metaphysical Currents 3 Patriarchs of the Word-Faith Movement 6 Essek W. Kenyon: Word-Faith Architect 6 William M. Branham: Healing Revivalist 8 G. Oral Roberts: Pioneer Televangelist 9 Kenneth E. Hagin: Prophet and Founder 11 Core Teachings of the Word-Faith Movement 13 Evangelical Doctrines 14 Charismatic Distinctives 15 Prosperity Gospel and Faith Healing 15 Power of Positive Confession 17 Five-Fold Offices of the Church 18 Gifts and Ministry of the Spirit 19 Metaphysical Deviations 20 Ongoing Momentum in the Word-Faith Movement 21 Summary 24 Bibliography 25 ii

History of the Word-Faith Movement in America Any inspection of social media, television, or bookstores today will display names such as Kenneth Copeland, Joyce Meyer, Joel Osteen, and Benny Hinn. Their shows and books are beyond popular to the point of being best-selling and award-winning. But what are they teaching? What common threads run throughout their ministries? These men and women are all part of what is called the Word-Faith Movement (or Word of Faith, or simply Faith). It is a product of late nineteenth-century charismatism and metaphysics, which worked together to culminate in a new framework of doctrine, first articulated around the turn of the century by E. W. Kenyon and formed into an official movement in the mid-twentieth century by Kenneth Hagin. It has since grown into a mainstream American movement, made even more accessible by networks such as TBN (Trinity Broadcasting Network) 1 and popular programming such as This Is Your Day. 2 Whether it coincides with evangelicalism or corresponds more closely to charismatism or metaphysics can only be determined after careful consideration of its origins, patriarchs, doctrines, and modern proponents. Foundations of the Word-Faith Movement The roots of the Word-Faith movement lie in the religious and philosophical currents around the turn of the twentieth century specifically, 1 History, Trinity Broadcasting Network, accessed October 30, 2017, https://www.tbn.org/about/history. 2 This Is Your Day Weekly Guide, Benny Hinn Ministries, accessed October 30, 2017, https://www.bennyhinn.org/this-is-your-day-weekly-guide/. 1

2 the rise of Pentecostalism out of the Holiness and Faith-Cure movements, and the continuing influence of metaphysics in academic and religious circles. To understand the movement s core doctrines and current practices, careful attention must be given to this underlying foundation. Pentecostal Beginnings Pentecostal, or charismatic, teaching had early roots in the Wesleyan and Keswickian movements (also known as the Holiness movements) of the 1800s. Popularized by men and women such as Charles Finney, Phoebe Palmer, Hannah Whitehall Smith, and Andrew Murray, these movements emphasized living a spiritually-empowered higher life as a Christian, and claimed that a post-salvation experience (also known as the baptism of the Spirit or second blessing ) was necessary to become fully dependent on Christ for the provision of all needs (spiritual, material, and physical). 3 Associated with these Holiness movements, but not specifically derivative of them, were various healing movements. Charles Cullis, a Boston doctor who essentially fathered the Faith-Cure movement, claimed that Christ s offer of salvation was applicable to the body as well as the soul, and divine physical healing was possible through prayer and an individual s faith. He propagated the idea of faith works, which was the practice of seeking physical and material provision by prayer and faith alone, patterned after the habits of George Müller. 4 Two major proponents of this teaching, both of 3 For more on these movements preceding Pentecostalism and their prominent teachers and preachers, see Before Pentecostalism in Robert M. Bowman, Jr., The Word-Faith Controversy: Understanding the Health and Wealth Gospel, (Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 2001): 59-62. 4 Ibid., 60-61.

3 whom directly influenced the beginnings of the Word-Faith movement, were A. J. Gordon, a Baptist preacher in Boston and founder of Gordon College in Boston, Massachusetts; and A. B. Simpson, a Presbyterian pastor in New York and founder the Christian and Missionary Alliance. 5 These men left a lasting mark on the original articulator of Word-Faith theology. By the beginning of the nineteenth century, the Pentecostal or charismatic movement was in full swing. Men such as Charles Parham and F. F. Bosworth were preaching the restoration of a New Testament type of Christianity; they focused especially on the continuation of the five-fold offices of the church as listed in Ephesians 4:11-12 (pastors, teachers, evangelists, apostles, and prophets), and the charismatic gifts mentioned in 1 Corinthians 12 (healing, miracles, prophecy, and tongues). 6 They also popularized the belief, which greatly influenced the practice of today s faith healers, that seeking supernatural healing was generally incompatible with seeking any form of medical help. 7 Metaphysical Currents As Pentecostalism was increasing, so also was the popularity of metaphysical theology, particularly within the frameworks of mind-science 5 For more on Gordon and Simpson, see Dictionary of Christianity in America, s.v. Gordon, (A)doniram (J)udson ; and Biographical Dictionary of Evangelicals, s.v. Simpson, Albert Benjamin. 6 For more about the influence and theology of Parham, Bosworth, and their contemporaries, see Bowman, The Word-Faith Controversy, 62-66. 7 Further historical context and a comparison of Pentecostal and Word-Faith theology can be found in Kenyon s Pentecostal Context in Bowman, The Word- Faith Controversy, 57-84.

4 and transcendentalism. 8 This was especially true within the academic circles of Boston, where Word-Faith s original theologian (Essek Kenyon) resided for a time. Strains of metaphysical thought were also being popularized through the writings of authors such as Ralph Waldo Trine and Ralph Waldo Emerson, and later through personalities such as Dale Carnegie and Norman Vincent Peale. 9 These cults for they certainly denied the gospel of God s Word taught various forms of Gnosticism, Unitarianism, pantheism, dualism, transcendentalism, and other false doctrines. 10 New Thought, a movement derived mainly from the teachings of mesmerist and healer Phineas Quimby, evolved from this admixture of Unitarianism and transcendentalism. 11 Quimby emphasized the superiority of the immaterial and preached the individual s divine right to physical healing, claiming that man could create his own reality through the power of positive affirmation, a view that sounds strangely similar to the Word-Faith 8 Any reference of metaphysics in connection with the Word-Faith movement generally refers to its theology, rather than its philosophy that is, the belief that the spiritual realm is life s true and only reality, and man must use his spiritual faculties (i.e., prayer) to rise above the limitations of the physical. While most metaphysical movements do not overtly claim any connection to Gnosticism, their frameworks tend to reflect the Gnostic beliefs of dualism and higher knowledge. 9 Ralph Waldo Emerson in Daniel G. Reid, Robert Dean Linder, Bruce L. Shelley, and Harry S. Stout, eds., Dictionary of Christianity in America (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1990); and The Kenyon Connection in McConnell, A Different Gospel, 36-38. 10 For a more detailed consideration of metaphysical theology, see The Kenyon Connection in D. R. McConnell, A Different Gospel: A Biblical Look at the Word of Faith Movement, updated ed. (Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Publishers, 1995): 29-54; and Key Components in the Development of the Word of Faith Message in Russell Morris and Daniel Lioy, A Historical and Theological Framework for Understanding Word of Faith Theology, Conspectus 13:1 (March 2012): 86-91. 11 McConnell, A Different Gospel, 38-42.

5 belief of positive confession. 12 New Thought author Warren Felt Evans developed and popularized this idea of affirmation even further, often instructing practitioners to employ the principle of suggestion of positive affirmation (emphasis in original). 13 Followers of New Thought would eventually move on to establish various similar movements, the most significant of which (for the purposes of understanding Word-Faith origins) was Christian Scientism. 14 Its founder, Mary Baker Eddy, had received both therapy and tutelage from Quimby himself, yet her doctrine went even further than her mentor s had: where Quimby considered the tangible world merely subordinate to the spiritual, Eddy altogether rejected the existence of the material. For example, in her chief work Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Eddy taught that physical sickness was merely an illusion that could be overcome through affirmation and prayer, positing the absence of any realm other than the spiritual or mental. 15 Eddy s work would leave a lasting imprint upon the original patriarch of the Word-Faith movement, and echoes of her teaching can be found in many of its doctrines. 12 More information about New Thought belief in positive affirmation can be found in Phineas Parkhurst Quimby in Morris and Lioy, A Historical and Theological Framework for Understanding Word of Faith Theology, 82-83. 13 Warren Felt Evans, Esoteric Christianity and Mental Therapeutics (Boston: H. H. Carter & Karrick, 1886): 152. 14 McConnell, A Different Gospel, 38-42. 15 Eddy states: Mind governs all, not partially but supremely... and it has proved itself, whenever scientifically employed, to be the most effective curative agent in medical practice. See more in Mary Baker Eddy, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures (Boston: 1889), 13.

6 Patriarchs of the Word-Faith Movement Out of this swirl of charismatic and metaphysical theology grew the roots of the Word-Faith movement. While it was not organized into an officially recognized movement until the late 1900s, much of its doctrine was first articulated by Essek Kenyon within the first few decades of the century. His teachings were implemented by a handful of preachers over the next several decades, the most notable of whom were healing revivalist William Branham and televangelist pioneer Oral Roberts. The legacies of these men were united under the leadership of Kenneth E. Hagin, the man most generally considered to be the father of the Word-Faith movement. Essek W. Kenyon: Word-Faith Architect Many people view Essek Kenyon as the grandfather of the Word- Faith movement. He was born in New York in 1867, was converted as a teenager, and began preaching in the Methodist church shortly thereafter. Throughout his twenties, he attended several training schools for brief periods of time, eventually heading to Emerson College of Oratory in Boston a school founded to produce not just orators, but evangelists of metaphysical doctrine. 16 While there, Kenyon was thoroughly exposed to New Thought and early Christian Scientism. He also frequently sat under the preaching of A. J. Gordon, a well-known charismatic pastor and proponent of faith healing, under whose ministry Kenyon recommitted to serving Christ. 17 Gordon ordained Kenyon in the early 1890s, and would serve as his mentor 16 For more information about the religious and metaphysical beginnings of Emerson College, see McConnell, A Different Gospel, 29-54. 17 Bowman, The Word-Faith Controversy, 65-66.

7 for many years. Over the next decade, Kenyon pastored a Free Will Baptist church in New York, and founded Bethel Baptist Institute, a school patterned after the practices of Müller and Cullis. 18 In 1923, Kenyon moved to Los Angeles. Although he remained an independent Baptist, he had forged close ties with Pentecostal preachers and regularly conducted interdenominational evangelistic meetings, participated in ministry with leaders of the faith healing movements, and filled pulpits at the invitation of charismatics such as A. B. Simpson and Aimee Semple McPherson. 19 In 1931, Kenyon moved to Seattle, where he would remain until his death in 1948. While there, he founded and pastored yet another independent Baptist church, pioneered the way in radio evangelism with Kenyon s Church of the Air the precursor to today s televangelism, and wrote the majority of his published works. 20 His works which include titles such as Jesus the Healer; New Creation Realities; The Two Kinds of Knowledge; The Two Kinds of Faith; and The Hidden Man propagate a combination of doctrines that have since become a core of the Word-Faith movement. 21 18 Bethel Bible Institute would struggle for years, being moved and renamed several times, before eventually merging with the still-extant Gordon College, a Boston-area school founded by A. J. Gordon in 1889 to train missionaries. See more in McConnell, A Different Gospel, 30-32. 19 Bowman, The Word-Faith Controversy, 65-66. 20 McConnell, A Different Gospel, 32. 21 More of Kenyon s works are listed at Books, Kenyon s Gospel Publishing Society, accessed November 22, 2017, https://www.kenyons.org/books.html.

8 Kenyon s teachings and practices clearly exhibit the influence of both charismatic and metaphysical theologies. 22 Although he verbally rejected Pentecostalism as destructive, especially its practice of speaking in tongues and experiencing the baptism of the Spirit, he maintained close ties with prominent Pentecostal leaders throughout his life. Likewise, while he overtly condemned metaphysics as a demonic counterfeit of genuine Christianity, yet he was known to repeatedly reference and even praise the work of Mary Baker Eddy. 23 Kenyon s lasting legacy is seen in the movement s continued beliefs in the power of speaking words in faith, the supremacy of revelation knowledge over sensory knowledge, the spiritual death and suffering of Christ on man s behalf, and the freedom from physical limitations through positive confession. William M. Branham: Healing Revivalist Around the time of Kenyon s final years, another evangelist who was influenced heavily by Kenyon s writings was doing much to further the early development of the movement. William Branham was born in Kentucky in 1909. He eventually moved to Indiana, where he was ordained as a Baptist minister in the early 1930s, and soon began preaching as a tent revivalist. Despite calling himself a Baptist, he started to include various Pentecostal practices in his ministry, most notably through his emphasis on healing and 22 There is ongoing debate whether Kenyon s teachings and thus the origins of the Word-Faith movement should be classified as charismatic (see Robert Bowman s arguments throughout The Word-Faith Controversy) or metaphysical (see D. R. McConnell s arguments throughout A Different Gospel). Perhaps a better nomenclature would be a combination of the two, as others have suggested: a sort of Pentecostal Metaphysics or Christianized Charismatic Science. 23 See the quotation from Ern Baxter in McConnell, A Different Gospel, 25-26.

9 claims of divine visions. 24 In 1946, Branham initiated the more overtly- Pentecostal healing revivals, which lasted over a decade, essentially becoming a personality cult until public support for Branham began to wane. He was also largely influential in the formation of the Latter Rain movement, a faction of Pentecostalism that emphasized the latter day outpouring of the Spirit, restoration of the charismatic gifts, and New Testament ecclesiology, among other charismatic doctrines. 25 Throughout Branham s final decades, he continued sharing platforms with religious leaders of various faiths, preaching controversial doctrines, and making frequent prophecies none of which came true. By his death in 1965, his myriad claims had caused both evangelicals and Pentecostals to largely ignore, or even deny, his influence. 26 However, despite the controversy surrounding his beliefs, especially in his later years, Branham s work helped to spread Kenyon s teachings among the general public, and his healing revivals left a lasting impression on the Word-Faith evangelists yet to come. G. Oral Roberts: Pioneer Televangelist Another key figure in the early roots of the Word-Faith movement, due to his dissemination of the prosperity gospel and widely-imitated use of mass 24 Dictionary of Christianity in America, s.v. Branham, William Marrion. 25 For the main tenets of the Latter Rain movement, see William Marrion Branham in Morris and Lioy, A Historical and Theological Framework for Understanding Word of Faith Theology, 84. 26 Bowman, The Word-Faith Controversy, 86-89.

10 media, was Granville Oral Roberts. 27 Born in Oklahoma in 1918, he experienced both financial and physical difficulties throughout his early years including tuberculosis, from which he was miraculously healed, an event that would have a lasting impact on the rest of his life. 28 By the late 1940s, he had been ordained as a Pentecostal Holiness preacher, and started an itinerant healing revival ministry (after the style of Branham) that would turn into a global crusade throughout the following decade. In 1947, Roberts began a radio ministry; by 1955, he was pioneering the way into modern-day televangelism, offering recordings of his evangelistic-healing meetings as weekly television broadcasts. 29 By the late 1960s, his broadcasts were being aired on prime-time programming and he had founded Oral Roberts University, both of which furthered his message of faith-healing, miracles, and prosperity. However, his popularity soon began to decline due to his continued outlandish claims, controversial fundraising techniques, and multiple financial scandals. 30 He also was a great proponent of unity among 27 Only Bowman seems to officially include Roberts among the founders of the movement; however, Roberts preached the same general tenets as today s Word- Faith evangelists despite forging his ministry before their establishment as a legitimate body and his ongoing influence is still seen today in the practices of many Word-Faith televangelists. Thus, he should logically be considered among the patriarchs of the movement. 28 For more on his early years, see Biographical Dictionary of Evangelicals, s.v. Roberts, Granville Oral. 29 Ibid. 30 More details on the claims, techniques, and scandals of Roberts later years can be found in Bowman, The Word-Faith Controversy, 89-91; and Biographical Dictionary of Evangelicals, s.v. Roberts, Granville Oral.

11 various denominations even sharing a platform with a Mormon group at one point 31 which earned much criticism from more conservative groups. Despite Roberts waning reputation, his work left an indelible mark upon Pentecostal and American culture. His shrewd use of mass media gave him access to millions of American homes and led the way in televangelism. His seed-faith campaigns, which promised material blessing in exchange for offering a financial gift to his organization, affected the lives of millions of less prosperous citizens across many religious persuasions, and has been widely imitated by other subsequent televangelists. 32 Additionally, his expectation of miracles, message of health and wealth, and emphasis on the continuation of charismatic gifts have greatly influenced today s Word-Faith practice and doctrine. Kenneth E. Hagin: Prophet and Founder The final father of the Word-Faith movement, and the one most universally recognized as its founder, is Kenneth E. Hagin. Born in Texas in 1917, he suffered from health problems and an absent father throughout his childhood, and was bedridden with a mysterious terminal illness 33 for over a year during his adolescence. 34 During that time of illness, and after experiencing several nightmares, he began reading the Bible and eventually 31 Bowman, The Word-Faith Controversy, 91. 32 For more information on Roberts seed-faith campaigns, see the Health and Wealth section in Randy Petersen, Modern Voices: The Christian and Money, in Christian History Magazine Issue 14: Money in Christian History: Part I, 1987. 33 Despite Hagin s visible affliction and his own written record, there seems to be no record of any official diagnosis. See McConnell, A Different Gospel, 72 n. 7. 34 Biographical Dictionary of Evangelicals, s.v. Hagin, Kenneth.

12 came to view Christ s teaching about prayer as instruction to accept his healing and get out of bed. 35 Thrilled by his experience, he began preaching divine healing, gradually shifting from his Southern Baptist roots to incorporate the charismatic practices of tongues and baptism of the Spirit, and eventually fully embraced Pentecostalism. 36 By 1950, Hagin had begun an itinerant ministry marked by prophecy, healing, divine visions, and teaching what would become the core of Word-Faith doctrine. 37 Public fervor for healing revivals began to wane throughout the 1950s but Hagin s popularity was just beginning to rise. In 1963, he founded the Kenneth E. Hagin Evangelistic Association, which spearheaded his later ventures. By 1966, he had begun a radio ministry, Faith Seminar of the Air, which eventually led to the establishment of Rhema Correspondence Bible School, an at-home Bible study course that is still available today. 38 In 1974, Hagin s ministries were so flourishing that he established a separate resident school, the Rhema Bible Training Center, to train future ministers. 39 The school (now a college with multiple international campuses) continues to contribute to the global spread of the Word-Faith movement, and is perhaps 35 McConnell, A Different Gospel, 56-57. 36 Bowman, The Word-Faith Controversy, 92-94. 37 More information about his dual ministry of teaching and prophecy, and his claims of divine visions, can be found in McConnell, A Different Gospel, 59-65. 38 Ibid., 76. See also Rhema Correspondence Bible School, Kenneth Hagin Ministries, accessed November 24, 2017, http://www.rhema.org/index.php?option= com_content&view=article&id=445&itemid=75. 39 Biographical Dictionary of Evangelicals, s.v. Hagin, Kenneth.

13 one of Hagin s greatest legacies. 40 In 1979, another far-reaching development would come to fruition with Hagin s establishment of the International Convention of Faith Churches and Ministers (ICFCM) to hold forth, contend for, and propagate Word-Faith preachers and teachers. 41 This did not establish Word-Faith as an actual denomination, but it did legitimize the movement as a distinct and formal organization; and most of today s Word- Faith ministries are members of ICFCM (now ICFM). 42 Throughout his prolific ministry, Hagin was influenced heavily by Kenyon s writings (even plagiarizing rather blatantly from Kenyon s works as he preached 43 ), Branham s example of itinerant healing revivals, and Roberts message of physical and financial prosperity. He combined the teachings and practices of all three men into what we know today as the Word-Faith movement; and his training center, writings, and organization continue to draw followers from all over the globe. Core Teachings of the Word-Faith Movement While the movement continues to shift some of its periphery claims, adapting to changing times and notoriety, its core beliefs still resemble the doctrines propagated by Hagin. However, it must also be noted that there is much disunity among today s Word-Faith teachers and preachers and, 40 Kenneth E. Hagin, Rhema Bible Training College, accessed November 24, 2017, http://www.rbtc.org/about/brother-hagin/. 41 Vision and Mission, ICFM, accessed November 5, 2017. https://icfm.org/vision-and-mission/. 42 Ibid. 43 See examples cited in The True Father of the Modern Faith Movement in McConnell, A Different Gospel, 3-14.

14 unfortunately for members of the movement, they have no true systematic theology. The more official platforms, such as the Rhema training center and ICFM, teach certain core doctrines, popular Word-Faith teachers and authors proclaim other doctrines, and critics of the movement claim it teaches yet another variety of doctrines. Therefore, outlining its main body of teaching is rather difficult; but by comparing a variety of sources and observing the common elements among them, one can gain a basic understanding of the movement that grew out of these four patriarch s works and ministries. Evangelical Doctrines Much of the Word-Faith teachings sound very similar to conservative evangelicalism. While its evangelists proffer diverse opinions regarding the definitions of various terms, at first glance they appear to have many commonalities with the major doctrines of broader evangelicalism. Some of their generally-held beliefs include the authority of Scripture; tri-unity and eternality of God; deity of Christ; sinfulness of man; justification through faith in Christ; evangelization of the lost; believer s baptism by immersion; communion as a symbolic act of remembrance; the existence of the universal church and autonomy of the local church; the imminent, pre-millennial coming of Christ to rapture His church; and a literal, future heaven and hell for believers and unbelievers, respectively. 44 However, beyond these basic doctrines are many other teachings that belie its claims to mainstream evangelicalism and manifest its charismatic and metaphysical origins. 44 For a more thorough comparison of Word-Faith and evangelical doctrines, see Our Beliefs, ICFM, accessed November 5, 2017, https://icfm.org/our-beliefs/; and Evangelical Theology in Sinclair B. Ferguson and J.I. Packer, New Dictionary of Theology (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2000).

15 Charismatic Distinctives Many prominent Word-Faith teachings clearly demonstrate its affiliation with modern-day Pentecostalism. 45 These include the believer s right to prosperity and health as a result of the atonement, the practice of faith-healing, the power of positive confession, the continuation of the fivefold offices of the church and charismatic gifts, and the baptism of the Spirit as a distinct act following a genuine profession of faith. While there are other charismatic claims among various Word-Faith teachers and ministries, these are perhaps the most widely-recognized hallmarks of the movement. Prosperity Gospel and Faith Healing One of the movement s distinct teachings, which is rooted in the seedfaith campaigns previously mentioned, is the belief that Christ s atonement for sin resulted in both spiritual and physical healing for those who believe and act in faith. According to ICFM, the main voice of the movement, Christ not only died to save man from sin, but to free him from the particular effects of sin upon this world: The atonement provides salvation for the believer, healing for the soul, healing for the body. We are redeemed from the curse of the law which is poverty, sickness and death. 46 This promise of prosperity is considered a divine right for every believer, accessible by accepting Christ s gift in faith and continuing to walk in faith on a daily basis, as part of the ongoing process of sanctification. Therefore, if one is not experiencing such health and wealth, as this teaching is commonly dubbed, then that 45 New Dictionary of Theology, s.v. Pentecostalist Theology. 46 Our Beliefs, ICF, accessed November 12, 2017, https://icfm.org/ourbeliefs/.

16 individual is either not saved at all, or is failing to actively walk by faith, and thus committing sin. 47 This belief in physical prosperity is further evidenced through the practice of faith healing, a dramatic event that takes place during special services or ceremonies, in which a central leader actively heals those who are sick and who, by faith, seek divine healing. Word-Faith teaches that, through Christ s atonement, God has provided a way for all people to be healed, or to be healthy; thus any injury or illness that remains unhealed is the result of either ignorance or unbelief. 48 But the divine anointing of the healer is not sufficient to produce healing: both parties must be walking by faith and claim the divine power of healing in order for it to be effective. 49 These doctrines of prosperity and health have been a foundational part of the movement s teaching since Kenyon s first articulations. 50 47 A lengthier explanation of the prosperity gospel, also known as the health and wealth gospel, can be found in Robert Jackson, Prosperity Theology and the Faith Movement, Themelios 15, no. 1 (1989): 16-20; and Michael Otieno Maura et al., Prosperity? Seeking the True Gospel (Nairobi, Kenya: Africa Christian Textbook Registered Trustees, 2015). 48 Is It God s Will to Heal You? Kenneth Hagin Ministries, accessed November 24, 2017, http://www.rhema.org/index.php?option=com_content&view= article&id=2691:is-it-god-s-will-to-heal-you&catid=268:september-2017& Itemid=868. 49 Morris and Lioy, A Historical and Theological Framework for Understanding Word of Faith Theology, 99-106. 50 For a comparison of the modern-day faith healers with Christological and apostolic examples from Scripture, see Sinful Attempts at Healing in Elizabeth A. Johnson, Touching the Hem: A Biblical Response to Physical Suffering (Greenville, SC: Ambassador International, 2013): 117-123.

17 Power of Positive Confession Tied closely to the believer s right to prosperity and the practice of faith healing is the doctrine of positive confession that is, speaking words in faith for the purpose of obtaining a desired result. 51 Word-Faith teaches that God used positive confession to create the universe literally speaking it into existence and Christ s atonement gave man access to its commanding power; thus words are considered the most powerful weapon and tool of believers in this world, especially when spoken in a commanding manner with genuine faith. 52 According to Hagin, the movement s official founder, Whenever we speak God s Word, we release the power of God to operate in our lives. But if we speak the opposite of what is written in Scripture, we stop God s power from working for us. One thing is certain: whatever we are saying today is what we will get in the future. 53 By speaking words in faith, any Christian can claim the physical and material prosperity that is rightfully theirs in Christ, obtain the fulfillment of promises in Scripture (such as freedom from temptation or deliverance through trials), resist or rebuke the devil and his minions, and access the full effects of Christ s righteousness. However, as with seeking prosperity and health, certain guidelines (such as genuine faith) must be followed in order 51 This doctrine has also been known popularly as name it and claim it or believe and receive. 52 A more detailed explanation of positive confession, and its connection to the prosperity gospel and faith healing practice, can be found in John Ankerberg and John Weldon, The Facts on the Faith Movement (ATRI Publishing, 2011): 5-10. 53 Words Fitly Spoken, Kenneth Hagin Ministries, accessed November 24, 2017, http://www.rhema.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1734: words-fitly-spoken&catid=166:january-2012.

18 for these words to accomplish their desired end. 54 Failure to obtain what is sought, especially those things viewed as essential to the Christian life such as forgiveness, victory over sin, or fulfillment of a divine right is considered to be the result of sin and unbelief on the part of the seeker. 55 Five-Fold Offices of the Church Word-Faith s charismatic roots are also reflected by its continuation of the five-fold offices of the church, as listed in Ephesians: this includes the commonly-held offices of evangelists, pastors, and teachers, as well the oftendebated offices of apostles and prophets. 56 Most mainstream evangelicals believe that these latter two offices have ceased for the remainder of the Church Age. However, the Word-Faith patriarchs taught the continuation of modern-day apostles and prophets (themselves included) who receive divine confirmation and personal mandates through supernatural visions and extrabiblical revelation, typically during times of personal communion with God. 57 While the movement s leaders continue to claim the supremacy of the Bible 54 For more examples of the guidelines, see Question of the Day from April 21 (Why do positive confessions bring results in some people s lives and not in others?), Kenneth Copeland Ministries, accessed November 24, 2017, http://www.kcm.org/read/questions/why-do-positive-confessions-bring-results-somepeoples-lives-and-not-others. 55 This teaching is further explained and exemplified by Kenneth Copeland, a current leader in the movement, at Why a Positive Confession Matters, Kenneth Copeland Ministries, accessed November 24, 2017, http://www.kcm.org/read/ questions/why-do-positive-confessions-bring-results-some-peoples-lives-and-notothers. 56 Eph 4:11-12. 57 This distinction is explained more fully in New Dictionary of Theology, s.v. Gifts of the Spirit. Also consider the arguments put forth in Kenneth E. Hagin, He Gave Gifts Unto Men: A Biblical Perspective of Apostles, Prophets, and Pastors (Tulsa, OK: Faith Library Publications, 1992).

19 over individual prophecies or revealed knowledge, anyone who questions the authority of an acclaimed apostle or prophet is treading on dangerous ground their prosperity, or even their life, could be jeopardized by such dissent. 58 Gifts and Ministry of the Spirit The final hallmark of the charismatic origins of Word-Faith doctrine is evidenced by their belief in the Holy Spirit s ministry to individual believers through the continuation of charismatic gifts (such as healing, miracles, prophecies, and tongues) and the baptism of the Spirit for all true believers. This continuationist view of spiritual gifts is evidenced through each of the previously mentioned doctrines the believer s right to prosperity, the practice of faith healing, the power of faith, and the continued anointing of apostles and prophets and through the practice of speaking in tongues. Since any believer can claim any power or promise in God s Word simply by speaking words of faith, then miracles can be proclaimed at any time; prophecy can be given to any believer who seeks it; and tongues are not an unusual phenomenon, but rather a sign of genuine conversion and the result of walking by faith. 59 Baptism of the Spirit is considered another distinct ministry of the Holy Spirit. It is a one-time experience following conversion that is generally accompanied by speaking with tongues, and is to be desired 58 New Dictionary of Theology, s.v. Gifts of the Spirit. 59 See also Seven Reasons Why Every Believer Should Speak in Tongues, Kenneth Hagin Ministries, accessed November 24, 2017, http://www.rhema.org/ index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1282:the-anointing-to-teach232 &catid=53&itemid=145.

20 (or claimed) by all believers. 60 As with the right to prosperity, failure to experience this baptism is seen as the result of a lack of faith on the part of the individual believer. 61 Metaphysical Deviations Beyond these charismatic hallmarks lay other, less widely-known doctrines that are dangerously similar to New Thought and Christian Science beliefs and which further confirm a connection between Kenyon s works and their metaphysical foundation. Although their typical words and phrasing are outwardly equivalent to mainstream evangelical or charismatic doctrine, some Word-Faith teachers define those terms and beliefs quite differently. For instance, consider their Christology. Some Word-Faith ministries teach that Jesus exemplified the power of positive confession during his time on the earth, and that he suffered and died spiritually as well as physically, even going to Hell where he was tormented and born again for our sake. 62 This view of Christ s ministry and atonement undergirds the belief that anyone can follow his example; everyone has the ability to claim the same level of perfection and communion with God the Father, by the power of faith and practice of positive confession. 63 60 Further explanation is given in The Initial Evidence, Kenneth Hagin Ministries, accessed November 24, 2017, http://www.rhema.org/index.php?option= com_content&view=article&id=2390:the-initial-evidence&catid=246:april-2015& Itemid=831. 61 Robert Jackson, Prosperity Theology and the Faith Movement, 21. 62 Consider the direct quotations from another modern Word-Faith teacher at Joyce Meyer, CARM, accessed November 24, 2017, https://carm.org/joyce-meyer. 63 Ankerberg and Weldon, The Facts on the Faith Movement, 6-7.

21 Logically, then, the Bible is not always viewed as the divine and supreme authority for every Christian, but simply a book of guidelines for successful living. Robert Tilton, another modern Word-Faith teacher, writes: God s Bible is the Book of Success. It is your information book. 64 Salvation is often described, not as deliverance from sin s curse of death, but as a way to achieve freedom from suffering in general; it provides the opportunity for achieving a higher standard of living and the ability to perform supernatural acts. After all, if man was created to have equality with God, then nothing is off limits to the one walking by faith. 65 This emphasis on the power of faith reflects the metaphysical belief in the supremacy of the spiritual realm, and echoes its denial of God s transcendence and the distinct humanness and pervasive sinfulness of man. 66 Ongoing Momentum in the Word-Faith Movement As these basic doctrines of Word-Faith were clarified and publicized during the latter 1900s, the movement saw widespread and rapid growth both across the nation and throughout the world. In 1973, Paul Crouch started the Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN), which quickly became and continues to be a prominent media voice of the movement. 67 In 1979, as was 64 Robert Tilton, God s Laws of Success (Dallas: W. O. F. Publications, 1983): 32. See also Ankerberg and Weldon, The Facts on the Faith Movement, 6-7. 65 See There is More Freedom for the Taking, Joyce Meyer Ministries, accessed November 24, 2017, https://www.joycemeyer.org/everydayanswers/eateachings/there-is-more-freedom-for-the-taking. 66 See New Dictionary of Theology, s.v. Metaphysics. 67 History, Trinity Broadcasting Network, accessed October 30, 2017, https://www.tbn.org/about/history.

22 mentioned previously, the International Convention of Faith Churches and Ministers was established by Kenneth Hagin Ministries as the main membership association for the movement. 68 In 1985, the Rhema Ministerial Association International was established as a governing body for Rhema graduates and Word-Faith ministers. They currently boast over sevenhundred ministers across the globe, and are considered the main authority over Word-Faith teachers and ministries. 69 In the mid-1990s, Marcus Lamb formed Daystar Television Network, which together with TBN reaches millions across the globe with the Word-Faith message. 70 Throughout the following few decades, the movement s leaders would also establish a major publishing house (Faith Library Publications) and begin distributing various magazines (e.g., Word of Faith and Voice of Victory) that continue to reach hundreds of thousands of people every month. 71 Today, one of the most prominent voices of the Word-Faith movement is that of Kenneth Copeland, televangelist and founder (with his wife, Gloria) of the Voice of Victory magazine and Kenneth Copeland Ministries. After Hagin, Copeland is considered to be the most influential and prolific of the 68 See Kenneth E. Hagin: Prophet and Founder on page 12 of this paper. 69 Robert Jackson, Prosperity Theology and the Faith Movement, 21. 70 About Daystar Television Network, Daystar Television Network, accessed November 24, 2017, http://www.daystar.com/about/. 71 See Leadership of KHM, Kenneth Hagin Ministries, accessed November 24, 2017, http://www.rhema.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=category& layout=blog&id=100&itemid=135; and Believer s Voice of Victory Magazine, Kenneth Copeland Ministries, accessed November 24, 2017, http://www.kcm. org/read/magazine.

23 Word-Faith teachers, and even his children and grandchildren are prominently involved in the Copeland enterprise. 72 Kenneth W. Hagin, son of Word-Faith patriarch Kenneth E. Hagin, is another significant modern-day leader in the movement. He received the baton of leadership for Kenneth Hagin Ministries after his father s death in 2003 (due to his lifelong heart problems). Hagin preaches evangelistically around the world, serves as the International Director of Rhema Ministerial Association International, and has overseen the establishment of multiple Rhema colleges around the world. 73 While the movement s other prominent leaders are far too numerous to list here, among the most globally-recognized are Joyce Meyer, teacher and bestselling author; Benny Hinn, faith-healing evangelist; Robert Tilton, pastor of Word of Faith Outreach Center in Dallas; Paul Yonggi Cho, pastor of the world s largest congregation in Seoul; and Joel Osteen, pastor and bestselling author. 74 Consideration of popular social media personalities, bestselling inspirational books, and prominent televangelists also reflects the Word-Faith alliance of people such as Creflo Dollar, T. D. Jakes, Frederick 72 About Us, Kenneth Copeland Ministries, accessed November 20, 2017. http://www.kcm.org/about-us-0. 73 Leadership of KHM, Kenneth Hagin Ministries, accessed November 20, 2017, http://www.rhema.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=7& Itemid=136. 74 To better understand the connection of these persons to the Word-Faith movement, see Ankerberg and Weldon, The Facts on the Faith Movement; Hank Hanegraaff, What s Wrong with the Faith Movement (Part One) in Christian Research Journal 15, no. 3 (1993): 3-6; Morris and Lioy, A Historical and Theological Framework for Understanding Word of Faith Theology, 92; and the sources mentioned or referenced in Robert Jackson, Prosperity Theology and the Faith Movement, 23.

24 Price, Charles Capps, Marilyn Hickey, Robert Schuller, Paula White, and others whose names would be very familiar to many Americans. 75 The words and works of these men and women align closely with the charismatic movement, accentuating the health and wealth philosophy of the movement and minimizing its controversial metaphysical roots and beliefs. Summary Word-Faith proponents today number in the hundreds of thousands, if not millions, and the movement continues to spread into the uttermost parts of the earth. Its message of easy prosperity commands the attention of the common man, unversed in biblical doctrine, and appeals to the masses of every nation and culture. Yet underneath its attractive claims lies a foundation of dangerous doctrine. Its charismatic and metaphysical roots have been woven into the very substance of its teachings and practices, from its original articulation by Kenyon, to its implementation by Branham and Roberts, formalization by Hagin, and popularization by hundreds of preachers today. Careful attention to the words of today s Word-Faith leaders will further demonstrate such a commingling of doctrine, and quickly manifest the reasons for its continued advancement across the globe. 75 Some of these are mentioned by name in Morris and Lioy, A Historical and Theological Framework for Understanding Word of Faith Theology, 92; and Hanegraaff, What s Wrong with the Faith Movement (Part One), 4-6. Others are too recent to be noted in reputable sources, but careful consideration of their overall messages demonstrates their affiliation with the Word-Faith movement.

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