Televangelism(fromtelevangelist,ablendoftelevisionandevangelist) and occasionally termedradio evangelismorteleministry,denotes the utilization of media platforms, notablyradioand television, for themarketing of religious messages,particularly Christianity.
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/6e/Brazilian_Televangelist.jpg/220px-Brazilian_Televangelist.jpg)
Televangelists are either official or self-proclaimedministerswho devote a large portion of their ministry to televisionbroadcasting.Some televangelists are also regularpastorsor ministers in their own places of worship (often amegachurch), but the majority of their followers come from TV and radio audiences. Others do not have a conventional congregation, and work primarily through television. The term is also used derisively by critics as an insinuation of aggrandizement by such ministers.
Televangelism began as a uniquely American phenomenon, resulting from alargely deregulated mediawhere access totelevision networksandcable TVis open to virtually anyone who can afford it, combined with alarge Christian populationthat is able to provide the necessary funding. It became especially popular amongEvangelical Protestantaudiences, whether independent or organized around Christian denominations. However, the increasing globalisation of broadcasting has enabled some American televangelists to reach a wider audience through international broadcast networks, including some that are specifically Christian in nature.
Some countries have a more regulated media with either general restrictions on access or specific rules regarding religious broadcasting. In such countries, religious programming is typically produced by TV companies (sometimes as a regulatory or public service requirement) rather than privateinterest groups.
Terminology
editThe wordtelevangelismis aportmanteauof television and evangelism and it was coined in 1958 as the title of a television miniseries by theSouthern Baptist Convention.[1]Jeffrey K. Haddenand Charles E. Swann have been credited with popularising the word in their 1981 surveyPrime Time Preachers: The Rising Power of Televangelism.[2]However, the termtelevangelistwas employed byTimemagazine already in 1952, when telegenic Roman Catholic BishopFulton Sheenwas referred to as the "first televangelist".[3]
History
editRadio
editChristianity has always emphasizedpreaching the gospelto the whole world, taking as inspiration theGreat Commission.Historically, this was achieved by sendingmissionaries,beginning with theDispersion of the Apostles,and later, after the invention of theprinting press,included the distribution ofBiblesandreligious tracts.Some Christians realized that the rapid uptake ofradiobeginning in the 1920s, provided a powerful new tool for this task, and they were amongst the first producers ofradio programming.Radio broadcasts were seen as a complementary activity to traditional missionaries, enabling vast numbers to be reached at relatively low cost, but also enabling Christianity to be preached in countries where this was illegal and missionaries were banned. The aim of Christian radio was to both convert people to Christianity and to provide teaching and support to believers. These activities continue today, particularly in the developing world.Shortwaveradio stations with a Christian format broadcast worldwide, such asHCJBinQuito,Ecuador,Family Radio'sWYFR,and theBible Broadcasting Network (BBN),among others.
One of the first ministers to use radio extensively wasS. Parkes Cadman,beginning in 1923.[4][5]In 1923,Calvary Baptist ChurchinNew York Citywas the first church to operate its own radio station.[6]"Tell It From Calvary" is a radio show that the church still produces weekly; it's heard on WMCA AM570.[7]By 1928, Cadman had a weekly Sunday afternoon radio broadcast on theNBCradio network, his powerful oratory reaching a nationwide audience of five million persons.[8]
Aimee Semple McPhersonwas another pioneering tent-revivalist who soon turned to radio to reach a larger audience. Radio eventually gave her nationwide notoriety in the 1920s and 1930s, and she even built one of the earliestPentecostalmegachurches.
In theU.S.,theGreat Depressionof the 1930s saw a resurgence ofrevival-tentpreachingin theMidwestandSouth,as itinerant traveling preachers drove from town to town, living offdonations.Several preachers began radio shows as a result of their popularity.
In the 1930s, a famous radio evangelist of the period wasRoman Catholicpriest FatherCharles Coughlin,whose stronglyanti-Communistandantisemiticradio programs reached millions of listeners. Other early Christian radio programs broadcast nationwide in the U.S. beginning in the 1920s–1930s, include (years of radio broadcast shown):Bob Jones, Sr.(1927–1962),Ralph W. Sockman(1928–1962),G. E. Lowman(1930–1965),Music and the Spoken Word(1929–present),The Lutheran Hour(1930–present), andCharles E. Fuller(1937–1968).[9][10]Timemagazine reported in 1946 that Rev. Ralph Sockman'sNational Radio PulpitonNBCreceived 4,000 letters weekly and Roman Catholic archbishopFulton J. Sheenreceived between 3,000 and 6,000 letters weekly. The total radio audience for radio ministers in the U.S. that year was estimated to be 10 million listeners.[11]
An association of AmericanEvangelical Protestantreligious broadcasters, theNational Religious Broadcasters,was founded in 1944.[12]
Television
editAlthoughtelevisionalso began in the 1930s, it was not used for religious purposes until the early 1950s.Jack WyrtzenandPercy Crawfordswitched to TV broadcasting in the Spring of 1949. Another television preacher of note wasFulton J. Sheen,who successfully switched to television in 1951 after two decades of popular radio broadcasts and whomTimecalled "the first 'televangelist'".[13]Sheen would win numerousEmmy Awardsfor his program that ran from the early 1950s, until the late 1960s.
In 1951, producer Dick Ross andBaptistevangelistBilly Grahamfounded the film production companyWorld Wide Pictures,which would make videos of his preaching and Christian films.[14]
After years of radio broadcasting in 1952Rex Humbardbecame the first to have a weekly church service broadcast on television. By 1980, the Rex Humbard programs spanned the globe across 695 stations in 91 languages and to date the largest coverage of any evangelistic program.Oral Roberts's broadcast by 1957 reached 80% of the possible television audience through 135 of the possible 500 stations.[15]In Uruguay,Channel 4airs the Roman Catholic Church mass since 1961.[16]
Christian Broadcasting Network,the first Christian channel, was founded in 1961, byBaptistPastorPat Robertson.[17]Its showThe 700 Club,is one of the oldest on the American television scene and was broadcast in 39 languages in 138 countries in 2016.[18]
The 1960s and early 1970s, saw television replace radio as the primary home entertainment medium, but also corresponded with a further rise inEvangelical Christianity,particularly through the international television and radio ministry ofBilly Graham.Many well-known televangelists began during this period, most notablyOral Roberts,Jimmy Swaggart,Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker,Jerry Falwell,Jesse Duplantisand Pat Robertson. Most developed their own media networks, news exposure, and political influence. In the 21st century, some televised church services continue to attract large audiences. In the US, there areJoel Osteen,Joyce MeyerandT. D. Jakes.[19]In Nigeria, there areEnoch AdeboyeandChris Oyakhilome.[20]Trinity Broadcasting Networkis the world's largest religious television network.[21]
Controversies and criticism
editTelevangelists frequently draw criticism from other Christian ministers. For example, preacherJohn MacArthurpublished a number of articles in December 2009 that were highly critical of some televangelists.
Someone needs to say this plainly: The faith healers and health-and-wealth preachers who dominate religious television are shameless frauds. Their message is not the true Gospel of Jesus Christ. There is nothing spiritual or miraculous about their on-stage chicanery. It is all a devious ruse designed to take advantage of desperate people. They are not Godly ministers but greedy impostors who corrupt the Word of God for money's sake. They are not real pastors who shepherd the flock of God but hirelings whose only design is to fleece the sheep. Their love of money is glaringly obvious in what they say as well as how they live. They claim to possess great spiritual power, but in reality they are rank materialists and enemies of everything holy.
Similarly,Ole Anthonywrote very critically of televangelists in 1994.[23]
A proportion of their methods and theology are held by some to be conflicting with Christian doctrine taught in long existing traditionalist congregations. Many televangelists are featured by "discernment ministries" run by other Christians that are concerned about what they perceive as departures from sound Christian doctrine.
- Many televangelists exist outside the structures of Christian denominations, meaning that they are not accountable to anyone.
- The financial practices of many televangelists are unclear. A 2003 survey by theSt. Louis Post-Dispatchindicated that only one out of the 17 televangelists researched were members of theEvangelical Council for Financial Accountability.[24]
- Theprosperity gospeltaught by many televangelists promises material, financial, physical, and spiritual success to believers, which can run counter to several aspects of Christian teaching that warn of suffering for following Christ and recommend surrendering one's material possessions(see:Jesus and the rich young man).
- Some televangelists have significant personal wealth and own large properties, luxury cars, and various transportation vehicles such as private aircraft or ministry aircraft. This is seen by critics to be contradictory to traditional Christian thinking.[25]
- Televangelism requires substantial amounts of money to produce programs and purchase airtime on cable and satellite networks. Televangelists devote time to fundraising activities. Products such as books, CDs, DVDs, and trinkets are promoted to viewers.
- Televangelists claim to be reaching millions of people worldwide with the gospel and producing numerous converts toChristianity.However, such claims are difficult to verify independently and are often disputed.[26]
- Several televangelists have been very active in the national or international political arena (e.g.,Pat Robertson,Jerry Falwell,Jimmy Swaggart,John Hagee), and often espouseconservativepolitics on their programs. Such televangelists may occasionally arouse controversy by making remarks deemed offensive on their programs or elsewhere, or by endorsing partisan political candidates on donor-paid airtime, which runs afoul of theJohnson Amendment's ban ontax-exempt organizationssupporting or opposing candidates for political office.
Senate probe
editIn 2007,SenatorChuck Grassleyopened a probe into the finances of six televangelists who preach a "prosperity gospel".[27]The probe investigated reports of lavish lifestyles by televangelists including fleets ofRolls-Royces,palatial mansions, private jets, and other expensive items purportedly paid for by television viewers who donate due to the ministries' encouragement of offerings. The six that were investigated are:
- Kennethand Gloria Copeland of Kenneth Copeland Ministries of Newark, Texas;
- Creflo Dollarand Taffi Dollar of World Changers Church International and Creflo Dollar Ministries of College Park, Georgia;
- Benny Hinnof World Healing Center Church Inc. and Benny Hinn Ministries of Grapevine, Texas;
- Eddie L. Longof New Birth Missionary Baptist Church and Bishop Eddie Long Ministries of Lithonia, Georgia;DocuSeries – Sex Scandals and Religiondid a 2011 investigative episode on his alleged sexual misconduct[28]
- Joyce Meyerand David Meyer of Joyce Meyer Ministries of Fenton, Missouri and
- Randy White and ex-wifePaula Whiteof the Without Walls International Church and Paula White Ministries of Tampa.[29]
On January 6, 2011, Grassley released his review of the six ministries response to his inquiry. He called for a further congressional review of tax-exemption laws for religious groups.[30]
In Islam
editInIslam,the related concept ofdawah,which encourages Muslims to go and spread the religion to Non-Muslims similar to the Evangelical tradition of evangelizing, has also given rise to figures who are often described as "Islamic televangelists" who preach using Television andInternet videoslike their Evangelical counterparts.[31]Examples includeMoez Masoud,Zakir NaikandAmr Khaled,amongst others.[31][32]These figures may build on the longstandingda'itradition but also draw inspiration from Christian televangelists. Similarly to Christian televangelists, critics have argued that some Islamic televangelists may be toopolitical,especially those pandering to fundamentalIslamismincluding thefar-right.[31][33]Critics also claim that many will make significant amounts of money from their work and therefore may not be motivated by spiritual or charitable causes.
Examples of well-known Islamic televangelist TV channels includeMuslim Television Ahmadiyya,Islam Channel,ARY QtvandPeace TV.Some of these channels, but not all, have come under scrutiny from national television or communications regulators such asOfcomin the UK and theCRTCin Canada, with Ofcom having censured both Islam Channel and Peace TV in the past for biased coverage of political events,[34]incitement to illegal acts includingmarital rape,[35]andhomophobia.[36]The Islamic televangelist channel Peace TV is banned in India, Bangladesh, Canada, Sri Lanka, and the United Kingdom.[37][38][39]
See also
edit- List of television evangelists
- List of televangelists in Brazil
- McDonaldisation, Masala McGospel and Om Economics,study of televangelism in India
- National Religious Broadcasters
- New religious movement
- Our Lady of Perpetual Exemption
- Parodies of televangelism
- Prosperity theology
- Televangelist Peter Popoff exposed by James Randi
References
edit- ^Denis J. Bekkering, "From 'Televangelist' to 'Intervangelist': The Emergence of the Streaming Video Preacher."The Journal of Religion and Popular Culture23, no.2 (2011), 101–117.
- ^Jeffrey K. Hadden and Charles E. Swann,Prime Time Preachers: The Rising Power of Televangelism.Addison-Wesley, 1981.ISBN978-0201038859.
- ^"Bishop Fulton Sheen: The First 'Televangelist'",Time Magazine,Monday, April 14, 1952
- ^"S. Parkes Cadman dies in coma at 71"(PDF).The New York Times.July 12, 1936.Retrieved2009-01-26.
- ^"Radio Religion".Time magazine.January 21, 1946. Archived fromthe originalon January 25, 2008.Retrieved2007-12-16.
- ^Jaker, Bill; Sulek, Frank and Kanze, Peterr.The airwaves of New York: illustrated histories of 156 AM stations in the Metropolitan Area, 1921-1996Page 168. WQAO went on the air 1923. WQAO went on the air 1923. One of the earliest religious broadcasters in New York. Retrieved November 20, 2009.
- ^"Welcome to WMCA 570 AM & 102.3 FM - New York | The Mission WMCA - New York, NY".2020-05-29. Archived fromthe originalon 2020-05-29.Retrieved2020-05-29.
- ^"Air Worship".Time magazine.February 9, 1931. Archived fromthe originalon December 15, 2008.Retrieved2007-12-19.
- ^ "Billy Graham Center archives".Wheaton College.Retrieved2007-08-30.
- ^Thomas H. O'Connor(1985).Baltimore Broadcasting from A to Z.Baltimore, Maryland: O'Connor Communications.
- ^"Radio Religion".Time Magazine.January 21, 1946. Archived fromthe originalon January 25, 2008.Retrieved2007-12-16.
- ^J. Gordon Melton, Phillip Charles Lucas, Jon R. Stone,Prime-time Religion: An Encyclopedia of Religious Broadcasting,Oryx Press, USA, 1997, p. 383
- ^"Bishop Fulton Sheen".Time.1952-04-14. Archived fromthe originalon August 25, 2013.Retrieved2011-01-21.
- ^John Lyden,The Routledge Companion to Religion and Film,Taylor & Francis, Abingdon-on-Thames, 2009, p. 82
- ^David E. Harrell Jr. "Healers and Televengelists After World War II in Vinson Synan,"The Century of the Holy Spirit: 100 Years of Pentecostal and Charismatic Renewal(Nashville: Nelson, 2001) 331
- ^ICMtv produce la Misa de Canal 4- Iglesia Católica Montevideo, 21 September 2017
- ^Randall Herbert Balmer,Encyclopedia of Evangelicalism: Revised and expanded edition,Baylor University Press, USA, 2004, p. 157
- ^George Thomas Kurian, Mark A. Lamport,Encyclopedia of Christianity in the United States,Volume 5,Rowman & Littlefield, USA, 2016, p. 469
- ^George Thomas Kurian, Mark A. Lamport,Encyclopedia of Christianity in the United States, Volume 5,Rowman & Littlefield, USA, 2016, p. 2275-2276
- ^P. Thomas, P. Lee,Global and Local Televangelism,Springer, USA, 2012, p. 182
- ^Elaine Woo (December 2, 2013)."Paul Crouch dies at 79; founder of the Trinity Broadcasting Network".The Washington Post.RetrievedJuly 6,2014.
He bought more television stations, then piled on cable channels and eventually satellites until he had built the world's largest Christian television system...
- ^"A Colossal Fraud".Grace to You.
- ^Corruption in Televangelism and Paganism in the American Church.September 23, 1994.ArchivedAugust 12, 2013, at theWayback Machine
- ^"Archived copy".Archived fromthe originalon 2010-05-23.Retrieved2010-05-25.
{{cite web}}
:CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^See, for example,"Lee Zurik Investigation: Could ministries face IRS issues? - New Orleans News, Breaking News, Sports & Weather - FOX 8 Live WVUE-TV Channel 8".Archived fromthe originalon 2010-05-30.Retrieved2010-05-25.
- ^Calvin L Smith wrote athttp://www.calvinlsmith.com/2010/05/televangelism.html,"Thus, despite a clear market demand for religious broadcasting... the evidence is that, ironically, the medium actually wins very few converts and is completely ineffective as an evangelistic tool. Instead religious broadcasting is primarily aimed at and viewed by Christians..."
- ^"Grassley seeks information from six media-based ministries"(Press release). 6 November 2007.Archivedfrom the original on 5 July 2018.Retrieved4 July2018.
- ^"Sex Scandals In Religion – Ep. 4: IN THE NAME OF THE LORD".Earthbook.tv. Archived fromthe originalon 29 May 2011.Retrieved20 October2011.
- ^"Sen. Grassley probes televangelists' finances".USA Today.The Associated Press. 7 November 2007.Retrieved20 October2011.
- ^"The United States Senate Committee on Finance: Newsroom – Ranking Member's News".Finance.senate.gov. 6 January 2011. Archived fromthe originalon 8 January 2011.Retrieved20 October2011.
- ^abc"Holy smoke".The Economist.2011-10-29.ISSN0013-0613.Retrieved2019-08-26.
- ^"May 16, 2008 ~ Muslim Televangelists | May 16, 2008 | Religion & Ethics NewsWeekly | PBS".Religion & Ethics NewsWeekly.2008-05-16.Retrieved2019-08-26.
- ^"Malaysia ministers want Muslim preacher Zakir Naik expelled".www.aljazeera.com.Retrieved2019-08-26.
- ^Plunkett, John (2008-12-31)."Journalist Yvonne Ridley wins £25,000 payout from Islam Channel".The Guardian.ISSN0261-3077.Retrieved2019-08-26.
- ^Midgley, Neil (2010-11-08)."Islamic TV channel rapped for advocating marital rape".Daily Telegraph.ISSN0307-1235.Archivedfrom the original on 2022-01-12.Retrieved2019-08-26.
- ^"Peace TV faces UK ban after presenter calls gay people" worse than animals "".Gay Times.2019-07-28.Retrieved2019-08-26.
- ^"Zakir Naik, Wanted In India, Banned From Making Speeches In Malaysia".NDTV.com.Retrieved25 August2020.
- ^The Times of India (10 July 2016)."Bangladesh bans televangelist Zakir Naik's Peace TV".The Times of India.Archivedfrom the original on 10 July 2016.Retrieved10 July2016.
- ^"Peace TV stations fined £300,000 for hate speeches as it pulls out of the UK".The National News.14 May 2020.Retrieved28 April2021.
Further reading
edit- Bekkering, Denis (2018).American Televangelism and Participatory Cultures: Fans, Brands, and Play with Religious "Fakes".Palgrave Macmillan.