Abstract

The Prosperity Gospel is not a gospel. It has not been subjected to the process of canonization, consequently, it will not be found in the Bible. It is a term pejoratively ascribed to evangelical Christian groups who believe that God wants them to be wealthy and that their wealth is a sign of God’s favour. Obtaining this wealth appears to be contingent on the strength of one’s faith. However, a yard stick of that faith can only be determined by how wealthy or poor a person is or will become. A wealthy person in theory has a greater faith than a poorer person. Acting on the claimed premise that the Bible is inerrant, Prosperity Gospel adherents use a fundamentalist approach in their hermeneutic. However, their area of concentration is mainly with Scripture that advocates wealth and riches. Although there are ample verses in the Bible to support this point of view, PGAs embrace a particular hermeneutic. This thesis will examine the Prosperity Gospel, how it evolved, its purpose, who are its adherents, who are its leaders, and any impact it may have on the social reality of the United States.