Xeluan

Not my usual Infidel stomping grounds but here in Sydney, Australia we have a big Hillsong congregation that preaches what I have heard called "Prosperity doctrine."

Does anyone know of any good thelogical criticisms of the doctrine (or even apologetics - I'd like to know how supporters justify it).

Thanks. Btw, nice curtains in this forum.

Toto

If you google "prosperity gospel" you will find a lot of criticism from all parts of the theological spectrum.

I have never seen an intellectually coherent defense of it. There are many passages of the Bible that claim that God will reward faith here on earth. But there are others, like the Book of Job, that indicate that you can't count on this in the short run.

The "prosperity gospel" and things like the "Prayer of Jabeez" are marketing tools used by religious con artists and televangelists to get people to send them money. They work too well for televangelists to give them up.

Xeluan

I've been googling "propserity doctrine" and "propserity theology" with some success but using "propserity gospel" has returned a lot more info.

Thanks Toto. Much appreciated.

Mageth

Another term, perhaps even more well-known, for "prosperity doctrine" is the "word of faith" movement. Other related terms are "positive confession� and the “faith teaching".

From an apologetics site (equip.org, home of the "Christian Research Institute" and the "Bible Answer Man"), which is critical of the WoF movement, comes the following, both of which provide or link to other information on the "word of faith movement":

http://www.equip.org/free/DP075.htm

http://www.equip.org/store/topical.a...ity%20Teaching

Clivedurdle

My immediate reaction is stuff like camels and eyes of needles and give up all you have to follow me.

The concept of justice that may not be original has to be a strength of xianity.