The Miracle Lady: Kathryn Kuhlman and the Transformation of Charismatic Christianity

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. Artman argues that Kuhlman has been unfairly overlooked in the religious history of the 20th century due to a variety of factors, including her gender and the form of Christianity she practiced. American charismatic Christianity, according to Artman, is formed at the intersection of Pentecostal, evangelical, and mainstream Protestant Christianity; it tends to be an emotional, performative form of worship that, she notes, provokes a strong response from adherents and critics alike. Artman presents Kuhlman as an important figure in the faith; she got her start as a traveling preacher in 1928, rose to national prominence with her “healing crusades” and her TV show I Believe in Miracles, and became the leader of a Christian media empire in 1975 with her nationally broadcast “miracle service” held in Las Vegas. Kuhlman’s career as a healing preacher spanned the country—she established herself first in Denver, then in Pittsburgh—and she was one of the first Christian evangelists to embrace radio and, later, television. This is an excellent biography that rightly situates Kuhlman alongside evangelists such as Oral Roberts, Billy Graham, Jerry Falwell, and Jim Bakker. (Mar.)