PTL

Reviews / Votes

Wigger's sparkling prose makes the book a joy to read...a necessary addition to the bookshelves of those interested in American religious history. * The Gospel Coalition * PTL...captures the thrill of the couple's ascent and the scale of their eventual collapse. The book also provides an opportunity for reflection on the meaning of their moment in American cultural history....John Wigger's book...gives the complicated story elegance, understated humor, and surprising emotional punch. * Washington Examiner * Drawing on a wide range of interviews, newspaper reports, and court documents, Wigger expertly documents the larger-than-life transgressions that eventually brought the Bakkers and PTL tumbling down. * Christianity Today * Wigger explicates critically but fairly the story of Jim Bakker and PTL ('Praise the Lord' or 'People That Love') Recommended. * W.B. Bedford, CHOICE * Taking on scandal as a subject of study is complicated. It is tempting to dismiss PTL and the Bakkers as the worst exemplars of Christian hypocrisy. The more productive venture is to explicate the complexity of the Bakkers' motivations, to explain the gradual escalation of their ambition, and to narrate the story of grace found and lost. Wigger does this admirably and with good humor. Several passages stand out as delightfully funny-a rare feature in historical writing. As Jim Bakker continues to sell his apocalyptic gruel by exploiting Americans' fears, understanding the culture that he helped create and in which he still operates has never been more important. * Suzanna Krivulskaya, Reading Religion * Thorough and thoughtful, Wigger's book affords nuance to a story that has often otherwise been relegated to tabloid fodder. PTL is a fascinating study of the ignominious collapse of an evangelical empire-an event that captured and scandalized a nation. * Foreword Reviews * Wigger succeeds in providing a three-dimensional view of the one-dimensional figures of American television and a greater understanding of the Bakkers and their followers. * Library Journal * Captivating...outstanding...Anyone interested in the theological underpinnings of certain contemporary strains of right-wing American politics, as well as those more particularly interested in the Bakkers or televangelism, should find this book rewarding. * Publishers Weekly *