Who Is Morris Cerullo? Hector Avalos

eye socket causing a protrusion of her the waiting list and failed to attend a on the pathology, its resolution, and the left eye. She was seen by a neurosurgeon review appointment. Four years later, possible implications had the diagnosis and x-rays led him to think this was a the swelling is not obvious, but hair been different. mucocele in communication with her covers the site. She refused to allow close These then were the best cases from frontal sinus. He strongly advised inspection or a repeat of the x-ray. She MTL 1992, selected by Cerullo and surgical exploration as he thought the said the pain had stopped instantly and presented for public scrutiny. The day cyst would get bigger, but after attending that her skull had slowly returned to after producing this list, Cerullo held a a Cerullo meeting she took herself off almost normal. One is left to speculate press conference in London in which he Who Is Morris Cerullo? Hector Avalos n the wake of a power vacuum edly censured several times in Argen- obvious attractions for people who Icreated by the downfall of Jim tina for such outspokenness. In 1981 feel powerless in this world. Bakker and Jimmy Swaggart, Morris the Nicaraguan government barred But perhaps the most attractive Cerullo has emerged as one of the him from entering the country. part of Cerullo's Pentecostal message most powerful televangelists in the In 1990 Cerullo helped to pur- is the claim of access to instant healing world. He is a fiery preacher who is chase, reportedly for about $50 power. Pentecostalism purports to seen by millions of persons every million, two major elements of Jim be, in part, an alternative or comple- week, especially in the United States Bakker's former empire: The Praise mentary health care system for its and Latin America. the Lord (PTL) satellite network and clients. It is no surprise that this According to his autobiographical the Christian theme park in Fort movement grows in places where account, From Judaism to Christian- Mills, South Carolina, known as people can't afford good health care, ity (first published in 1962 and revised Heritage USA. Aside from his own or where conventional health care in 1965), Cerullo was born in Passaic, telethons, money for this purchase has not provided satisfactory results New Jersey, on October 2, 1931. He came from Malaysian bankers and a from the viewpoint of the patient. In grew up in a Jewish orphanage, and number of wealthy, but anonymous, short, the success of Cerullo lies in converted to Christianity as a teen- donors. Eventually Malaysian United his ability to market, and profit from, ager. Industries became the owners of his claim to have immediate access Although Cerullo now heads his Heritage USA, while Cerullo retained to a universal, immediate, and super- own independent ministry, he was control of the broadcasting element. natural health care plan. Whether ordained as a minister for the Assem- The PTL satellite network was esti- Cerullo will be more or less successful blies of God in 1952, the largest mated to reach about seven million in the future may depend on how well Pentecostal denomination in the households in 1990, and his flagship the medical and scientific commun- world. The Assemblies of God once television show, Victory with Morris ities can expose the fallacy of his counted Jimmy Swaggart and Jim Cerullo, airs throughout the United claims. Bakker among its ministers. Cerullo States and Canada. pastored churches in New Hampshire In order to understand Cerullo and References and Indiana in the 1950s, but his his popularity, one must understand greatest success came in southern his Pentecostal message. Pentecostal- Morris Cerullo, From Judaism to Christianity California. In San Diego, where he ism is a fast-growing Christian move- (1962; revised 1965). "Cerullo Buys PTL," The Christian Century still maintains his headquarters, he ment that stresses that the miraculous (August 8-15, 1990) 728. organized Morris Cerullo World powers attributed to the early Chris- Stephanie Anderson Forest, "You Can't Say Evangelism, Inc., (MCWE) in 1961. tians in the New Testament (e.g., faith Morris Cerullo Has No Faith," Business Week (December 31, 1990) 59. By the 1970s he had gained wide- healing, speaking in tongues) are still David Stoll, Is Latin America Turning spread notoriety for his television achievable and should be actively Protestant? (Berkeley: Univ. of California appearances. cultivated. These powers are con- Press, 1990) 228-229. Author's monitoring of several of Cerullo's During the 1980s, Cerullo was ferred to believers by an event called broadcasts (1990-93). • probably better known in Latin "Holy Spirit Baptism," which, after America than in the United States. salvation from sin, is one of the He was especially famous for anti- greatest goals stressed by Pentecos- Hector Avalos is adjunct assistant communist crusades filled with un- talism. The emphasis on access to professor of religious studies at Iowa diplomatic rhetoric. He was report- miraculous power is one of the State University in Ames. Winter 1993/94 7 .

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