Overview

In 1974 Jim and Tammy Bakker launched their television show, the PTL Club, from a former furniture store in Charlotte, N.C. with half a dozen friends. By 1987 they stood at the center of a ministry empire that included their own satellite network, a 2300-acre theme park visited by six million people a year, and millions of adoring fans. The Bakkers led a life of conspicuous consumption perfectly aligned with the prosperity gospel they preached. They bought vacation homes, traveled first-class with an entourage and proclaimed that God wanted everyone to be healthy and wealthy. When it all fell apart, after revelations of a sex scandal and massive financial mismanagement, all of America watched more than two years of federal investigation and trial as Jim was eventually convicted on 24 counts of fraud and conspiracy. He would go on to serve five years in federal prison. PTL is more than just the spectacular story of the rise and fall of the Bakkers, John Wigger traces their lives from humble beginnings to wealth, fame, and eventual disgrace. At its core, PTL is the story of a group of people committed to religious innovation, who pushed the boundaries of evangelical religion's engagement with American culture. Drawing on trial transcripts, videotapes, newspaper articles, and interviews with key insiders, dissidents, and lawyers, Wigger reveals the power of religion to redirect American culture. This is the story of a grand vision gone wrong, of the power of big religion in American life and its limits.

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9780197649602

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Reviews

Wigger's sparkling prose makes the book a joy to read...a necessary addition to the bookshelves of those interested in American religious history. * The Gospel Coalition * PTL...captures the thrill of the couple's ascent and the scale of their eventual collapse. The book also provides an opportunity for reflection on the meaning of their moment in American cultural history....John Wigger's book...gives the complicated story elegance, understated humor, and surprising emotional punch. * Washington Examiner * Drawing on a wide range of interviews, newspaper reports, and court documents, Wigger expertly documents the larger-than-life transgressions that eventually brought the Bakkers and PTL tumbling down. * Christianity Today * Wigger explicates critically but fairly the story of Jim Bakker and PTL ('Praise the Lord' or 'People That Love') Recommended. * W.B. Bedford, CHOICE * Taking on scandal as a subject of study is complicated. It is tempting to dismiss PTL and the Bakkers as the worst exemplars of Christian hypocrisy. The more productive venture is to explicate the complexity of the Bakkers' motivations, to explain the gradual escalation of their ambition, and to narrate the story of grace found and lost. Wigger does this admirably and with good humor. Several passages stand out as delightfully funny-a rare feature in historical writing. As Jim Bakker continues to sell his apocalyptic gruel by exploiting Americans' fears, understanding the culture that he helped create and in which he still operates has never been more important. * Suzanna Krivulskaya, Reading Religion * Thorough and thoughtful, Wigger's book affords nuance to a story that has often otherwise been relegated to tabloid fodder. PTL is a fascinating study of the ignominious collapse of an evangelical empire-an event that captured and scandalized a nation. * Foreword Reviews * Wigger succeeds in providing a three-dimensional view of the one-dimensional figures of American television and a greater understanding of the Bakkers and their followers. * Library Journal * Captivating...outstanding...Anyone interested in the theological underpinnings of certain contemporary strains of right-wing American politics, as well as those more particularly interested in the Bakkers or televangelism, should find this book rewarding. * Publishers Weekly *

Wigger explicates critically but fairly the story of Jim Bakker and PTL ('Praise the Lord' or 'People That Love') Recommended. --W.B. Bedford, CHOICE Taking on scandal as a subject of study is complicated. It is tempting to dismiss PTL and the Bakkers as the worst exemplars of Christian hypocrisy. The more productive venture is to explicate the complexity of the Bakkers' motivations, to explain the gradual escalation of their ambition, and to narrate the story of grace found and lost. Wigger does this admirably and with good humor. Several passages stand out as delightfully funny--a rare feature in historical writing. As Jim Bakker continues to sell his apocalyptic gruel by exploiting Americans' fears, understanding the culture that he helped create and in which he still operates has never been more important. --Suzanna Krivulskaya, Reading Religion Thorough and thoughtful, Wigger's book affords nuance to a story that has often otherwise been relegated to tabloid fodder. PTL is a fascinating study of the ignominious collapse of an evangelical empire--an event that captured and scandalized a nation. --Foreword Reviews Wigger succeeds in providing a three-dimensional view of the one-dimensional figures of American television and a greater understanding of the Bakkers and their followers. --Library Journal Captivating...outstanding...Anyone interested in the theological underpinnings of certain contemporary strains of right-wing American politics, as well as those more particularly interested in the Bakkers or televangelism, should find this book rewarding. --Publishers Weekly, starred review

Author Information

John Wigger is a Professor of History at the University of Missouri. He is the author of American Saint (2009) and Taking Heaven by Storm (1998).

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