How to Evaluate Prosperity Teaching?

Forms of prosperity teaching have spread very widely in charismatic and Pentecostal circles. The common element in all prosperity teaching is that God is a God of blessing, and that obedient faith will lead to a life of increasing blessing in all spheres, including finances and possessions. As Catholics, we often feel uneasy with this teaching, and are aware that it seems far removed from the message of Pope Francis who desires a church of the poor for the poor. Some may be confused that Pope Francis sent a video message to a conference organized by Kenneth Copeland, a leading prosperity teacher. The Pope’s example is instructive. He rejoiced because these Christians love the Lord Jesus, and desire to praise Him. His message did not endorse a particular teaching. It was an example of openness and love for all others who confess the name of Jesus.

The biblical passages appealed to by prosperity teachers are mostly from the Old Testament. Through the law of Moses God sought to make Israel a holy people (Lev 19:2). Part of this schooling was to learn that obedience leads to blessing, and disobedience leads to all kinds of disasters (see for example Deut 28). So this teaching is not without some biblical foundation.

However, the Israelites experienced that the wicked can flourish and that the just can suffer, often at the hands of the wicked. This experience leads to ardent prayer and heart-searching before the Lord, as we see in Psalm 73 and in the book of Job. Gradually there emerges the idea that the suffering of the righteous is important for the deliverance of the people. This finds its deepest expression in the fourth servant song that we hear in the liturgy of Good Friday, (Is 52:12 – 53:12).

But the full revelation concerning the suffering of the righteous awaits the coming of the Messiah Jesus, and in particular his death and resurrection. The Gospels bring a message that is new: “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.” (Matt 16:24-25). Here the Christian is invited to follow the self-sacrificial life of our Lord and Saviour.

When messages about God’s desire to bless everyone make no reference to the cross, and to the words of Jesus concerning self-renunciation, then something essential is lacking and the message is distorted. This remains true, even when preachers say that Jesus took all his sufferings upon himself so that we can simply enjoy blessing, that is without suffering. We are saved by the passion of Jesus, and not by our own sufferings. But as we suffer because we follow Jesus, our sufferings are deeply purifying and contribute to filling up “what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ, for the sake of His Body.” (Col 1:24).

In some ways, the prosperity teaching is a reaction against a distorted presentation of Christian faith in which suffering seems to be exalted for its own sake, and the oppressed and afflicted never hear the good news of deliverance and freedom. Our duty to the suffering is to show them the love of Jesus and to present them his life and teaching. We do not bring hope by saying that their suffering is bearing great fruit, especially when they do not have a living knowledge of Christ.

The prosperity teaching emphasizes how blessing will follow generous giving. Texts like 2 Cor. 9:6 are often cited. There is a “seed faith” teaching that if you sow with money donations, you will receive back a hundred or a thousand fold in material blessing. It is true that there is a moral obligation on Christians to support the mission and ministry of the Church. In the Old Testament the Israelites were obliged to set aside ten per cent of their produce for the Levitical priesthood (Lev.27:30-33). Paul tells the Corinthians to “lay something aside” on the first day of each week (1 Cor 16:2). The Church today does not teach an obligation to give ten per cent; the Catechism says that the precept “You shall help to provide for the needs of the Church” means that “the faithful are obliged to assist with the material needs of the Church, each according to his own ability.” (para 2043). The Church leaves us free to decide how to support the work of God; how much to give to our parish, how much to a community or church group, how much to charitable work.

What can Catholics learn from the prosperity teaching? As Christians we must learn to submit the realm of money, finances, property, and possessions to the Lordship of Jesus. Priests should teach about this as part of living under the authority of Jesus, rather than simply making appeals for funds. If we submit all areas of our lives to the Lord, the funds will be there.