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Christianity Today, July (Web-only), 2007 |

Will Tomorrow's Evangelicals Remember Tammy Faye?

She was an icon of a changing movement, but didn't actually change it, say experts.

Ted Olsen and Elizabeth Lawson | posted 7/27/2007 08:55AM

The 1980s downfall of Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker shook evangelicalism and Pentecostalism and made televangelism a national mockery. But scholars doubt that her mascara-colored mark will be a lasting one ...

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Eddie Francisco

Posted: August 03, 2007 3:42 PM

I'm not one to campaign for plain, unadorned faces on evangelical women. But this phrase jumped out at me as I read: "women who wanted to believe that it was acceptable to be a bit worldly." So how much is "a bit worldy"? And once we become comfortable with that "bit worldly," will we then start justifying being a little "bit [more] worldly"? At the same time, I would suggest that Tammy Faye's makeup style was more than "a bit." It was extreme, and to many even comical.

Chaplain Mary Murphy Veteransjustice@aol.com

Posted: July 31, 2007 6:22 PM


The daughter of parents who used the dust bowl in Okahoma to Live The Social Gospel - and to encounter "The Prosperity Gospel" (sic) Powers and Principalities used Tammy to introduce; i.e., it was the PTL Electric CHurch translated into Middle East Languages that birthed THE WAR ON TERROR

m	Posted: July 28, 2007 11:52 PM

As for Tammy Fae and the fact that evangelical Christianity not being changed for her being there...C'mon honor her in her death honorably fo God's sake!!! She was placed on the earth for her time and with God's purpose. Many who have come to the Lord Jesus Christ would disagree that she did nothing to change evangelical Christianity. Conservative Protestant Movements they were not part of...Pentecostals and Charasmatics aren't known for conservatism so maybe the scholars have that right, but Her Existence was not for no avail.People may have critisized her haor make-up, but I take note that she most likely had fruit before God as spoken in John as God was her Vine and she was of the branches. That's the issue I would take with this article.

Shehe

Posted: July 28, 2007 9:18 AM

I do find it interesting that Tammy Faye loved homosexuals. She could probably relate to their plight in that she was not someone who fit in to her "group" and tended to evoke strong feelings of both rejection and defense as those in the homosexual community do. God uses evocative people to challenge us to examine the roots of our belief systems. Bottom line we all fall short and we all need grace.

smo	Posted: July 27, 2007 5:24 PM

I have since being a teenager judged Tammy Faye for her tears and makeup. I was wrong. I listened to her on Larry King, I was impressed by her will, determination and spirit. I know she is Heaven praising her Father. I had read an article about how she loved those in the homosexual lifestyle. They knew she hated the sin but she loved them. Does the church truly love those different than us? Are we living out our faith to anyone in society that may not "look" like the church should be? I am humbled that Tammy Faye loved people for where they were. For the fact that Christ died for them as well. I learned from her the importance of loving others the way Christ loves me. I disagreed with the statement from the professor that said, "American Christianity isn't really that different for her having been there. Erase Jim and Tammy and PTL from the record and I don't think anything really changes." God put her in an arena where she did change her world and I believe for the better.

artm	Posted: July 27, 2007 3:05 PM

Hello, I beleive that my sister is in heaven today. Susie used the Scripture," for we have all sinned and fallen short of the Glory of God." That is a wonderful Scripture, Actually when He said" and fall short of the Glory of God." it literally means, " We are constantly falling short of the Glory of God>' Yet God never gives up on us, No we are not perfect, But Gods Salvation is. That is not to make excuse for sin, For if we sin it is our sin and we must own up to it. But if we repent,He is faithful and just to forgive. Thank God for Tammy, through her we learned what to do,and what not to do. To God be the Glory. Art.

susie amerise

Posted: July 27, 2007 1:08 PM

this article made me think about God..how He saw her death..the death of one of His saints...regardless of make-up trends and scandles, etc....all of which God is not one bit surprised......He knew she was His very own.....He never judges to condemn us no, not ever....His love is perfect and strong enough to cover all of His children's sins.....so with sadness, I wonder why His children can't write the good in this woman, as different as she was.....but really not..... we all have sinned and fall short of His Glory.....why cast stones.....why not instead write of all the Good that God made in the life of Tammy Faye. I believe to Her Father her life did make a difference.....what surprises there will be in Heaven! i watched that larry king interview..all she spoke of was Jesus....it impacted me alot! It is Jesus..not statistics who change lives.

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