Original Research

Prophets competing against each other in a commercial age: Have some prophets or neoprophetic churches gone too far?

Hulisani Ramantswana, Ithapeleng Sebetseli
HTS Teologiese Studies / Theological Studies | Vol 77, No 4 | a6340 | DOI: https://doi.org/10.4102/hts.v77i4.6340 | © 2021 Hulisani Ramantswana, Ithapeleng Sebetseli | This work is licensed under CC Attribution 4.0
Submitted: 18 September 2020 | Published: 21 May 2021

About the author(s)

Hulisani Ramantswana, Department of Biblical and Ancient Studies, School of Humanities, University of South Africa, Pretoria, South Africa
Ithapeleng Sebetseli, Department of Biblical and Ancient Studies, School of Humanities, University of South Africa, Pretoria, South Africa

Abstract

In recent years, there is growing concern with some of the bizarre practices in some neoprophetic churches. Amongst the concerns raised are the bizarre practices and the commercialisation of churches with claims that churches are being turned into lucrative businesses. In this article, the relationship amongst prophets, churches and commerce is explored, focusing on competitive behaviour in an open market or free market. The article engages the following issues: firstly, the issue of religious marketing in the context of a free market and consumerism; secondly, branding faith in relation to competition between churches and brands of prophets and thirdly, fraudulent activities facilitated by prophets.

Contribution: The article provides a critical assessment of the practices of prophets and neoprophetic churches considering their commercial interests. Thus, the study points to the intersection between religion and commerce.


Keywords

Christian faith; religion; Christian church; religious marketing; consumerism.

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