Mystery of Faith Healers' Persuasive Powers Revealed

For Immediate Release
Oct. 21, 1999

UNCW PROFESSOR UNRAVELS MYSTERY OF FAITH HEALERS' POWERS OF PERSUASION

WILMINGTON, NC-- Cures performed by servants of God or merely the power of suggestion? The book Foul Demons, Come Out! The Rhetoric of Twentieth-Century American Faith Healing, written by Dr. Stephen Pullum, associate professor of communication studies and associate dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington, examines how seven prominent 20th-century faith healers used powerful prose and dynamic delivery to sway sentiment.

Having listened and watched hours of audio and video recordings as well as attending live revivals, Pullum discovered that the true miracle at work is the power of suggestion.

"Faith healers combine powerfully persuasive speech and showmanship to convince their audience," said Pullum.

Through his research, Pullum established a commonality to the healers' expressiveness which allows them to succeed. Pullum noticed that faith healers from Aimee Semple McPherson to Oral Roberts to contemporary Benny Hinn all employed the strategy of offering hope to the hopeless, giving God the glory, articulating humble beginnings, offering testimony of past personal afflictions conquered and drawing upon scripture to bolster claims.

"Establishing the genre or pattern of persuasion used by faith healers is important," said Pullum. "It gives insight into how faith healers have sold and continue to sell the idea of miraculous cures."

In chapter eight, "Thy Speech Betrayeth Them," Pullum outlines the techniques used by faith healers. "I believe these seven healers sincerely think of themselves as messengers of God sent to deliver a miracle," said Pullum. "However, their miraculous cures pale in comparison with the standards set in the New Testament, which most faith healers use to justify their work."

Using the definition of the 18th-century philosopher David Hume, Pullum said miracles should violate the laws of nature, such as restoring a lost limb.

"Miracles should be verifiable. You should be able to witness the results," said Pullum. "Miracle cures performed by 20th-century healers have been reduced to casting out demons of addiction, cancer, back pain, weak eyes, poor blood circulation, arthritis and other ailments which can't be proven."

Pullum, who has published numerous articles on religious rhetoric and is former associate editor of the Journal of Communication and Religion, notes that faith healers employ many of the same techniques used in other professions. Faith healers use testimony to substantiate their claims of performing miracles just as advertisers rely on famous people to endorse a product, Pullum said. Many politicians employ the healers' technique of "I came from nothing" or articulating humble beginnings to appeal to potential voters. According to Pullum, faith healers make sensational claims, then employ a clear, persuasive strategy to sell the idea to their listeners.

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For more information, contact Dr. Pullum at 910/962-3413. Review copies of his book Foul Demons, Come Out! The Rhetoric of Twentieth-Century American Faith Healing, which is priced at $55 for retail sale, are available from Praeger Publishers by calling 203/226-3571 ext. 463 or [email protected].