Two preachers who teach that God will make the faithful rich are among the religious leaders chosen to offer prayers at President-elect Donald Trump’s swearing-in, the inaugural committee said Wednesday.
Prosperity gospel preachers Paula White, a friend of Trump’s, and Bishop Wayne T. Jackson, whose Detroit church hosted the Republican in September, will be among six faith leaders selected to participate in the Jan. 20 inauguration. It will be the first time preachers who spread the prosperity gospel will be included in the ceremony.
While the faith movement is widely popular, many Christians consider it heretical. Ministers in the tradition often hold up their own wealth as evidence their teachings work. Trump had campaigned in part on his record as a wealthy real estate developer and businessman.
The Senate Finance Committee had investigated White and five other prosperity preachers over their spending, but the inquiry ended in 2011 with no penalty for the televangelists. White said in a statement that she will pray to God at the inaugural “that He would richly bless our extraordinary home, the United States of America.”
Anthony Pinn, a Rice University religious studies professor, described the prosperity gospel “as a way to religiously rationalize material acquisition.” He said participating in the inaugural gives the preachers a new kind of prominence.
“You’ve got millions of people who will see them perform,” Pinn said. “There’s a tremendous amount of benefit that goes along with that.”
The four other religious leaders included in the inaugural are the Rev. Franklin Graham, son of the evangelist Billy Graham; Roman Catholic Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York; the Rev. Samuel Rodriguez, head of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference, an evangelical group; and the Rabbi Marvin Hier, founder of the Simon Wiesenthal Center, which conducts education about the Holocaust and speaks out against anti-Semitism and bias.
The Wiesenthal Center had previously criticized Trump, accusing him of casting suspicion on all Muslims in his remarks on terrorism. Hier said in a phone interview Wednesday that while he would continue to speak out against bigotry, he supports Trump’s approach to Israel. “I’m not in the camp of those who say we are now into the dark ages. I think the opposite — that America’s best years are ahead of it,” Hier said.
Graham, who rallied Christian voters around the country this year over the issue of appointees to the U.S. Supreme Court, has credited God for Trump’s win over Hillary Clinton. Rodriguez, who had criticized Trump for his promises to deport millions of people in the country illegally, said Wednesday, “I have enjoyed getting to know President-elect Trump and his team.” Rodriguez called participating in the inaugural “a patriotic honor” and “a sacred duty.”
Dolan said in a statement he will be reading from Scripture at the inaugural and will ask God to “inspire and guide our new president.”
The Associated Press contributed to this article.
These preachers are liked because they tickle the ears of listeners. This means they tell people what they want to hear not what God wants people to hear. Joel Olstien et al are an abomination to the truth of the bible!
Do not agree. Think Joel Olsteen and others are guided to lead people to the kind of living, that God intends for HIS CHILDREN. PEOPLE who make judgements of others, could be very aware, that is truly God’s job… not theirs.
The blessing of Abraham still stands for all believers. Read you bible and ask God for wisdom. How would we spread the gospel and help people in our country and others without the finances. Give and it will be given unto you, good measure, pressed down, and running over.
Prosperity is not just money, it includes physical, emotional, and spiritual blessing. Trump has opened this up to pastors and leaders of different denominations and religions. Pray for Trump and stop criticizing him before he is even in office. Believers have been praying for this election and country and continue to do so.
He campaigned that he is working for ALL people of our nation.
If he had chosen one minstry over another he would still be vilified.
Let him do what he promised America.
Don’t count Franklin Graham among those who preach what people want to hear! He speaks it as it is! He has also been trying to warn the faithful for decades of the dangers of the satanically inspired false faith of Islam! Although he was the son of the probably the most effective evangelist to ever live, he chose a sinful life before God intervened and opened his blinded eyes. I can relate to Franklin Graham praise God!
I tend to feel that Paul was a better evangelist. Could be wrong….
As one who has supported TheDonald since his first public announcement of running for President, I must say that even though this was not something I expected, in retrospect, it’s not all that troubling. He is new to the art of juggling politics & religion, and considering his background, why should we be surprised? Hopefully cool heads will prevail and we’ll all get past this exceedingly minor bump in the road.
Why argue your devisive opinion at a time like this when God is smiling on our Great Nation once more.
AMEN, Brother!
Who, pray tell, would Billary Clinton have asked to speak at her Presidential Inaugural ceremony if she had been the next POTUS, hmmmmm???? One of the cop killers who are now on death row at several different penitentiaries in our beloved homeland? I agree that 99% of what these so called “prosperity gospel” preachers actually do almost NOTHING to further the LEGITIMATE spread and application of the gospel of Jesus Christ, but these hard left leaning pseudo-religious character don’t do anything better (other than rob people who HAVE LEGITIMATELY earned a good living with HONEST EFFORT. We can judge them by the true fruits that they produce.
One question, guys. Many of the kings of Israel and Judah were EXTREMELY WEALTHY. How are we to consider these highly regarded figures from past history? It’s interesting to note, however, that Jesus Christ had almost NO material possessions when He was unjustifiably MURDERED by both Roman and high placed Jewish leaders. Material possessions did not REALLY matter to our Lord because love, kindness and mercy towards everyone (even one’s enemies) was a quantum leap forward in importance. He could have snapped a finger and had trillions upon trillions of dollars worth of material goods at His disposal, but He chose to share and eventually sacrifice His very life for ALL of humanity. How does that measure up against these “prosperity gospel adherents” rants about having giga bucks to be happy?
I’m not real sure where you find that Jesus wasn’t prosperous. Have you ever heard of anyone needing a treasurer if they were poor. Not trying to argue I just happen to think you are mistaken. Anyway, God Bless you in this new year.
Many followers of Jesus contributed funds for the daily needs of Jesus and His followers, who traveled as a group. They stayed only with those friends who offered hospitality, in rentals (the Upper Room), and several times camped out in the open and away from crowds for R & R. The treasurer (Judas) was in charge of payments for purchases that included food, meeting place rentals, temple taxes and other expenses. He was a thief and Jesus knew it, but still entrusted the funds to him. Jesus entrusted the care of His mother to John, one of his disciples, and his only possession was clothing that was gambled away at the foot of his cross of death.
It is a Christian misconception to believe that Yeshua (Jesus’ real name) was poor. His father Joseph was a skilled craftsman and probably earned a decent living. Yeshua was also trained as a Rabbi. This training was expensive in his day. And his family had the resources to make the trip to Egypt to save their child from Herod’s slaughter in Bethlehem. Maybe not wealthy, but not poor either.
Jesus was not murdered. He WILLINGLY laid down his life for all of us. I am tried of people like Road Runner spreading heretical lies. You sir, should learn the TRUTH about the gospel.
Please note that in his parables, when Jesus uses a figure who is analogous to God the Father, that figure tends to be a rich man. For example, in the parable of the Prodigal Son, the father is rich. The father’s acceptance of his son after a life of sin corresponds to God’s acceptance of us when we return to Him, repentant. Likewise the man who has land, improves it, and leases his land to men who do him evil. And when asked outright to choose the poor over his ministry, he said that the poor would always be with us.
So contrary to the false “social gospel”, Jesus did not preach for the redistribution of wealth. What is in your heart is the important thing; wealth is not important either way.
Our prayer will be to thank the Lord for delivering us from the socialism of the past eight years. We pray for a hugely successful administration which will detract from any future socialists who try to recoup the WH and begin their destruction of our democratic republic anew. The Democratic Party of old does not exist….they have migrated so far left they are socialistic, bordering on communistic. We pray this new President will lead the country back to prosperity and common sense, efficient governing for the benefit of Americans. We can have hope for the future…..in the past eight years there has been NO HOPE!!
THE MUSLIM IN CHIIEF SHARES THE LION’S SHARE OF RESPONSIBILITY FOR TRYING TO CHANGE THIS COUNTRY TO A MUSLIM /SOCIALIST WORLD STATE.
We The Peoples Prayers count.
So we can join all prayers for our beloved nation.
Isn’t it enough that God our prayers.
Let us join hands, as we are all God’s children.
Let us give our nation time to heal.
We ARE ALL God’s CREATION but not all God’s children. We’ve been bought with a great price… but only if we accept that provision does it make us adopted into God’s family.
Pablo, you have that SO right!
Very good point Pablo, I agree there is a difference.
Forget celebrities in these religious leaders he has all that he needs to get his Presidency started in the “Right” direction.
Rich or Poor has nothing to do with what is in the your heart, your mind or your soul or whether you are blessed or not by God. There are so many more blessing God gives us than money. I will not judge Joel Osteen though, because he preaches a positive attitude and clean lifestyle. I think he has helped change a lot of peoples lives for the better. He does not make his millions off his congregation’s donations but off his positive thinking books. People are craving positive in a world of so much negative. We do have to remember that Lucifer promises you riches and delivers in many cases, if you follow him, but the price is your soul and eternal death. God can give you riches but also so much more and eternal life.
Yes, it will be blessing for prechers who really preach from the Bible to be allowed to be part of the inaugeration; a blessing from God and to all you “nay-sayers” and criticizers…go argue with God. The “Lord’s prayer says that “MY WILL BE DONE ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN”.and my friends there “THERE AIN’T NO POVERTY IN HEAVEN”……IS THERE?
Joel Osteen is not a preacher. His father was and when he died suddenly there was no one else in the family who could take over the church. Joel has never been to a seminary. His books are all best sellers, he has over 45,000 members in his Houston church and his books are translated into many languages. He reached millions of people with his message, on cable, in several countries. The preachers that Trump selected preach his message about jobs and prosperity fit Trump’s message; these seem to me to be positive choices.
Heck with the prayer!!
As long as it isn’t one of the race hatred profiteers Obuttma LOVES… I’m good with it!
Now hold on folks! This inauguration is a POLITICAL event, not a Gospel tent revival! What really matters here is not the Bible Doctrine of these so-called “prosperity preachers,” but the true-blue American blood in their veins! Check it out—you won’t find a cadre of more loyal, conservative Americans than the millions of Americans these few preachers speak for. It is these millions who stormed the poles for Donald Trump and helped make him a winner. This is American freedom at work! Millions of Americans agree with the prosperity doctrine and believe they prospered in it. Does a Baptist or Methodist with pockets bulging believe God blessed him with it? Of course! They believe God “prospered” them. Well, those who hold the “prosperity doctrine” believe the same thing—both have pockets stuffed with money, but one prosperity recipient points a crooked finger at another prosperity recipient and castigates his doctrine. Give me a break! Enough of this destructive bickering! The whole point is that even the poorest red-blooded American among us is prosperous, and every teacher who teaches true Americanism IS A PROSPERITY PREACHER!
To Don’s comment. Although I can appreciate all these comments, in my opinion, you said it all, and quite well. God is blessing America because of the heartfelt prayers of faithful Christians, whatever their minor points of view.
I think straight-thinking folk realize that America is not The Kingdom of God. But many whose thinking has been undermined by godless and Satanic philosophies have succeeded somewhat in rewriting American history to try to deny that the greatness and success of our US Constitution (and the nation it governs) has been achieved because it has been built upon the unshakable foundation of the God-given principles of the Sacred Scriptures of Christianity and Judaism. Solomon said: “Righteousness exalteth a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people” (paraphrased from memory). The greatest men and women of Western civilization have known that God Himself is the source of righteousness. If there is righteousness in a church or a church denomination or in any of our governmental bodies, I believe the ultimate source of it is God, don’t you? So let us celebrate righteousness and resist evil in every form wherever we find it, but especially practice the virtues and teachings described in the Holy Scriptures as belonging to that one sinless man–Jesus Messiah, the Incarnate God, Creator of the heavens and earth (and of all the material and spiritual entities in the Universe and beyond).