Behind Sarah Palin's Wacky Pentecostal Faith

By Anthea Butler, Religion Dispatches
Posted on July 25, 2009, Printed on July 28, 2009
http://www.alternet.org/story/141500/

The last few weeks have been rather busy for Pentecostal/Charismatic types like Sen. John Ensign (R-NV), Gov. Sarah Palin, and Bishop Thomas Weeks. Ensign alone has seen the headlines monopolized by his paid-off adulterous relationship, and the outing of his political and religious ties to The Family and his dabbling in the do-it-yourself exorcism movement. The senator’s political career, despite his vow to run for reelection, seems suspect.



Then, when you consider the excitement sparked both by Sarah Palin’s exit from the governorship of Alaska (to pursue a higher calling) and the news that Bishop Thomas Weeks has found a new wife after beating and divorcing Juanita Bynum, one might surmise that Pentecostals and Charismatics are primed to take over Howard Sterns’ title as “King(s) of All Media.”



Given the avalanche of media attention on these Pentecostal and Charismatic “newsmakers,” one might expect to find more helpful information on the movement(s) to which all three belong. After all, understanding their affiliations and beliefs can help to make sense of the motivations of such disparate figures; to say nothing of the prosperity purveyors like Creflo Dollar, Paula White, and Joel Osteen who share their tradition to some extent. When God is like “on-demand cable”—standing by to provide instant forgiveness and prosperity—it is very hard to convince the most fervent believers to adhere to basic rules of propriety, let alone values.



From a Senate investigation of prosperity ministers to Sarah Palin’s New Apostolic Reformation movement connections, Pentecostalism and its progeny (Charismatic, Third Wave, Full Gospel and non-denominational churches) have multiplied rapidly, making it is difficult to discern what the original movement is and where the offshoots are. Consider, for example, the fact that most people are unaware that Joel Osteen’s Father, John Osteen, was originally a Southern Baptist who turned Charismatic then Word of Faith (the old name for prosperity gospel). There is a reason why Joel Osteen can teach “Your best Life now”—he’s a word of Faith/prosperity guy who’s toned down the rhetoric for broader consumption.



Health and Wealth



Genealogy is important. So, in order to help you distinguish one movement from another, let me give you a brief primer on Pentecostalism and its two mutations: Prosperity Gospel and the New Apostolic movement.



The Pentecostal movement has been defined by historical, theological, and sociological means, but to understand its “mutations,” focusing on the movement’s practices is key. The Pentecostal emphasis on the gifts of the Holy Spirit, which can also function as a religious practice, are outlined in various New Testament texts (including I Corinthians 12-8-10, I Corinthians 12:28, and Romans 12:3-8). These gifts, or practices, include healings, exorcism, speaking and interpretation of tongues, words of wisdom, and prophetic utterances. Speaking in tongues or glossolialia, once touted as the primary practice of Pentecostals is now, despite the occasional outburst of televangelists, something very few Pentecostals engage in according to a 2006 Pew survey. Instead, practices of healing, faith, and exorcism have gained primacy among the “spiritual gifts.” As a result, the long-term health and strength of Prosperity Gospel and the New Apostolic Reformation (NAR) rests on the elevation and promotion of these practices above all others. The deviations, then, are just as important in understanding how Pentecostalism is being reshaped and redefined.



The Prosperity Gospel has had several names throughout its history, including the “Health and Wealth Gospel” and, as noted above, “Word of Faith,” whose antecedents arise out of the healing movements of the 19th century. Early Pentecostals laid hands on and prayed fervently for healing “in the name of Jesus”; teachings that were appropriated by many churches and evangelists. For some, however, the teachings of E. W. Kenyon on the Word of Faith (with an emphasis on “faith”) became more primary in ministries and churches. Emphasis on the power of faith asserted that Christ’s atonement for sins on the cross included healing, and that if faith were applied appropriately, whatever a believer prayed for that was in God’s will would occur.



In the late 1940s, Kenneth Hagin (sometimes known as the father of the Word of Faith Movement or just ”Daddy Hagin”) focused on principles of ”faith” and the right of believers to be healed. Using his own story of healing, Hagin, alongside evangelists like Oral Roberts, A. A. Allen, and others, began to promote healing teachings, adding financial blessings and a how-to on the proper application of “The Word of Faith.”



For these Word of Faith proponents, the emphasis was placed on an almost fanatical belief in speaking and living the Word of Faith in line with scripture. These teachings in turn became foundational for many in the movement, including Hagin protégées Kenneth Copeland, Frederick K. C. Price, and John Osteen. Many mainline Pentecostals embraced these teachings at Copeland and Hagin meetings, which also attracted Charismatics from mainline denominations. Now known as the Prosperity Gospel, these movements garnered more participants and visibility in the 1990s; not only due to the advent of larger non-denominational churches linked to the various ministries, but also to the explosion of full gospel churches led by leaders like Paul Morton (who linked to other leaders with Pentecostal backgrounds like T. D. Jakes).



Toned Bodies and Spiritual Warfare



The new generation of prosperity preachers—Creflo Dollar, Paula White, Joel Osteen, and a host of other ‘luminaries’—took the humble Health and Wealth Gospel to another level. Rather than focus on audience healings and testimonies, the leaders themselves became advertisements for the movement: highlighting their expensive cars, airplanes, homes, and perfectly-toned bodies as a way to show their parishioners and followers across the world that prosperity was the way. Any association with established denominational oversight or organizational affiliation was severed in order to keep accountability out of the hands of outsiders, and within the ministry only. Even with the scrutiny of Senator Grassley (targeting the Grassley six for their financial records), these leaders have still managed—in the depths of a worldwide recession—to hold on to followers in their home and satellite churches around the country and across the world.

http://www.alternet.org/belief/141500/behind_sarah_palin%27s_wacky_pentecostal_faith/

They are ALL wacky! But this does tell us why SHE is so wacky. Thanks for the post.

not of their same faith.
I grew up around several Church of God, Pentecostal, and Evangelical churches.
I have been kind of watching the Dominionist movement in these churches and the 'soldiers for gawd' talk can be pretty scary, especially when you know there are a lot of them that are very well armed. One fellow came up to me one day and started bragging about their coming 'revolution' when they will be 'unleashed' to kill fags and jews and n.....and anyone else who won't convert to their religion and then rattled off a list of weapons. He said 'I have an Uzi and and the names of several high powered machine guns dynamite, and bomb making materials' He said the makes of the machine guns, but I was not listening by that point I was working out how to get around him and back outside to where my truck was to make myself scarce since I am gay, I don't 'look' like it, since I look like a biker. This was not the only time I heard talk of the convert or die meme or that they are going to take this country back for gawd.
That is not to say all are or even most , but enough of them are whack that it could be very ugly when they decide the time is right for conquest. I still hope it is all talk, but I m not betting on it.

It is important to understand the mindset of people like Palin, and how much it is formed by their religious beliefs. Pentacostals and their belief systems are far, far different from the mainline Protestant churches, which have been losing members. I think this is because the Pentacostals touch on the emotions much more strongly. What with the fracturing of the family, these churches, especially the mega-churches, provide the social network that was basically torn down in the last century.
Catering to the needs of the emotionally needy can lead to creation of mindless followers and an abuse of pastoral power, which we have also seen.

Fellowship is a good thing, people need social supports but the breakdown of connectedness can result in desperate needyness that these very anti-intellectual groups cater to. As you point out, there is a lot of emotional damage out there and traditional emotional support networks have dissolved with the change in family structure from extended to nuclear, increased mobility and a host of other factors.

I think another part of the appeal of these village-like organizations (and by village I mean small-town, provincial and narrow-minded), in addition to the emotional connections that you point out is tribalism. They unite as a special, chosen group and bond together in their conformity within its structure, while guarding against outside threats through hate. The belief in an angry gawd saving a home in paradise for those who propagate his divisive judgement is the perfect thread tying them together.

I'm reading a book about the evolution of religion, and some of the few hunter-gatherer tribes left out there that have been studied worship gods not for moral reasons, but to get something from them--good hunting or relief from illness. It is believed that it is important to appease the god with gifts of some sort. The gods are identified with the clan, and the clan myths and solidarity are perpetuated by their religion.

It sounds pretty interesting.

Safety needs in a scary world... I guess for many people, retrogressing seems like the answer.

I just remembered reading somewhere that the authoritarian or conservative personality is genetically based, as is the liberal or intellectual personality... (probably read that in The Authoritarians, a free e-book by Bob Altemeyer, a professor at the University of Manitoba)...

Editor: Georffrey Parrinder
Facts on File Publicantions,
NY NY Bicester, England
Copyright 1971 by the Hamlyn Publishing Group Ltd, Newnes Books as "Man and His Gods"; revised an renamed edition 1983

It's been a good read so far.

Looks like my next book should be Altemeyer's. Interesting premise.

Hopefully, I'll remember to have a look at the library for that! (haa! My booklist is a teeny tiny bit backlogged *ahem* )

anyway, the Altemeyer ebook is free. Yay!!

the genetic component wasn't the main premise but he mentioned that personality traits are genetically coded, and that Authoritarianism is one. (if it was the Altemeyer book I got that from!)

Another reason to have republicans neutered! :D

but the faith healings / exorocisms / therapy sessions I witnessed were entertaining. People gibbering and writhing while preach lays hands on their forehead and demands a "spirit of discord" depart? Good stuff! Five religiogoofy stars out of five.

Not for their faith, but for their crimes. And put in prisons for the criminally insane.