The Historical Origins of the Prosperity-Faith Movement

[Rev. Darryl Miller]

Where did the prosperity-Faith movement come from? In so many words that did it come from historically? There are proponents of the prosperity-Faith movement will contend that the Bible teach on Faith and prosperity. But the question remains the same where did this particular movement come from historically? That is the question that must be asked fair and squarely without dodging the Bible and to see the prosperity-faith many movement for what it truly is: that of a "metaphysical" wolf clothed in Christian garment (Matt. 7:15). The contemporary modern-day Word of Faith movement especially within the context of the African-American Word of Faith religion does not fit within broader framework of historic biblical Christianity and the historic Christian church because of its distinctive doctrinal and ritual characteristics connected with New Thought metaphysics founded by E.W. Kenyon in 1892 by which was greatly influenced by Mary Baker Eddy founder of the cult of Christian Science who in turn was a follower of Dr. Phineas Quimby. Unfortunately many evangelical churches and "liberal" Protestant denominations have drunk from the "poisonous" wells of New Thought metaphysics (1 Tim. 6:20).