This work investigates the rapid ascent and subsequent collapse of the PTL (Praise The Lord) ministry, questioning how religious fervor and financial mismanagement intersected to facilitate a massive public scandal. Charles E. Shepard, a Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative journalist, utilizes extensive interviews and financial records to document the inner workings of Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker’s media empire. The text provides a rigorous examination of the institutional failures and personal excesses that defined the televangelist movement during the late 20th century.

This text is regarded as a definitive, meticulously researched account of the PTL scandal, noted for its journalistic integrity and depth of detail. The narrative provides a clinical, objective look at the intersection of faith, media, and corporate malfeasance.