An analysis of African American televangelists as cultural icons
Through their constant television broadcasts, mass video distributions, and printed publications, African American religious broadcasters have a seemingly ubiquitous presence in popular culture. They are on par with popular entertainers and athletes in the African American community as cultural icons even as they are criticized by others for taking advantage of the devout in order to subsidize their lavish lifestyles.
For these reasons questions abound. Do televangelists proclaim the message of the gospel or a message of greed? Do they represent the "authentic" voice of the black church or the Christian Right in blackface? Does the phenomenon reflect orthodox "Christianity" or ethnocentric "Americaninity" wrapped in religious language?
Watch This! seeks to move beyond such polarizing debates by critically delving into the dominant messages and aesthetic styles of African American televangelists and evaluating their ethical implications.
Jonathan L. Walton is Assistant Professor of Religious Studies at the University of California, Riverside.
Table of Contents
Acknowledgments Prelude Invocation: Time to Tune In: The Phenomenon of African American Religious Broadcasting1 We Too Sing America: Racial Invisibility, Respectability, and the Roots of Black Religious Broadcasting2 Something Within: The Cultural Sources of Rev. Frederick J. Eikerenkoetter II3 Standing on the Promises: Diversity and Change within Contemporary Black Christian Practices4 Come, Ye Disconsolate: The Ministry of Bishop T. D. Jakes5 We Are Soldiers! The Ministry of Bishop Eddie L. Long 6 Fill My Cup, Lord: The Ministry of Pastors Creflo and Taffi Dollar7 The Reasons Why We Sing: The Competing Rituals of Self-Affirmation and Social Accommodation8 Lift Every Voice: Authority, Ideology, and the Implications of Religious Broadcasting for the Black Church Benediction: Blest Be the Tie That Binds Notes Bibliography Index About the Author
