WORD-FAITH MOVEMENT

Health, Wealth, & Happiness: Has the Prosperity Gospel Overshadowed
the Gospel of Christ? by David W. Jones and Russell S. Woodbridge
[2] — Kregel’s promotional material notes that this “new gospel …
is being promoted in 50 of the largest 260 churches in the United
States.”
The book echoes long-held concerns and is divided into two parts:
Critique, covering the movement’s history, teachings, and errors;
and Correction, covering the Bible on suffering, wealth and poverty,
and giving. One of the book’s most valuable features is its
 ¢â‚¬Å“Excursus ¢â‚¬  on the teachings of Joel Osteen (pp. 72 ¢â‚¬“80), though most
of its discussion of other popular teachers such as Hagin and
Copeland depends heavily on quotations from the 1980s and early 90s.
Scripture and subject indexes are included, along with suggestions
for further study.
While it’s always good to see new critical resources on this
devastating trend, the authors’ academic and professional
credentials are especially noteworthy: Jones did his PhD work in the
field of financial ethics, and Woodbridge is a former vice president
for Equity Derivatives trading for Salomon Brothers AG (Frankfurt,
Germany). Hence the primary strength of this book lies in its
analysis.