On two occasions, in recent months, I was surprised to come across the name of Oral Roberts.Firstly, I was surprised to see that he wrote a forward in R.T. Kendall's book 'Totally Forgiving Ourselves.' Oral Robert's was a senior figure in the prosperity gospel movement so I thought it unusual that a mainstream evangelical, like R. T., would have looked for his backing. As it happens it was a perfectly fine forward.
Secondly, I was surprised that he was given an obituary in the Irish Times. It has to be said that the paper was very uncharitable towards him. The obituary carried the title 'Evangelist preacher who worshipped money.' They pointed out that his theology had been transformed when his Bible feel open at 3 John 2 and he read, 'I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul propereth.'
Personally I find the prosperity gospel to be a terrible distortion of the truth. Perhaps Roberts theology would have been more balanced had there been an NIV at the time and he had read, 'I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well.'
The link to the Irish Times is:
2 comments:
I'm not sure about Oral Roberts , I was however very surprised to learn recently that Dr Martyn LLoyd Jones banned RT from his funeral whilst on his deathbed. "Theological differences" the main reason cited. RT'S succession at Westminster Chapel it seems was quite messy with accusations of bullying etc.
It has to be said, whatever the circumstances around Llyod-Jones funeral, that in his books R. T. speaks very respectfully and affectionately of MLJ.
Post a Comment