The Disease of the Health & Wealth Gospels [ペーパーバック]

This book clearly presents a thorough exegisis on the key proof texts cited to justify the popular Health and Wealth teachings. He makes the point that scripture must mean to us what it meant to its author and his original readers. For example the popular verse "Beloved I wish above all things that you may prosper and be in health" was merely John's personal wish for Gaius. That is what it meant then and so what right has anyone to suggest it means anything different today. Gordon Fee also examines healing and whether or not it is part of the Atonement.

Gordon Fee is charismatic and starts of the book almost apologetically.

I think this book brings balance to the body of Christ and I thoroughly recommend it.

This is a tremendous little book. Gordon Fee is a world-class New Testament scholar and a Pentecostal. He discusses the "theology" of the health and wealth teachers and preachers and how they take Scripture out of context. With all the imbalances and biblical distortions going on in the Pentecostal/charismatic scene today, Dr. Fee's book is refreshing and much-needed.

Don't miss this one!

This is a review of the 2006 45-page Regent College Publishing edition. I've read many of the critiques of the so-called "Word of Faith" movement, but only recently read Fee's informative booklet on the topic which is comprised of three articles (not chapters): The 'Gospel' of Prosperity, The 'Gospel' of Perfect Health, and the New Testament View of Wealth and Possessions. I wish I read it sooner since it considers the broader biblical context for the topics of health and prosperity that is lacking in some longer critiques. For the record, Fee doesn't use the phrase "Word of Faith" to describe what he calls the "perfect health" and "wealth" or "prosperity" gospel(s), although most of the names he briefly refers to (Oral Roberts, Kenneth & Gloria Copeland, Kenneth Hagin [misspelled 'Hagen']), and the examples of biblical eisegesis he gives, fall within the Word of Faith movement. Fee mentions Robert Schuller in his first article on prosperity, but Schuller more appropriately falls within, or on the fringes of, the broader New Thought movement as does his mentor, Norman Vincent Peale. This movement along with Christian Science - which some conservative Christians call "mind science cults" - also have a health and wealth emphasis but vary widely in their understandings of the Bible, God, Jesus Christ, and salvation. Much of what Fee says also applies to them.

Since Fee is a Pentecostal, Assemblies of God minister who believes in the miraculous gifts of healing for today, he is careful when combating the distorted understanding of the topic. He also refers to the A/G's position paper on healing when discussing the doctrine that healing is available through Christ's atonement. Although I think he has many valuable, and correct, things to say regarding healing, I think he fails to solidly address the underlying concern of many Christians regarding healing as it relates to God's goodness and love for all. He ends his article on The 'Gospel' of Perfect Health by asserting that "the first sentence of a sound biblical theology may well be, God must do nothing" because "He is sovereign in all things and is simply not under our control." But this doesn't negate the belief that God MUST be and do only good. In some sensitive minds this translates - rightly or wrongly - to some healing (physical and spiritual) being available through faith to all who know the truth this side of death because "God is no respecter of persons".

Regarding prosperity and "selfishness", I think Fee could have balanced some of what he says with some of the teachings of John Piper. In his article on The 'Gospel' of Prosperity Fee quotes Gustav Aulen who, in part, asserted: "Every attempt to transform Christian faith into a religion of satisfaction and enjoyment is thereby doomed to failure. Egocentricity masquerading in the robes of religion is excluded." But, according to Piper's Christian 'hedonism', "God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him." God is glorified in satisfying human needs! Also, in his third article on the New Testament View of Wealth and Possessions, Fee rightly and scripturally points out the dangers of wealth and the value of contentment whatever the circumstances, but this doesn't negate the concept of prosperity as a contented, liberated mindset that can, through financial intelligence, produce wealth for the purpose of meeting physical needs and even funding Christian ministries and socially beneficial organizations. Having said all that, I want to again emphasize the value of this booklet and recommend it highly.

Regarding the title of my review, see the second article where Fee notes that Paul confronted the false theology among the Corinthians who "rejected Paul and his theology of the cross (with its ongoing suffering in the present age)" preferring a 'glorious' Jesus to Paul's 'crucified Messiah'. Fee says: "For the Corinthians that's like saying 'fried ice.' Messiah means power, glory, miracles; crucifixion means weakness, shame, suffering." See the article for more details. In my opinion, and I think Fee would agree, what the contemporary church lacks is a biblical, Christ-centered and liberating theology of suffering (I recommend, for starters, reading Piper's chapter on Suffering: The Sacrifice of Christian Hedonism in his 2003 edition of Desiring God).