Where did the ‘prosperity gospel’ come from?

[sallybutler]

Sadly, you may be right

 

[neophyte]

Aside from those two, is this some sort of modern genre of preaching or does it have roots going back farther?

This is absolutely a modern invention.

 

[Tommy999]

3John 1-2 is also a much utilized verse for prosperity gospel folks:

“I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well for you, even as your soul is getting along well” NIV

Just fyi… which goes to show how new movements can spring up when scripture is taken out of context

 

[NoelFitz]

Perhaps the Prosperity Gospel had its roots in Mark 10:29,30 and Luke 18:29,30.

---

Jesus said, “Amen, I say to you, there is no one who has given up house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands for my sake and for the sake of the gospel who will not receive a hundred times more now in this present age: houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and eternal life in the age to come (NABRE, Mk 10:29,30).

He said to them, “Amen, I say to you, there is no one who has given up house or wife or brothers or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God

who will not receive back an overabundant return in this present age and eternal life in the age to come.” (NABRE, Lk 18:29,30).

 

[Tommy999]

Yes, that one, too.

 

[Ralph]

My wife and I returned to the Catholic Church years ago from a sojourn through evangelical churches. This teaching was one influence in leading me away from the evangelical churches particularly non denominational and full gospel churches. I believe it’s a false teaching and detrimental to true faith.

 

[Tommy999]

Yes. Another hurtful side effect from prosperity gospel is when a believer dies, say, in a car accident, or the person is not wealthy or in perfect health, the implication is that the person is lacking faith or is not in right relationship with God. This is akin to shooting one’s own wounded.

 

[Ralph]

Amen. We’re talking about souls here.

 

[JonNC]

Roots? Virtually every error we see today was granted license 503 years ago by the European rebellion, euphemistically referred to as “Reform.”

It was actually nearly a thousand years ago when the Bishop of Rome went into schism with the rest of the Church.

Reform” is

The prosperity gospel movement received no license from at least the Evangelical Catholic (Lutheran) reformers movement. unless you have specific proof of your allegation, readers can assume it is incorrect.

 

[TULIPed]

And yes, it’s been pretty hard sometimes. The cost of discipleship. Nothing less will do.

Have you read any Bonhoeffer? You’d like it. “The Cost of Discipleship” is a classic.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer | Loyola Press

 

[AlbMagno]

when the Bishop of Rome went into schism with the rest of the Church.

Are you saying the true Church is the Orthodox Catholic Church?

 

[HomeschoolDad]

HomeschoolDad:

And yes, it’s been pretty hard sometimes. The cost of discipleship. Nothing less will do.

Have you read any Bonhoeffer? You’d like it. “The Cost of Discipleship” is a classic.

Loyola Press

Dietrich Bonhoeffer | Loyola Press​

Dietrich Bonhoeffer?s day of remembrance is April 9. Read his story here.

If I have read any, it would have just been bits and pieces in college. As fire-breathing a traditional Catholic as I am, I find much to respect and revere in the stories of all Christians — Bonhoeffer, Corrie ten Boom, and I will forever remember a visual I saw on TV, some evangelist, I want to say it was Jimmy Swaggart (but may have been someone else), showed pictures of martyred missionaries in closed coffins, and the preacher said “this is the cost of discipleship ---- was it worth it?”. That’s powerful. (Yes, I know Jimmy had his issues. Who hasn’t?)

That’s why I respect the Jehovah’s Witnesses. Aside from the blood transfusions thing, they really aren’t all that “weird”, they just have a fairly unique interpretation of the Bible, basically 21st-century Arians. Clean-living, decent, honest, law-abiding, what’s not to like? But if they are willing to die rather than to take a blood transfusion — no talk of “primacy of conscience” here, they just follow their church’s teaching even if they have to die doing it (wow, what a concept!) — they win my respect hands down. I’ve had several JW friends and acquaintances, good people. I can “get” them even if I don’t agree with them.

 

[TULIPed]

Ok I’m a Calvinist on a Catholic board and your ecumenism is making me uncomfortable.

Have you even spent time with a Mormon? I think they’re theology is…interesting, but I’ve never met a bad one.

Well said my friend.

 

[JonNC]

JonNC:

when the Bishop of Rome went into schism with the rest of the Church.

Are you saying the true Church is the Orthodox Catholic Church?

No. I am simply using to poster’s rhetoric in response.