When San Antonio megachurch pastor John Hagee was diagnosed with COVID-19 last month, his son and fellow pastor Matt Hagee extolled the “watchful care” doctors were giving his 80-year-old father.
But now that he’s sufficiently recovered to return to his evangelical Cornerstone Church, the elder Hagee has chalked up his recovery to Jesus, not medical intervention.
“I bring under the authority of Jesus Christ every sickness and every disease, especially the COVID thing that’s sweeping the nation,” said Hagee, whose breathing difficulty and raspy voice are apparent in a clip posted by on the Friendly Atheist YouTube account. “We have a vaccine. The name is Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God. Let Him sweep through this country and heal the righteous who dare to ask for it.”
Hagee, seated on a throne-like white chair, tells his flock that his ability to appear during the recent service shows the Almighty’s healing power.
“I spent 15 days in a hospital with double pneumonia, and I’m still supposed to be home gasping for air,” he said. “I’m on this platform speaking of the glory of God, for the healing power of God.”
Hagee is one of the leading proponents of prosperity theology, which maintains that believers should tithe if they want divine blessings such as healing. Appropriately, instructions for how to donate to his ministry appear on the bottom of the YouTube clip, which is taken from his church’s broadcast.
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This article appears in Nov 7-17, 2020.
