Pulpit, power, and predation: “Yahoo Men of God,” prosperity theology, and the Twin Fraud Triangles
We analyse public discourse on pastors’ unethical financial exploitation within the charismatic Christian community. Using qualitative content analysis of social-media responses, we examine how the public perceives, discusses, and interprets these cases, privileging emic viewpoints. We find that fai...
| Authors: | ; ; |
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| Format: | Electronic Article |
| Language: | English |
| Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
| Interlibrary Loan: | Interlibrary Loan for the Fachinformationsdienste (Specialized Information Services in Germany) |
| Published: |
2025
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| In: |
Critical research on religion
Year: 2025, Volume: 13, Issue: 3, Pages: 333-354 |
| Further subjects: | B
Donald Cressey
B Prosperity Gospel B spiritual economy B Charismatic Christianity B Fraud triangle theory B Public Perception |
| Online Access: |
Volltext (lizenzpflichtig) |
| Summary: | We analyse public discourse on pastors’ unethical financial exploitation within the charismatic Christian community. Using qualitative content analysis of social-media responses, we examine how the public perceives, discusses, and interprets these cases, privileging emic viewpoints. We find that faith leaders are seen to exploit congregants’ social trust and spiritual devotion for personal gain. Grounded in Donald Cressey’s Fraud Triangle theory, we identify key components of fraudulent behavior in religious contexts while extending the framework to introduce the “Twin Fraud Triangles.” This expanded model incorporates both the cultural logic of perpetrators and the subjective experiences of their congregations and observers, providing a more nuanced understanding of fraud in religious settings. Our findings call for greater awareness and community-led safeguards to protect spiritual and financial well-being. This study contributes to ongoing debates on trust, authority, and moral economies within religious institutions, offering insights that could inform future community responses and interventions. |
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| ISSN: | 2050-3040 |
| Contains: | Enthalten in: Critical research on religion
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| Persistent identifiers: | DOI: 10.1177/20503032251381309 |
