PTL: The Rise and Fall of Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker's Evangelical Empire

In 1974 Jim and Tammy Bakker launched their television show, the PTL Club, from a former furniture store in Charlotte, N.C. with half a dozen friends. By 1987 they stood at the center of a ministry empire that included their own satellite network, a 2300-acre theme park visited by six million people a year, and millions of adoring fans. The Bakkers led a life of conspicuous consumption perfectly aligned with the prosperity gospel they preached. They bought vacation homes, traveled first-class with an entourage and proclaimed that God wanted everyone to be healthy and wealthy. When it all fell apart, after revelations of a sex scandal and massive financial mismanagement, all of America watched more than two years of federal investigation and trial as Jim was eventually convicted on 24 counts of fraud and conspiracy. He would go on to serve five years in federal prison. PTL is more than just the spectacular story of the rise and fall of the Bakkers, John Wigger traces their lives from humble beginnings to wealth, fame, and eventual disgrace. At its core, PTL is the story of a group of people committed to religious innovation, who pushed the boundaries of evangelical religion's engagement with American culture. Drawing on trial transcripts, videotapes, newspaper articles, and interviews with key insiders, dissidents, and lawyers, Wigger reveals the power of religion to redirect American culture. This is the story of a grand vision gone wrong, of the power of big religion in American life and its limits.

Table of Contents:
Chapter 1: Tongues of Fire Chapter 2: From Puppets to Johnny Carson Chapter 3: Facts Don't Count Chapter 4: PTL Live Chapter 5: Time Bomb Chapter 6: Changing of the Guard Chapter 7: Heritage USA Chapter 8: Four Days, Three Nights Chapter 9: Dream World Chapter 10: Scandal Chapter 11: The Collapse of PTL Chapter 12: Trial of the Century Chapter 13: Aftermath Epilogue: What's Next Notes Bibliography Index

About the Author :
John Wigger is Professor of History at the University of Missouri. His research focuses on American religious and cultural history. He is the author of American Saint (OUP 2009) and Taking Heaven by Storm (OUP 1998).

Review :
"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, starred review "RivetingELEngaging storylines and a wild cast of characters keep the pages turningELIt is perhaps fitting that this definitive history of the Bakkers and PTL is at once edifying and entertaining-a tribute, in that sense, to what might have been." - Christianity Today