F.F. Bosworth Mentioned in Marius Nel’s book, ‘The Prosperity Gospel in Africa’ (2020)

By Roscoe Barnes III, PhD

Author, F.F. Bosworth: The Man Behind "Christ the Healer"
Copyright (c) 2020

#FFBosworth
#BosworthMatters

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(Wipf and Stock, 2020)

F.F. Bosworth is mentioned in a new book by Dr. Marius Nel titled, The prosperity Gospel in Africa: An African Pentecostal Hermeneutical Consideration (Wipf and Stock, 2020). The book briefly mentions Bosworth's contributions as a Pentecostal pioneer and his connection to E.W. Kenyon. 

Nel is a faculty member of North-West University. He holds a Doctor of Theology degree in Practical Theology from the University of South Africa and a Doctor of Divinity degree in Church History from the University of Pretoria. He also has earned doctorates in Old Testament and New Testament. He holds a Master of Divinity degree from the University of Pretoria. For 23 years, Nel was a lecturer at Auckland Park Theological Seminary. Nel has been a pastor of the Apostolic Faith Mission (AFM) Churches of South Africa for three decades. According to his Amazon.com page, he helps with the theological training in the AFM. He also works with the new Afrikaans Bible translation of the Bible Society. 

Note: Information on The Prosperity Gospel in Africa is available here or by visiting this link: 

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1725266628/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i6

According to Nel, he wrote this book in order to “describe Pentecostal hermeneutics in terms of its viewpoint toward the prosperity gospel.” He acknowledges others have written on this topic, but their work is not from the African context. In his view, the African perspective is “fairly absent in this discourse.” Nel suggests that what is seen in the literature on Pentecostal studies in hermeneutic and exegesis are mostly writings with American or British-European origin. However, his book is presented to fill in the gaps from the African context. He writes: “This book was written by a theological scholar from Africa, focusing on Africa’s need for a well-grounded theological evaluation of popular prosperity theology.”

In the section where Nel mentions Bosworth, he notes the important role that E.W. Kenyon played in Pentecostal church history. Like other historians, Nel believes there exists a link between Kenyon’s theology and present-day proponents of the prosperity gospel.

“Although he (Kenyon) did not embrace the Pentecostal movement, his relationships with and influence on some of the leading Pentecostal leaders of his day” helped to spread his teachings and keep his legacy alive, Nel writes. He explains that Bosworth and other evangelists such as John G. Lakes and Aimee Semple McPherson “ensured that [Kenyon’s] voice was heard across the pentecostal world.” Citing Bosworth’s classic, Christ the Healer, Nel offers a summary of Bosworth’s teaching on healing that was similar to the teachings of Kenyon.

“For instance, F.F. Bosworth taught that healing was believers’ legal right, secured by Christ and accelerated through spiritual effects of positive words,” Nel writes. “Confession brings believers’ words into reality before the healing is seen. What was needed was that believers should act according to their positive words, as though healed already.”

Nel doesn’t say much about Bosworth, but what he mentions rings true in terms of his connection to Kenyon and his teachings on faith and divine healing.

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Reminder: "F.F. Bosworth History" is now on Twitter. Follow @bosworth_fred

Note: My book, F.F. Bosworth: The Man Behind "Christ the Healer," can be purchased here with a 25% discount. Use the discount code: BOSWORTH25.

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For more information:
Visit the F.F. Bosworth page here. Questions about the research and commentary on F.F. Bosworth may be directed to Roscoe Barnes III, Ph.D., via email at doctorbarnes3@gmail.com or roscoebarnes3@yahoo.com. For updates on F.F. Bosworth history, simply follow this blog or @bosworth_fred and @Roscoebarnes3 on Twitter. #ChristTheHealer #BosworthMention #BosworthMatters