A smart, powerful, charismatic preacher brought back to lifeOn October 15, 1974, Johnny Carson welcomed his next guest on The Tonight Show with these words: “I imagine there are very f
A smart, powerful, charismatic preacher brought back to life
On October 15, 1974, Johnny Carson welcomed his next guest on The Tonight Show with these words: “I imagine there are very few people who are not aware of Kathryn Kuhlman. She probably, along with Billy Graham, is one of the best-known ministers or preachers in the country.” But while many people today recognize Billy Graham, not many remember Kathryn Kuhlman (1907–1976), who preached faith and miracles to countless people over the fifty-five years of her ministry and became one of the most important figures in the rise of charismatic Christianity.
In The Miracle Lady Amy Collier Artman tells the story of Kuhlman’s life and, in the process, relates the larger story of charismatic Christianity, particularly how it moved from the fringes of American society to the mainstream. Tracing her remarkable career as a media-savvy preacher and fleshing out her unconventional character, Artman also shows how Kuhlman skillfully navigated the oppressive structures, rules, and landmines that surrounded female religious leaders in her conservative circles.
— Publishers Weekly (starred review)
“Artman, religious studies instructor at Missouri State University, provides an engrossing portrait of Kathryn Kuhlman (1907–1976), a leading figure in charismatic Christianity and ‘miracle healing,’ in her strong debut. . . . This is an excellent biography that rightly situates Kuhlman alongside evangelists such as Oral Roberts, Billy Graham, Jerry Falwell, and Jim Bakker.”
Catherine Brekus —Harvard Divinity School
“Kathryn Kuhlman, one of the most influential preachers of the twentieth century, finally has the biography that she deserves. With sensitivity and keen historical insight, Amy Artman explains how a girl evangelist from Missouri, once derided as a ‘holy roller’ and a ‘Jesus freak,’ grew into a media celebrity who transformed public perceptions of charismatic Christianity.”
Heather Curtis —Tufts University
“Artman’s insightful study shows how Kuhlman deployed the politics of domesticity, cutting-edge media technologies like radio and talk-show television, and her own outsized personality to move spirit-filled faith from the margins to the center of American religious life. Through her astute analysis of Kuhlman’s multi-faceted ministry, Artman sheds new light on the complexities of the charismatic movement and its growing influence within and beyond the United States.”
John Wigger —University of Missouri
“A sensitive and thorough account of one of twentieth-century America’s leading religious figures. Artman’s sympathetic account places Kuhlman at the center of a movement that reshaped American religion in ways that are still evident today.”
Kate Bowler — from the foreword
“A fascinating study in why exceptional women remain exceptions. . . . The rise of Kathryn Kuhlman is the story of one woman’s remarkable climb onto a national stage and the many nimble adaptations—theological, institutional, technological, and personal—she made to achieve it. But her fall into obscurity is the story of the American church, and why women’s spiritual authority remains so ephemeral.”
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Amy Collier Artman teaches in the Religious Studies Department at Missouri State University. She holds a PhD in the history of Christianity from the University of Chicago.
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