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Oral Roberts and the Rise of the Prosperity Gospel
Jonathan Root
Eerdmans (2023). 272 pp.
At one point in the history of evangelicalism, Pentecostalism was viewed by many as a separate theological camp with distinct theology, emphases, and practice. The clear demarcation between Pentecostalism and mainstream evangelicalism is no more. Jonathan Root explains through the cipher of Oral Roberts’ life the confluence of Pentecostalism, mass media, and mainstream evangelicalism into what is called today modern evangelicalism. In Oral Roberts and the Rise of the Prosperity Gospel, Root makes a significant contribution through his critical biography of Oral Roberts, a major figure in the development of modern Pentecostalism and American church history. As Root notes, there is no critical biography of Roberts (p. 5). Root provides a thoughtful and clear explanation of how a poor boy from Oklahoma with marginal education became a towering figure in Pentecostalism, prosperity theology, itinerate healing ministry, media, revivalism, health care, and higher education.
Root’s work has many strengths. Root exhibits the qualities of a theologian, historian, and biographer. Root’s research explains the sociological dynamics in Roberts’ life that contributed to his shift in belief that miracles could happen but do not to the belief that miracles should happen with regularity (pp. 35–36). In the Pentecostal Holiness Church where Roberts rose to prominence, divine healing was neither emphasized nor a major theme of the movement. Roberts, through a reading of 3 John, came to the theological conviction that “God wants man to be happy, normal, healthy, strong, and prosperous,” which would be the capstone of his theology and ministry (p. 37).
Another major strength is the explanation of the sociological and historical factors that contributed to Roberts’ theological and methodological changes. One of the most interesting features of Roberts’ life and ministry was his views of medicine and medical intervention. Roberts’ tradition of Pentecostalism at the time taught that “medicine was for unbelievers” (p. 53). Roberts began to teach that “prayer and medicine . . . worked hand in hand” (p. 54) as he adjusted to the sociological and technological changes of the mid-twentieth century. The moderation in his view of medicine arose primarily out of the sociological and cultural changes that were taking place rather than theological or historical reflection (p. 201).
Root helpfully includes a lengthy discussion of Roberts’ creation and development of Oral Roberts University (ORU). ORU pioneered the development of religious educational institutions through leveraging mass media for recruitment and financial resources. One can clearly trace a line from ORU (founded in 1963) to other institutions developed around a central figure utilizing mass media. Liberty University (founded by Jerry Falwell in 1971) and Regent University of Virginia Beach, VA (founded by Pat Robertson in 1977), follow the ORU model of educational development (p. 184). Though ORU, LU, and RU lack the institutional power of schools like Wheaton or Calvin, they nonetheless have an outsized influence on the rank-and-file of evangelicalism and the theology that arises from the pews.
Despite the title of the work, Root focused primarily on explaining and investigating Roberts’ life rather than an analysis of the rise of the prosperity gospel. Root did investigate and explain a few features of the theological development of Roberts as it arose out of his personal story. For example, chapter 6 explains how Roberts’ struggle with acceptance as a child propelled him to seek celebrity status in Tulsa, OK. Root traced Roberts’ lack of friendship through his ministry, showing how it contributed to a sense of urgency (pp. 97–98). Still, the reader is left wanting more theological analysis of the development of Roberts’ theology and how it pertained to the whole of Pentecostalism and evangelicalism.
How Roberts’ life related to the rise of the prosperity gospel was largely lacking. The book’s purpose was to explain “how and why a poor Oklahoma farm kid and son of a traveling Pentecostal preacher became one of the most significant figures in not only American religion but also American culture” (p. 6). While Root explains that it did happen, he does not explain how and why it happened. For example, Root fails to comment on how Roberts superseded the institutional power of academy and denomination by his populist power, specifically through mass media. In chapter 4, Root chronicles Roberts’ desire to expand his TV ministry to “one million front seats.” Roberts’ influence was incredible, akin to a modern talk show host (pp. 72–75). Root explains that Roberts’ theology did change because of the broadening of his influence (p. 156–58), but the reader is left wondering how and why it changed. Root fails to answer these questions.
In chapter 7, Root states that Roberts made more palpable his healing and theological project through implementing his TV specials that highlighted Oral Roberts University students, but fails to explain Roberts’ pathway the impact on the audience (pp. 119–20). The latter chapters, in which Roberts’ theology is most fully explained, reads more like a catalogue of events than an analysis of the man, his thoughts and motivations, and the subsequent changes to himself and his theology (pp. 160–63).
Nonetheless, the epilogue shows that Root has more analysis and integration than was included in the book. The epilogue is the most profound and helpful section of the book for a Pastor Theologian, for here Root’s analysis is clear and persuasive. He comments on the changing landscape in America, on celebrity culture and the church, on white evangelicalism and its interplay with a multicultural Pentecostalism and legitimacy, and evangelical infatuation with money and influence. Extending this analysis by fifty to one hundred pages would have significantly improved this book.
Anyone wanting to understand the confluence of Pentecostalism, prosperity theology, and mainstream evangelicalism should be familiar with Oral Roberts. Root does a great service to provide a critical biography of such an important figure. Readers would benefit from additional work to analyze and synthesize the historical, sociological, and theological currents within Pentecostalism, the prosperity gospel, and mainstream evangelical ism. Root demonstrated that he has much to offer. Pastor Theologians should be on the lookout for future projects.
Josh Stone (PhD, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary) is Campus Pastor of Cuyahoga Valley Church in Brunswick, OH. He is a member of the St. Hildegard Fellowship of the Center for Pastor Theologians.
