Former Heroes of the Faith!

Here's a list of the "Heroes of the Faith" compiled by contributor JimmyPage:

David Hogan--"Faith Healer" who became popular during the Pensacola Revival at Brownsville, AOG, who claimed to have resurrected some 200 stiffs, who claims to have a vehicle that was/is able to drive under water (by the power of the Holy Spirit, of course), and a host of other claims too numerous to list here.

Kim Clement--The rockin' rappin prophet who has made so many false predictions that it beggars my ability to list them. A favorite of Jan Crouch, this South African-born "prophet" has been making bad predictions for years and, to no one's suprise who knows the charismatic world, has not been called to answer for them.

Marilyn Hickey--WoFer out of Colorado who has been making standard WoF claims for years. She is remembered for her constant providing of shameless "Jesus Junk" as a point of contact--corn meal, breastplates, oil/water from the Holy Land, etc., etc., ad nauseum.

Paul Cain--Charismatic prophet of immense standing a few years ago who, it was claimed, had so great an annointing that he could and would short out nearby electrical equipment. He fell from grace with the Charismatics after it was revealed that this holy man of God had been involved in homosexual affairs.

Bob Tilton--Do I really need to include this guy's past? I mean, after ABC got done with him he was tried and convicted of various and sundry fraud claims. After his time in the slammer, Bob came back and is again peddling his shameful WoF message on television.

Mike Warnke--claimed to be a former Satanic high priest and was a famliar part of the Charismatic world until he was exposed as a result of a story in Christian publication "Cornerstone." He is credited (or blamed would be the better word) for the proliferation of anti-Satanic ministries in the late 20th century such as the unspeakable Bob Larson.

Bob Larson--Bombastic and proven liar of Christian radio and television, he claims to have cast out hundreds of demons--some even on the air. Married at least four times, he repeatedly claimed to be married only once. One of his best whoppers was when he claimed that Satan had taken to appearing as himself (Larson) in order to spread these rumors.

More to come on some contemporary figures, but how about some golden oldies?

A.A. Allen--Tent revivalist of the 1950's and 1960's, who claimed to regularly raise the dead, heal the sick, and so on. In his revival meetings, there were jars said to contain the physical remains of demons for the gullible to come up and gawk at. He also had oil flowing from his hands (allegedly by the power of the Holy Spirit), and had the sign of the cross appear on the foreheads of those he touched there. He once invited people to send the bodies of their deceased to his ministry headquarters in Arizona until health officials in that state stopped the practice before it could really get started. He promised to resurrect these dead folks. He was found dead in a San Francisco motel strewn with barbituates and alcohol. Cause of death was liver failure from years of drinking.

Maria Woodworth Etter--1880's-1906 "prophet" known as the "trance evangelist" because of her tendency to freeze in position in mid-sentence, sometimes for hours or even a day. She predicted that SF would disappear as a result of a tidal wave in 1890, which it rebelliously failed to do. She was the inspiration for a host of later lady healers/prophets such as Aimee Semple McPherson, Kathryn Kuhlman, et al. Her works are still in publication through WoF publishing houses such as Harrison House. Knee-slapping fun, this one!

William Branham--Called the greatest prophet of his time, this guy used common parlor tricks to sucker his audiences into believing that he was called of God. When he died in an auto accident in the 1960's, his followers refused to bury the guy, believing that God would resurrect him. One of the first of the Five-fold ministry types, and still looked to and revered amongst Pentecostals and charismatics.

W.V. Grant--both father and son of the same name, but especially the latter. W.V. jr. spent time in jail for mail fraud but still manages to show up on television every so often promising all sorts of things. He is best remembered for his ability to call on people in his audience by name, tell them who their MD was, and what their ailments were. He learned this trick from his dad and William Branham, who would collect information on cards on audience members before the meeting and then use the info to "Call out" the person.

Oral Roberts--What can one say? He of the 900 ft. Jesus, the failed City of Faith, and his whining that unless his followers come up with some $8 million in cash that God was going to "Call him home". The granddaddy of contemporary healers, all of the rest of these charlatans owe a tip of the hat to Oral and his techniques, such as the seed-faith sham.

Aimee Semple McPherson--Huge evangelist of the 19 teens through the 1940's. Claimed healings and "signs and wonders" followed her ministry based out of LA. She faked her own kidnapping in the 1920's when she left to take up with one of her paramours, a ministry radio operator. Other famous alleged lovers (Anthony Quinn) and known lovers (Milton Berle). Many more are rumored. She died of a drug overdose in 1944.

Kathryn Kuhlman--Benny Hinn's mentor and faith healer today still spoken of with great reverence among charismatics. A series of "for sure" healings were followed up upon by an MD and found that not one of her claimed healings were in fact true. She died on the operating table after her own faith apparently wasn't enough to save her life.

Jimmy, we're waiting on the "more to come on some contemporary figures."