Date of Award

2026

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts in Theology (MA)

Department

Theology

First Advisor/Committee Member

Matthew Sigler, Ph.D., Professor of Worship and Historical Theology

Second Advisor/Committee Member

Jennifer McKinney, Ph.D., Professor of Sociology

Keywords

1973-1988; Assemblies of God; Christian conservatism; Christian eschatology; Christianity and politics; Church and social problems; Church work with the poor; Christianity in mass media; Church and mass media; Crouch, Jan (Janice Wendell Bethany), 1938-2016; Crouch, Paul F., Sr. (Paul Franklin), 1934-2013; Evangelicalism; Evangelistic work; Holiness; Holy Spirit; Marginality, Social; Mass media—Religious aspects—Pentecostalism; Nationalism—United States—Religious aspects—Christianity; Nineteen eighties; Nineteen seventies; Patriotism—United States—Religious aspects—Christianity; Pentecostal churches; Pentecostalism; Pentecostalism—Theology; Poor—Religious aspects—Christianity; Power (Christian theology); Rapture (Christian eschatology); Religious right; Salvation—Christianity; Sanctification; Spiritual warfare; Trinity Broadcasting Network

Abstract

While many scholars have discussed the rise of conservatism and Christian nationalism among prominent American evangelicals since the 1970s, few have seriously discussed the theology which has held up these shifts, especially that which comes from Charismatic influences. This thesis contends that many conservative Christians today, and Pentecostals in particular, cannot be understood according to their political and sociological contexts alone, but require a serious analysis of the theological convictions which drive public engagement. In order to demonstrate the historical justification for this claim, this paper will examine Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN)’s dissemination of Pentecostal theology between 1973 and 1988, demonstrating the ways in which their understanding of soteriology, pneumatology, and eschatology provided the theological underpinnings for their increasingly conservative social and political affiliations, as well as their efforts to propagate such beliefs among viewers. This paper considers the theological and political implications of evangelism through disembodied media, efforts to Christianize a culture and nation, as well as the impact of “finished work” theology, the centrality of divine empowerment, spiritual warfare, and rapture theology. This paper seeks to understand how faithful Pentecostals (and today’s evangelicals influenced by Pentecostal media) might find themselves holding their faith and politics together, and also to identify the ways in which Pentecostal theology has been utilized to promote ideas which are at odds with the movement’s early beliefs, demonstrating the ways that Pentecostal theology (as interpreted by TBN) has provided the basis for denial of a historical Pentecostal commitment to the pursuit of sanctification and particular care for the poor and marginalized, and has instead been used to rationalize the accumulation of social and political power for American Christians.

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