BLESSED
A History of The American Prosperity Gospel
“[A] riveting historical account.”
—Publishers Weekly
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ABOUT THE BOOK
Millions of Americans believe God wants them to be healthy and wealthy.
I spent a decade traveling the United States and Canada visiting megachurches, archives, television studios, and revivals interviewing leaders and followers to understand the history of the “prosperity gospel.”
This book is the first comprehensive American history of one of the most popular Christian movements in the world today. Introducing readers to its most famous faces—celebrities like Joel Osteen, Joyce Meyer, T.D. Jakes, and Paula White—this book gives an intellectual framework for understanding the theology and everyday lives of people who tune in to hear its familiar message: God desires to bless you.
ENDORSEMENTS
“This is a stunningly empathetic book… pushing far beyond caricature.”
The Christian Century
“This book propels Kate Bowler into the first rank of younger historians of religion in America.”
Randall Balmer, author of Mine Eyes Have Seen the Glory: A Journey into the Evangelical Subculture in America
“Blessed is an extraordinarily satisfying book. It is elegantly written, full of wit and humor.”
Fides et Historia
Life is so beautiful and life is so hard.
She’s a four-time New York Times bestselling author, award-winning podcast host, and Professor of Religious History at Duke University. She also has two honorary doctorates, an award from Yale University for service to theological education, and seven books to her credit. Additionally, she is the only person ever to hold the prestigious titles of mother to Zach and wife of Toban.
There is no cure for being human.
At 35, Kate was blindsided by Stage IV cancer and the aftermath of its grueling treatment. After that colossal suck and her subsequent recovery, Kate began to rethink pretty much everything she thought she knew about life, loss, grief, and even joy.
You can’t always be happy, but you can be joyful, anyway.
Kate’s work now centers on telling the truth about our shared humanness. She is not interested in tidy explanations, forced optimism, or stories that pretend pain is a problem to be solved. Instead, she helps people tell the truth, stay tender, and find joy that coexists with sorrow. Because beautiful lies may comfort us for a moment—but it is the ugly, honest truth that actually gives us something to stand on.
