The Dangers of the Prosperity Gospel

CERC ^ | April 12, 2010 | FATHER ROBERT BARRON

[Salvation]

The Dangers of the Prosperity Gospel

FATHER ROBERT BARRON

A few weeks ago, I came across an article in the Atlantic Monthly magazine, which bore the extraordinary title “Did Christianity Cause the Crash?”

I realize that much of the mainstream media is ready to blame Christianity for almost every societal ill, but this seemed a bit much. As I read through the article, it became plain that the culprit, in the author's mind, is the so-called "prosperity Gospel," the view propagated by quite a few extremely popular evangelists that material prosperity flows from the depth and quality of one's faith in God. His argument was that the willingness on the part of many Christians to risk their savings on questionable investments conduced toward the bursting of the housing bubble and the subsequent economic meltdown. Well, I'm not sure that that particular argument carries much weight, but I'll confess that the article piqued my interest in this influential theology.

In its American incarnation, the prosperity Gospel probably began with the theological speculations of the evangelist Oral Roberts. Roberts encouraged his followers to "expect miracles" and to look forward with confidence to the ways in which God would reward them, materially and financially, for their trust in his providence. One of the most prominent prosperity gospellers on the scene today is Joel Osteen, the pastor of the largest church in America, best-selling author, and a former student at Oral Roberts University. He tells his millions of readers and listeners that they should not settle for mediocre lives; instead they should trust in the Lord's ability to give them the house that they desire, the job that they deserve, and children that will make them proud. A typical piece of Osteenian advice: "friend, you have to start believing that good things are coming your way and they will!" Other advocates of this position today include the very popular televangelists Joyce Meyer and T.D. Jakes.

To give the prosperity gospellers their due, there is some biblical warrant for their position. The book of Deuteronomy consistently promises Israel that, if it remains faithful to God's commands, it will receive numerous benefits in this world. The psalmist too assures us, "delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart." And Jesus himself counsels: "seek ye first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things (food, shelter, clothing, etc.) will be added unto you." And there is no doubt that the Bible consistently urges people to trust in the providence of God at all times. Jesus' reminder that the birds, who neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns but who are nevertheless fed by their heavenly Father, is a summation of the Scriptural confidence in God's care for those who have faith in him.

However, we must be attentive to the very subtle way that the Bible itself nuances and specifies these claims. The great counterpoise to the book of Deuteronomy is the book of Job, which tells the story of a thoroughly righteous man who, in one fell swoop, suffers the loss of all of his material prosperity. Job's friends, operating out of a standard Deuteronomistic (or prosperity Gospel) point of view, argue that he must have greviously offended God, but Job – and God himself – protest against this simplistic interpretation. The deepest reason for Job's suffering, we learn, is lost in the infinite abyss of God's permissive will and is by no means easily correlatable to Job's virtue or lack thereof. And Jesus himself, the very archetype of the faithful Israelite, experiences not earthly prosperity, but a life of simplicity and death on a brutal instrument of torture. If Joel Osteen and Oral Roberts were right, we would expect Jesus to have been the richest man in Nazareth and a darling of Jerusalem high society.

Deuteronomy is indeed right when it says that "prosperity" will follow from obedience to God's will, but the prosperity in question is spiritual flourishing, and not necessarily worldly success.

The resolution of this issue turns on a distinction between a conventional understanding and a divine understanding of the successful life. Deuteronomy is indeed right when it says that "prosperity" will follow from obedience to God's will, but the prosperity in question is spiritual flourishing, and not necessarily worldly success. Obeying the divine commands does indeed lead to the right ordering of the self, and therefore to an increase in joy, even if that very obedience leads, in worldly terms, to abject suffering or failure. St. Thomas More followed the voice of his conscience and this led to the loss of his home, his family, his considerable fortune, his high political status, and eventually his life. But he died, spiritually speaking, a successful man, a saint. St. Thomas Aquinas endeavored to answer a question that many of us ask: why do the wicked often prosper and the righteous suffer? Thomas turned the question on its head by introducing the wider context of God's purposes. Perhaps, he suggested, the good person who is deprived of material goods is actually being rewarded, since that deprivation opens him more and more to the spiritual dimension; and perhaps the wicked person who has every worldly benefit is actually being punished, since those material preoccupations close him to the only good that finally matters.

So embrace the prosperity Gospel, as long as you construe prosperity along properly Gospel lines. Following God's will, abandoning yourself to the divine providence, will indeed give you treasure in heaven, but don't expect it necessarily to give you treasure on earth.

 

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

Father Robert Barron, "The Dangers of the Prosperity Gospel." Word on Fire (April 12, 2010).

Reprinted with permission of Father Robert Barron.

[gedeon3]

Well little father, there much more danger in the poverty gospel you preach. There is no honor in being poor.

[Salvation]

I also wonder about Rick Warren and his book

“The Purpose Driven Life.”

Hmmmm.

Haven’t read it so I really can’t speak to it.

[Salvation]

First of all — I’m a female.

Secondly, Christ said, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for they shall inherit the kingdom.”

Are the prosperity gospelers really poor in spirit?

[johngrace]

He helps your needs not your greeds. But I will have to say Faith is Powerful. I would pray for saturday overtime for fellow workers who needed the money. We would pray together (Protestant or Catholic) act of contrition then ask for the request then thank Jesus for results. I would then say I am combining your faith with my faith. That man would be at the bottom of the list for over time and still get called in on sudden work on saturday. Not kidding. James1:6” But he must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind.” There is a spiritual priniciple but The prosperity gospel is ungodly overkill. God wants you rich is top grade baloney. Needs are met!

[NavyCanDo]

My older sister fell hook line and sinker for the Prosperity Gospel. She invited me once to her mega-church and I what I heard there I swore I would never go back. The minister, Casey Treat had every one stand up and then asked those who gave 10,000 or more in the year to sit down. Then, 5000, then 1000, then 500, leaving only those standing who gave less. Then he went on with his lecture sermon in which he said the more rich you are the more blessed by God you are, and that if you could not afford to give as much money as the rest - then its because you are not right with God. It was humiliating.

[Irisshlass]

Rick Warren..I haven’t read his book, from what I understand he preaches liberal theology. I don’t find him to be a honest man...I’ve listen to a couple interviews of him. Also..this did it for me.

OPENING SONG AT RICK WARREN'S Global P.E.A.C.E. PLAN INAUGURATION

PURPLE HAZE

Rick Warren launched his Global P.E.A.C.E. Plan April 17, 2005 during Saddleback Church’s 25th Anniversary celebration. During the unveiling he sang the Purple Haze song, written by Jimi Hendrix about the psychedelic drug LSD and demonic visions. Here are the lyrics:

Jimi Hendrix - Purple Haze Lyrics

Purple haze all in my brain

Lately things just don’t seem the same

Actin’ funny, but I don’t know why

‘Scuse me while I kiss the sky

Purple haze all around

Don’t know if I’m comin’ up or down

Am I happy or in misery?

Whatever it is that girl put a spell on me

Purple haze all in my eyes

Don’t know if it’s day or night

You got me blowin’, blowin’ my mind

Is it tomorrow, or just the end of time?

What the heck??????????? I would run from that church if I was a member. It is up to parents to root their kids, again false prophets and people will fall for it if not rooted. I just keep seeing madness out there...sigh

[Irisshlass]

http://www.prophecyforum.com/Sundquist/RICKWARREN.htm I found this link on a search, from where I posted the above info.

[Irisshlass]

WOW.

[Richard Kimball]

St. Stephen really got the short end of the stick, then. He got in one good sermon and was stoned to death.

Saw this written a while back, "When Jesus returns, He won't be looking for our medals. He'll be looking for our scars."

[Salvation]

That certainly doesn’t sound like something Jesus Christ would do. It was the sinners who hung out around him and wanted only to touch his garment and be healed.

[NotThere]

Time to look at Matthew 6 again:

19Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: 20But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: 21For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

24No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

Dos THAT sound like teaching prosperity???

[boatbums]

Some of the best faith growth lessons God has taught me over my many years as his child have been as a result of "need". Scripture says

Romans 5:2-6

2By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

3And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience;

4And patience, experience; and experience, hope:

5And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.

6For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.

I believe with all my heart the saying I have on my tagline, "God is ready to assume full responsibility for the life wholly yielded to him." Like Paul, I know what it's like to have a lot and to have nothing, I have been hungry and pennyless - but I'm still kickin' - and I have learned that "in whatever state I am therewith to be content.". Now some folks read that and say it only proves Paul wasn't from Texas. ;o) Me...I know where he's coming from and faith only grows when it's tested. He promises me he will never leave me or forsake me - that is the promise - and it doesn't mean I will always be warm and well fed and happy. That is the lesson these "Prosperity" preachers cheat their followers out of and that is what they will answer to God about.

[hennie pennie]

Interesting thread here, but I thought that the “Prosperity Gospel” found its roots in the so-called “New Thought” movements of the early 20th century, circa people like author James Allen and religious movements such as Christian Science. What think you???

[Salvation]

Excellent. Thanks!

[Salvation]

I like my translation better. But agree.

Tribulation>experience>hope>love

**and faith only grows when it’s tested. **

Amen!

Faith without seeing!

[Salvation]

analog9 above agrees with your ideas and when this all started.

[boatbums]

Fully agree!!! I read a great book many, many years ago called “Mover of Men and Mountains” by R.G. LeTourneau. It tells of his promise to the Lord about his business getting started and his desire to bring glory to God in all. He said if 10% was good enough for God, it was good enough for him and he pledged that he would give back 90% of his business profits to the Lord’s work. God allowed him to become a very successful and wealthy man but his REAL wealth was in his faith and all the souls that knew the Lord because of his ministries. God DOES allow wealth, but I have found very few people strong enough and faithful enough to handle it the right way.

[Campion]

Ever read the book "Abandonment to Divine Providence," by the 17th C. French Jesuit priest Jean-Pierre de Caussade?

It's basically the book-length exposition of your tagline. In fact, your tagline almost sounds like a quotation from his book.

[boatbums]

Ever read the book "Abandonment to Divine Providence," by the 17th C. French Jesuit priest Jean-Pierre de Caussade? It's basically the book-length exposition of your tagline. In fact, your tagline almost sounds like a quotation from his book.

I haven't read that one but will look into it, thanks. My "tagline" came from a little plaque I had for about 15 years that I bought from a Christian bookstore. It did not have a credit to the writer on it so I was not aware of its origins. Thanks again for a source.

[grey_whiskers]

I’ll take God’s Gospel and the suffering that I know goes with it. My eye is on the future.......not on the prosperity of the current culture.

(Thunderous applause.)

I call it the "Oprah-ization of Christianity"

NO cheers, unfortunately.