Examines the rise of one of the most prolific spiritual leader of
modern times T.D. Jakes has emerged as one of the most prolific
spiritual leaders of our time. He is pastor of one of the largest
churches in the country, CEO of a multimillion dollar empire, the
host of a television program, author of a dozen bestsellers, and
the producer of two Grammy Award-nominated CDs and three critically
acclaimed plays. In 2001 Time magazine featured Jakes on the cover
and asked: Is Jakes the next Billy Graham? T.D. Jakes draws on
extensive research, including interviews with numerous friends and
colleagues of Jakes, to examine both Jakes's rise to prominence and
proliferation of a faith industry bent on producing spiritual
commodities for mass consumption. Lee frames Jakes and his success
as a metaphor for changes in the Black Church and American
Protestantism more broadly, looking at the ramifications of his
rise-and the rise of similar preachers-for the way in which
religion is practiced in this country, how social issues are
confronted or ignored, and what is distinctly "American" about
Jakes's emergence. While offering elements of biography, the work
also seeks to shed light on important aspects of the contemporary
American and African American religious experience. Lee contends
that Jakes's widespread success symbolizes a religious realignment
in which mainline churches nationwide are in decline, while
innovative churches are experiencing phenomenal growth. He
emphasizes the "American-ness" of Jakes's story and reveals how
preachers like Jakes are drawing followers by delivering
therapeutic and transformative messages and providing spiritual
commodities that are more in tune with postmodern sensibilities. As
the first work to critically examine Bishop Jakes's life and
message, T.D. Jakes is an important contribution to contemporary
American religion as well as popular culture.
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