Christian Nationalism and the Prosperity Gospel
Christian Nationalism and the Prosperity Gospel
The prosperity gospel and Christian nationalism are distinct religious phenomena, but a growing body of scholarship examines areas in which they overlap. The prosperity gospel, sometimes called the health-and-wealth or faith gospel, generally teaches that faithful believers can expect divine blessing that may include health, material prosperity, success, or advancement. Christian nationalism, by contrast, concerns beliefs about the relationship between Christianity, national identity, political authority, law, and the state.
The relationship between the two is therefore not one of simple equivalence. Prosperity theology does not automatically produce Christian nationalism, nor are all Christian nationalists adherents of prosperity theology. The strongest connection in the research appears within particular Pentecostal and charismatic forms of Christian nationalism, especially those emphasizing prophecy, spiritual warfare, apostolic authority, dominion, national blessing, and the transformation of political and social institutions.
Research from the United States, Africa, Latin America, and the Pacific suggests that prosperity theology can provide concepts and practices that are adaptable to nationalist political projects. Ideas initially applied to individuals—divine promises, blessing, covenant, spiritual authority, victory, and the right to possess what God has promised—can sometimes be extended to communities and nations.
An Elective Affinity Between Prosperity and Nationalism
One of the most direct analyses of the relationship comes from anthropologist Naomi Haynes, who describes an "elective affinity" between the prosperity gospel and Christian nationalism. Her comparative research examines Zambia, Brazil, Ghana, and Papua New Guinea.
The concept does not mean that the two movements are identical. Instead, it describes theological ideas and practices that can reinforce one another. Both may employ ideas about divine law, covenant, entitlement, possession, spiritual warfare, territorial authority, victory, and God's promises.
In prosperity theology, believers may understand health, success, or wealth as blessings promised by God and therefore something to which faithful Christians can lay claim. In certain forms of Christian nationalism, similar reasoning may be applied collectively: a nation, government, economy, or territory may be understood as properly belonging under Christian authority.
The transition from individual prosperity to national prosperity is particularly important. A theology centered on God's plans for the success of individual believers can become a theology in which obedience to God is presented as a condition for the prosperity of an entire nation.
Covenant, Blessing, and the Christian Nation
Covenant language forms one important bridge between prosperity theology and Christian nationalism.
Prosperity-oriented Christianity frequently emphasizes a reciprocal relationship between faithfulness and blessing. Religious actions such as giving, prayer, positive confession, obedience, and faith may be understood as activating divine promises.
Christian-nationalist movements can apply comparable reasoning to the political community. A country may be portrayed as having a special relationship with God, with national prosperity depending upon religious faithfulness.
Zambia provides one of the clearest examples in the literature. Zambia was officially declared a Christian nation under President Frederick Chiluba in 1991, and subsequent Pentecostal debates connected this identity with covenant, spiritual warfare, political leadership, and expectations of national blessing.
Research on Zambia shows how prosperity theology can move beyond promises concerning individuals and become part of a political theology concerning the destiny of the nation. The nation's economic and political circumstances may be interpreted spiritually, while Christian leaders may be portrayed as having a special responsibility for national transformation.
Charismatic Dominionism
The relationship between Christian nationalism and prosperity theology is especially visible within what researchers have called charismatic dominionism.
This form of Christian nationalism is associated with sections of independent charismatic and Pentecostal Christianity. It emphasizes supernatural spiritual conflict, prophetic revelation, apostolic leadership, and the belief that Christians should exercise substantial influence over society.
Dominion theology can extend the logic of spiritual victory into politics. If spiritual forces are understood as competing for authority over institutions, political participation may be interpreted as part of a larger supernatural struggle.
This differs from other varieties of Christian nationalism. Researchers have distinguished charismatic dominionism from movements rooted in Calvinist nationalism, Christian Reconstructionism, Catholic integralism, and other traditions. The distinction is important because the prosperity gospel is most closely associated with the Pentecostal and charismatic side of this broader political-religious landscape.
The New Apostolic Reformation
The New Apostolic Reformation, commonly abbreviated NAR, is particularly important for understanding the intersection of prosperity theology, charismatic Christianity, and Christian-nationalist political activism.
The NAR is a decentralized network of churches, ministries, apostles, prophets, and related organizations rather than a single denomination. Its theology commonly emphasizes continuing prophecy, supernatural healing, spiritual warfare, apostolic authority, and societal transformation.
Prosperity teachings and NAR theology overlap in some networks. Both may emphasize victorious Christianity, supernatural authority, divine promises, spiritual laws, and the expectation that believers can transform earthly circumstances through faith and religious action.
The NAR also provides a bridge between personal religious transformation and institutional political transformation. The goal may extend beyond converting individuals to changing entire cultural institutions.
The Seven Mountains Mandate
The Seven Mountains Mandate is one expression of this transformation-oriented theology. It encourages Christians to exert influence within seven major areas of society, commonly identified as religion, family, education, government, media, business, and arts and entertainment.
The economic dimension is particularly relevant to prosperity theology. Business and wealth are not necessarily regarded simply as secular concerns but can become arenas in which divine blessing and Christian influence are expected to become visible.
Political authority can be understood similarly. Government becomes one of several cultural institutions over which Christians are encouraged to exercise influence.
Not all Pentecostal, charismatic, evangelical, or prosperity-oriented Christians embrace the Seven Mountains Mandate. It represents one particular current within a much larger and internally diverse religious world.
Prosperity Theology and American Politics
The prosperity gospel has been politically relevant in the United States through religious leaders, media ministries, voting constituencies, and relationships between clergy and elected officials.
Survey research provides evidence that prosperity beliefs overlap with some measures of Christian nationalism. Public Religion Research Institute research has compared Christian-nationalism categories with beliefs involving prophecy, supernatural healing, and the idea that God rewards sufficient faith with health, financial success, and fulfilling relationships.
These associations do not demonstrate that prosperity beliefs alone cause Christian nationalism. They do show that charismatic theological beliefs occur disproportionately among some groups expressing stronger Christian-nationalist views.
Research by Ben Gaskins and JahAsia Jacobs has also examined the relationship between prosperity-gospel beliefs, race, religious identity, and political attitudes during the Trump era. Their work demonstrates that prosperity theology crosses racial boundaries and that its political implications cannot be understood solely through traditional categories of white evangelical politics.
Donald Trump and Prosperity-Gospel Networks
The relationship between prosperity theology and American presidential politics became particularly visible through Donald Trump's relationships with charismatic and prosperity-oriented religious leaders.
Paula White-Cain became one of the most prominent examples. Long known for charismatic and prosperity-oriented preaching, White developed a close religious and political relationship with Trump and became an important intermediary between him and sections of the charismatic evangelical world.
Her trajectory—from televangelism and prosperity-oriented ministry into presidential religious advisory positions—illustrates how religious networks created outside established denominational structures can gain access to national political institutions.
Other prosperity and charismatic leaders also participated in political prayer events, advisory networks, campaign activities, and public advocacy surrounding Trump.
At the same time, these relationships generated significant controversy within Christianity. Evangelical and other Christian critics have disputed prosperity theology and rejected attempts to associate Christianity generally with its theological claims.
Wealth, Success, and Political Culture
The prosperity gospel also intersects with political culture through its understanding of wealth and personal responsibility.
Scholars have examined similarities between prosperity theology and economic ideas emphasizing entrepreneurship, individual responsibility, merit, optimism, and market success. In prosperity-oriented religious thought, economic advancement can acquire spiritual significance.
This can create affinities with political narratives that interpret poverty or success primarily through individual behavior rather than structural conditions.
Researchers have consequently examined prosperity theology alongside neoliberalism, meritocracy, inequality, and attitudes toward redistribution. These relationships are complex rather than uniform. Prosperity churches can encourage entrepreneurship and economic aspiration while simultaneously operating within societies characterized by severe inequality.
The theology may also provide followers with hope, community, networks of assistance, and a language for confronting difficult economic circumstances. Its social consequences therefore vary significantly by country, congregation, and political context.
Ghana
Ghana is one of the clearest contemporary cases connecting Pentecostal Christianity, prosperity theology, national identity, and political transformation.
Pentecostal and charismatic churches have become influential actors in Ghanaian public life. Religious leaders have participated in national debates concerning morality, government, development, economics, and Ghana's religious identity.
Research on Christian nationalism in Ghana highlights connections among prosperity, dominion theology, spiritual warfare, political leadership, and expectations of national transformation.
The proposed National Cathedral has also become an important symbol in debates about Christianity and national identity. Its supporters and critics have disagreed over the relationship among religion, state authority, public resources, national symbolism, and Christian influence.
Ghana demonstrates that Christian nationalism should not be understood exclusively as an American phenomenon. Similar political-religious projects can develop in different social and institutional settings.
Zambia
Zambia has been particularly important to scholarship on Christian nationalism because of its formal declaration as a Christian nation.
Research on Zambian Pentecostalism shows how national identity can become connected to prosperity theology, covenant, prayer, spiritual warfare, and political authority.
Some Pentecostal leaders have interpreted Zambia's status as a Christian nation as a spiritual covenant carrying both responsibilities and promises. National economic prosperity can consequently become linked to Christian faithfulness.
Debates within Zambian Christianity also demonstrate that the political consequences are not uniform. Pentecostal Christians have disagreed over the proper relationship between pastors and politicians, the meaning of the Christian-nation declaration, and the degree to which religious leaders should exercise governmental authority.
Nigeria and Kenya
Nigeria provides a different example of prosperity Christianity's political significance.
Nigeria's large Pentecostal churches operate within a society marked by economic inequality, political patronage, corruption controversies, and religious competition. Scholars have studied the sometimes contradictory role of prosperity theology, which can criticize corruption and failed government while also legitimizing conspicuous wealth and powerful religious elites.
Recent scholarship has described relationships among prosperity, sovereignty, prophetic authority, patronage, and political leadership in Nigerian Pentecostalism.
Research from Kenya similarly documents political activity within neo-Pentecostal and prosperity-oriented churches. Studies have examined clergy involvement in politics, political discussions within congregations, voting, endorsements, and relationships between religious authority and political participation.
These African cases show why prosperity theology cannot be assigned a single political consequence. Its effects depend upon national history, institutions, religious competition, leadership, and local political circumstances.
Brazil and Latin America
Brazil provides another major example of the interaction among Pentecostalism, prosperity theology, and political mobilization.
The Universal Church of the Kingdom of God and other Pentecostal organizations have developed extensive religious, media, economic, and political networks. Prosperity-oriented pastors have participated in electoral politics and public campaigns, while evangelical politicians have expanded their representation within Brazilian institutions.
Research examining Brazil within a Christian-nationalist framework emphasizes spiritual warfare, prosperity teaching, political authority, and efforts to expand Christian influence over government and society.
More broadly, studies of Latin American religion document substantial Pentecostal and charismatic growth accompanied by changing patterns of political participation.
As elsewhere, however, Pentecostalism is internally diverse. Religious affiliation alone does not determine a uniform political position.
Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea broadens the comparison further.
Research included in the source material describes efforts to Christianize government spaces and national symbolism, connecting national dedication, evangelization, spiritual warfare, and expectations of prosperity.
These examples reinforce the comparative argument that Christian nationalism can emerge wherever theological claims about divine authority become connected to territory, government, national destiny, or public institutions.
The details nevertheless vary considerably from country to country.
Race and Prosperity Theology
The American relationship between race and prosperity theology complicates simple descriptions of Christian-nationalist politics.
Prosperity theology has substantial histories within both predominantly white and Black religious environments. Studies of African American religion show that prosperity-oriented beliefs can coexist with forms of political participation quite different from those associated with the traditional Social Gospel.
Research examining race and prosperity theology during the Trump era similarly suggests that theology, racial identity, denominational affiliation, and political behavior interact in complex ways.
The result is an important caution against treating prosperity-gospel believers as a politically uniform population.
Survey Evidence
Survey research offers one of the clearest ways of distinguishing demonstrated relationships from theoretical ones.
PRRI research on Christian nationalism has included questions about prosperity beliefs, prophecy, and supernatural healing. Respondents categorized as Christian-nationalism Adherents or Sympathizers have shown greater acceptance of these charismatic beliefs than respondents categorized as Skeptics or Rejecters.
Pew Research Center surveys provide an independent body of evidence concerning attitudes toward Christianity's role in government, church-state relationships, biblical influence on law, and religious political participation.
Together these surveys demonstrate measurable overlap among certain religious and political beliefs. They do not establish that belief in supernatural healing, prophecy, or prosperity necessarily leads to Christian nationalism.
Prosperity Theology and Social Inequality
A recurring theme in the literature concerns how prosperity theology interprets economic success and failure.
Critics argue that emphasizing faith, individual action, and divine reward may minimize structural explanations for poverty and inequality. Scholars have therefore studied prosperity Christianity alongside neoliberalism, meritocracy, consumerism, class, and personal responsibility.
Other research emphasizes the appeal of prosperity theology among people living with economic uncertainty. Messages promising transformation, dignity, entrepreneurship, health, opportunity, and divine intervention can offer a powerful religious framework for interpreting difficult circumstances.
The political implications depend partly on how these teachings are applied. Prosperity theology can be used to reinforce existing economic systems, criticize political failure, promote entrepreneurship, justify accumulation of wealth, or encourage collective aspirations for national development.
Internal Christian Criticism
Prosperity theology is highly contested within Christianity.
Evangelical theologians, denominational leaders, scholars, pastors, and international Christian organizations have criticized teachings that appear to guarantee wealth or health to faithful believers.
The Lausanne movement, among others, has published theological criticism of prosperity teaching. Other Christian writers have challenged the idea that material success is reliable evidence of divine favor.
Christian nationalism is similarly disputed among Christians. Churches and theologians differ substantially over nationalism, church-state relations, political power, dominion theology, and whether governments should favor Christianity.
These disagreements are important because neither prosperity theology nor Christian nationalism represents Christianity as a whole.
A Global Rather Than Exclusively American Phenomenon
One of the strongest themes emerging from comparative scholarship is the need to study Christian nationalism beyond the United States.
Zambia demonstrates the importance of covenant and formal Christian-national identity. Ghana illustrates the combination of Pentecostal public influence, prosperity, national development, and dominion ideas. Brazil demonstrates the political organization of large Pentecostal and prosperity-oriented religious networks. Papua New Guinea provides examples of struggles over Christian national symbolism and public space.
Nigeria and Kenya further illustrate the political importance of Pentecostal and prosperity-oriented Christianity without necessarily reproducing the same form of Christian nationalism found elsewhere.
Comparative analysis therefore suggests that the relationship between prosperity theology and political nationalism is shaped by local histories while drawing upon a transnational religious vocabulary of blessing, victory, prophecy, spiritual warfare, transformation, and divine authority.
Distinguishing Correlation, Affinity, and Causation
The evidence requires several distinctions.
First, prosperity theology and Christian nationalism are separate concepts.
Second, their overlap appears particularly significant within charismatic and Pentecostal forms of Christian nationalism.
Third, survey correlations between prosperity beliefs and Christian-nationalist beliefs do not by themselves demonstrate causation.
Fourth, political consequences differ across racial groups, denominations, nations, and religious movements.
Finally, prosperity theology itself is internally diverse. Churches can emphasize personal wealth, healing, entrepreneurship, charitable activity, social transformation, national development, or combinations of these themes.
The relationship is therefore best understood as a recurring affinity within particular religious networks rather than as an automatic or universal connection.
Conclusion
The prosperity gospel and Christian nationalism developed as distinct religious phenomena, yet the research reviewed here identifies important areas of interaction between them.
The most significant bridge is found in theological ideas that can move from the individual to the nation: covenant, divine promises, blessing, victory, spiritual warfare, possession, authority, and prosperity. When these concepts are applied politically, expectations of individual transformation can become expectations of national transformation.
Charismatic dominionism, the New Apostolic Reformation, and the Seven Mountains Mandate provide particularly visible environments in which supernatural religious authority and institutional political ambitions can converge. Prosperity-oriented leaders and networks have also developed relationships with political actors, most visibly in recent American presidential politics but also in Ghana, Zambia, Nigeria, Kenya, Brazil, and elsewhere.
Comparative evidence cautions against treating these relationships as universal. Prosperity believers do not necessarily support Christian nationalism, Christian nationalists do not necessarily embrace prosperity theology, and Pentecostal and charismatic Christianity encompass a wide variety of political viewpoints.
The significance of the connection lies instead in the ability of prosperity-oriented concepts to be expanded from claims about what God promises individual believers to claims about what God promises a nation. Where ideas of divine blessing, territorial entitlement, spiritual warfare, political authority, and national destiny are combined, prosperity theology can become one component of a broader Christian-nationalist political vision.
Christian Nationalism and the Prosperity Gospel: Direct and Comparative Connections
This major comparative study directly examines the relationship between prosperity-gospel theology and Christian nationalism. Haynes identifies overlapping ideas about divine law, covenant, entitlement, territorial authority, spiritual warfare, and Christian dominion, using cases from Zambia, Brazil, Ghana, and Papua New Guinea.
Includes discussion of prosperity-gospel language, Zambia's Christian-national identity, public piety, political symbolism, and Pentecostal cultural power.
Discusses dominion, religious nationalism, pluralism, and theological claims to national authority.
PRRI examines Christian-nationalist beliefs alongside prophecy, supernatural healing, and prosperity-gospel theology. The report provides unusually useful survey evidence for studying the overlap between charismatic religious beliefs and Christian nationalism in the United States.
The full report contains tables and figures comparing Christian-nationalism categories with belief that God rewards sufficient faith with financial success, health, and fulfilling relationships.
Discusses competing definitions of Christian nationalism and includes research on the Seven Mountains Mandate and Christian institutional control.
An empirical study examining prosperity-gospel identity and beliefs across racial and religious groups and their relationship to political attitudes during the Trump era.
DOI version of the Gaskins and Jacobs study, useful for tracing research connecting prosperity theology with contemporary American political identity.
Surveys prosperity, spiritual warfare, national identity, political participation, and Pentecostal influence across African politics.
Uses survey evidence from Zambia to examine political interest, participation, partisan preference, and Pentecostal identity.
Examines Pentecostal understandings of political leadership and Zambia's covenantal identity as a Christian nation.
Book-length critique of Zambian Pentecostal political theology, national prosperity, spiritual power, and the concept of a Christian nation.
Analyzes competing Pentecostal interpretations of Zambia's declaration as a Christian nation and their consequences for political engagement.
United States Politics: Trump, Paula White, and the Prosperity Gospel
Examines Paula White-Cain's path from prosperity televangelism to leadership of the White House Faith Office and the continuing relationship between charismatic religious networks and presidential politics.
Examines prosperity theology among Latino evangelical communities and its possible relevance to political identification and support for Trump.
Examines Paula White's movement from prosperity-gospel televangelism into a formal White House role and discusses the broader evangelical and political networks surrounding her.
Commentary explicitly linking White's prosperity theology with debates over Christian nationalism and presidential religious politics.
Reports on White's move from prosperity televangelism into an official governmental religious advisory role.
- | The Guardian | March 27, 2019 | Paula White: The Pastor Who Helps Trump Hear ‘What God Has to Say’
Profile examining White's prosperity-gospel ministry, political access, evangelical networking, and influence within the Trump White House.
Explores how positive-thinking traditions, prosperity theology, celebrity culture, self-realization, and American ideas of success entered modern political culture.
Reports on a Harvard discussion of the prosperity gospel's growing political visibility and its relationship to Donald Trump's political style, wealth imagery, televangelism, and positive-thinking traditions.
Profiles Paula White, her prosperity-theology background, relationship with Donald Trump, and role connecting Trump with charismatic and evangelical religious leaders.
Evangelical theological criticism of prosperity-gospel clergy participating in Trump's political and inaugural religious network.
Harvard forum featuring Jonathan Walton, E. J. Dionne Jr., and Sally Quinn discussing prosperity theology and its role in Trump's political rise and administration.
Interview with Paula White addressing prosperity theology, Trump, evangelical criticism, and her participation in presidential religious events.
Analysis of prosperity-gospel leaders surrounding Trump and the ways wealth, winning, positive thinking, and divine favor entered evangelical political rhetoric.
Profile of Paula White and the intersection of prosperity preaching, racial networks, evangelical religion, and Trump's political coalition.
New Apostolic Reformation, Charismatic Dominionism, and Seven Mountains
Explains the seven-spheres strategy involving religion, family, education, business, government, media, and arts and entertainment.
Examines religious nationalism, Christian dominion, interreligious relations, and what the author describes as prosperity-oriented dimensions of political authority.
Reviews Christian Reconstructionism, the New Apostolic Reformation, the Seven Mountains Mandate, and contemporary Christian-nationalist theology.
A theological critique explicitly comparing Christian nationalism with prosperity theology and identifying similarities in their approaches to power, success, suffering, and cultural dominance.
Discussion of global Christian nationalism, including charismatic dominionism, supernaturalism, prophecy, and efforts to extend Christian authority into political institutions.
Distinguishes several forms of American Christian nationalism, including charismatic dominionism, and examines the New Apostolic Reformation and Seven Mountains theology.
Useful conceptual framework for separating charismatic dominionism from other versions of Christian nationalism and understanding the particular religious network most closely connected to prosperity theology.
Research guide examining the NAR, Seven Mountains Mandate, dominionism, prophetic networks, and contemporary political mobilization.
Compares the Seven Mountains Mandate with conservative political strategies and examines their influence in Trump-era politics.
Interactive investigation tracing networks and personalities associated with Seven Mountains theology, Christian nationalism, and charismatic political mobilization.
Examines debates within evangelical Christianity over dominionist strategies for influencing major social institutions.
Discusses the transformation of evangelical political networks and the increasing visibility of Pentecostal, charismatic, and prosperity-gospel figures in national politics.
Examines how political narratives shape Christian ideas about wealth, poverty, personal responsibility, government, and prosperity theology.
Discusses political identity as quasi-religious practice and notes intersections among prosperity teaching, distrust of institutions, charismatic religion, and political movements.
Examines how the New Apostolic Reformation and prosperity theology reinforce one another through concepts of God's Kingdom, apostles, authority, transformation, and political involvement.
Collection of reporting concerning charismatic leaders, dominion theology, political organizing, and Christian-nationalist activism.
Reporting on NAR leaders, prophecy, spiritual warfare, elections, Christian nationalism, and political organization.
Academic commentary addressing dominionism, charismatic Christianity, religion and elections, church-state relations, and democratic institutions.
Surveys, Public Opinion, Meritocracy, and Social Policy
Investigates Christian-nationalist attitudes toward charity, social justice, poverty, responsibility, and ideas about constructing the Kingdom of God.
Examines Christian nationalism, economic position, and beliefs about whether success comes from personal merit rather than structural or inherited advantage.
Updated survey research on Christian nationalism, official religion, biblical influence on law, religious political activity, and differences among Christian traditions.
Examines Christian nationalism, economic position, inequality, redistribution, and religious beliefs including prosperity theology.
Updated state-level research useful for studying geographical patterns of Christian nationalism alongside evangelical and charismatic religious cultures.
Survey data on Americans' attitudes toward Christian nationalism, Bible-based lawmaking, church-state separation, and governmental promotion of Christian values.
Examines the Social Gospel and Prosperity Gospel as distinct religious frameworks and compares their relationships with African American political participation.
Uses survey evidence to examine the prevalence and demographic distribution of prosperity-gospel beliefs among Americans.
Curated scholarly collection including work on prosperity theology, religious activism, political participation, the Tea Party, and American electoral religion.
Major international survey of Pentecostal and charismatic Christianity covering divine healing, prosperity beliefs, spiritual gifts, politics, and public life.
Prosperity Gospel, Wealth, and Political Economy
Examines prosperity theology in African Christianity, including debates about wealth, poverty, healing, deliverance, theological legitimacy, and social effects.
DOI link to Wrenn's study of prosperity theology and neoliberal ideology.
Explores how prosperity theology intersects with meritocracy, capitalism, inequality, individual responsibility, and American narratives of economic success.
Examines prosperity theology as a religious institution reinforcing individual responsibility, optimism, meritocracy, and neoliberal economic assumptions.
Abstract and publication page for Wrenn's analysis of prosperity theology and neoliberal capitalism.
An African theological and social critique examining prosperity teaching, wealth accumulation, inequality, and postcolonial economic structures.
Analyzes prosperity teaching in relation to African poverty, social development, economic aspirations, and Pentecostal growth.
Examines Pentecostal concepts of liberation, consumption, prosperity, media, and economic life under neoliberal conditions.
Critically examines prosperity theology, neoliberalism, individualism, wealth, political economy, and the relationship between believers and the state in Africa.
Open-access version of Obadare's study of prosperity theology, wealth, neoliberalism, and political economy.
Examines African prosperity Christianity, development discourse, modernity, wealth expectations, and political economy.
Quantitative study of education, income, religiosity, and adherence to prosperity-gospel beliefs in the United States.
Historical and theological examination of Word of Faith, seed-faith teaching, health-and-wealth religion, televangelism, and claims to divinely guaranteed prosperity.
Foundational study of African churches and their role in political culture, economic life, development, and public institutions.
Historical and Theological Foundations of the Prosperity Gospel
Examines how prosperity megachurches, televangelism, spectacle, media, music, and large-scale worship helped normalize prosperity-oriented religious culture.
Examines prosperity megachurch culture, worship, spectacle, media, celebrity, and institutional growth.
Foundational historical scholarship tracing American prosperity theology from New Thought and healing movements through televangelism and contemporary megachurch Christianity.
Major history of prosperity theology from New Thought and healing movements through televangelists and contemporary megachurches.
Academic-oriented discussion of prosperity theology's place in American religion and politics.
Evangelical theological statement defining prosperity teaching and addressing its theological, ethical, economic, pastoral, and social implications.
Discusses Pentecostal and prosperity-oriented churches and their changing relationship to public life and political participation.
Contemporary evangelical discussion illustrating debates over whether material prosperity should be understood as a consequence of Christian faith.
Collection of reporting, commentary, historical material, and theological criticism concerning prosperity theology and prominent prosperity teachers.
Christian Zionism, Blessing, and Prosperity
Investigates the relationship between prosperity theology, Christian Zionism, charismatic Christianity, and American political support for Israel.
Examines how prosperity-oriented religious ideas can support politically conservative mobilization within African American churches, using Christian Zionism as a case study.
Comparative scholarship useful for investigating charismatic and prosperity-oriented components of Christian Zionist activism.
Zambia: Prosperity, Covenant, and the Christian Nation
Traces Pentecostal pastor and politician Nevers Mumba's efforts to transform Zambia according to a Christian-national vision.
Examines changing church-state relationships and the politics of Zambia's Christian-national identity.
Ethnographic study of Pentecostalism on the Zambian Copperbelt, including prosperity, social hierarchy, exchange, morality, and political life.
Academic summary and bibliography entry for Haynes's research on prosperity theology and Zambia's Christian-national identity.
An important precursor to Haynes's later Christian-nationalism research. It examines Zambia's declaration as a Christian nation as a covenant interpreted through prosperity-gospel theology.
Repository version of Haynes's study connecting Pentecostal prosperity theology, covenant, prayer, political participation, and Zambia's Christian-national identity.
DOI link for the peer-reviewed study of prosperity-gospel politics in Zambia.
Explores Pentecostal exchange, economic relations, hierarchy, giving, and the religious meanings attached to prosperity.
Examines prosperity theology, inequality, money, morality, and social relationships among Zambian Pentecostals.
Foundational study of President Frederick Chiluba's declaration of Zambia as a Christian nation and the changing political position of Pentecostal Christianity.
Ghana: Prosperity, Dominion, Prophecy, and Politics
Studies Pentecostal civic engagement, prosperity teaching, prophetic politics, development, entrepreneurship, and national transformation.
Examines democratic participation, socioeconomic initiatives, prophetic politics, and Pentecostal understandings of the church's responsibility to the state.
Examines religion and voting behavior among Ghanaian Pentecostal Christians.
Examines a major Ghanaian Pentecostal denomination's relationship with political parties, public morality, national development, and democratic governance.
Examines covenant theology, the Church of Pentecost, social services, morality, and Ghana's public sphere.
Accessible discussion of Ghanaian Christian nationalism and the role of Pentecostal leaders who connect national economic prosperity, spiritual warfare, and Christian influence over government and the economy.
Examines Christian nationalism in Ghana, including prosperity theology, dominion theology, Pentecostal political influence, Nicholas Duncan-Williams, Mensa Otabil, and efforts to connect national prosperity with explicitly Christian leadership.
Examines the controversial National Cathedral project as a site where religion, state power, national identity, giving, and political legitimacy intersect.
Examines theological, moral, and socioeconomic motivations for Christian political engagement in Ghana.
Experimental study of Pentecostal leadership, political allegiance, ethnicity, and patronage in Ghana.
Includes African case studies relevant to prosperity teaching, entrepreneurship, development, social transformation, and state institutions.
Detailed investigation of charismatic Christianity, prosperity teaching, spiritual warfare, economic aspirations, and public culture in Ghana.
Research on Pentecostal churches as increasingly important actors within Ghanaian civil society and electoral politics.
Nigeria: Prosperity, Inequality, and Political Authority
Examines what the author calls the prosperity-sovereignty nexus, prophetic-patronage relationships, Pentecostal leadership, and democratic governance in Nigeria.
Reports on contemporary Nigerian prosperity Christianity, megachurches, media ministries, economic hardship, and debates over material blessing.
Ethnographic analysis of prosperity churches, corruption, inequality, political culture, patronage, wealth, and moral authority in Nigeria.
Free full-text version of Smith's study of prosperity theology, Nigerian political culture, corruption, and inequality.
Bibliographic and abstract record for Smith's study.
Examines prophetic electoral declarations by Nigerian pastors and their political influence within Nigeria and elsewhere in Africa.
Examines Pentecostal influence over Nigeria's political institutions, public culture, leadership, and democratic life.
Studies pastors, politicians, celebrity religious leaders, and competition for spiritual and governmental authority.
Provides context for understanding Pentecostal political expansion within Nigeria's religiously plural state.
Kenya, Uganda, and East Africa: Prosperity, Clergy, and Politics
Study of prosperity preaching and political behavior among neo-Pentecostal believers in Tharaka Nithi County, Kenya.
Examines clergy political involvement, voting, party support, political discussion within churches, and social consequences among prosperity-oriented neo-Pentecostal congregations.
University repository version of the Kenyan study connecting prosperity preaching and congregants' political participation.
Survey-based research on prosperity preaching, voting, political endorsements, party support, and clergy influence in Kenya.
Master's thesis examining social, economic, and political effects of prosperity preaching in Kenya.
Discusses Kenyan Pentecostal politics, prosperity preaching, church-state relationships, political patronage, and contemporary public theology.
Examines Ugandan neo-Pentecostalism, prosperity preaching, neoliberal capitalism, political power, land issues, and state institutions.
Scholarly collection covering Pentecostalism, prosperity theology, political influence, poverty, public life, and religious mobilization across Africa.
Ethiopia: Prosperity Theology and Political Leadership
Examines Pentecostalism, prosperity theology, positive-thinking traditions, political leadership, and religious rhetoric in contemporary Ethiopia.
Comparative research connecting Christian nationalism, Pentecostal and charismatic growth, dominionism, and attitudes toward democratic government across African societies.
Critical viewpoint examining religious rhetoric and the political ideology associated with Ethiopia's Prosperity Party.
South Africa: Prosperity and Political Engagement
Historical account of Rhema Bible Church, prosperity Christianity, apartheid, political engagement, and South Africa's democratic transition.
Surveys Pentecostal growth, prosperity teaching, social change, economic expectations, and political influence in African societies.
Study based on interviews and sermons from 97 Pentecostal-charismatic pastors examining how different versions of prosperity theology correspond with different approaches to political engagement.
Brazil and Latin America: Prosperity Churches and Electoral Politics
Examines religious invocation and political rhetoric across Brazilian presidencies, including the expansion of evangelical and Pentecostal political visibility.
Examines how evangelical brokerage, religious leaders, moral issues, and changes in Brazil's party system contributed to Bolsonaro's evangelical support.
Examines prophetic, prosperity-oriented, covenantal, and cultural forms of Christian Zionism and their relationship with Brazilian politics and foreign policy.
Examines Silas Malafaia and the historical development of neo-Pentecostal political influence during the Bolsonaro era.
Examines whether frequent evangelical worship attendance helped transmit political messages and mobilize support during Brazil's 2018 presidential election.
Spanish-language examination of prosperity theology's ideological origins and its relationship to neo-Pentecostalism and political organization in Latin America.
Provides comparative survey data showing the prevalence of prosperity-gospel beliefs among Protestants and Catholics across Latin America.
Major regional report useful for understanding the Pentecostal and charismatic social environment in which prosperity theology and conservative political mobilization have expanded.
Examines how church organization and theology influence evangelical electoral politics and specifically discusses political-machine dynamics where prosperity theology is strong.
DOI record for comparative research on Brazilian evangelical electoral organization.
Examines Pentecostal political participation and the institutional growth of evangelical political influence.
Examines leading evangelical politicians and the political organization of religious groups including figures associated with the Universal Church.
English translation of Oro's study of the Universal Church's electoral organization and political influence.
- | Ari Pedro Oro | SciELO Social Sciences | 2005 | Universal Church and Brazilian Politics — Abstract
Summary of research on the Universal Church's institutional charisma and electoral mobilization.
Examines the Universal Church of the Kingdom of God's entry into Brazilian electoral politics and the church's religious framing of voting.
English abstract of the research examining how religious symbolism was incorporated into electoral behavior.
Research literature on evangelical electoral mobilization, Pentecostal parties, conservative social movements, and political representation.
Scholarly venue containing research on Pentecostal political mobilization, religious media, and church-state relations.
Provides comparative political-science research concerning Pentecostal voting blocs and evangelical party organization.
Comparative and Global Christian Nationalism
Research literature on efforts to remove indigenous symbols from government institutions and remake national identity in explicitly Christian terms.
Comparative and Global Pentecostal Politics
Comparative study of Pentecostal social engagement, development programs, political participation, and rapidly growing churches.
Examines how Pentecostal movements combine supernatural religion with expanding involvement in education, development, poverty programs, and public life.
Extensive scholarly bibliography useful for locating additional academic literature on prosperity theology in African Christianity.
Research Guides, Bibliographies, and Additional Leads
Research copy of the Kenyan political-behavior study.
Research record for Wrenn's analysis of prosperity Christianity and neoliberal economic ideology.
University repository record for research connecting prosperity theology, capitalism, neoliberalism, meritocracy, and personal responsibility.
