Kathryn Kuhlman has faded from history and this book tries to change that. Along with a biography of her the author also includes a history Charismatic Christianity. The book is a good overview especially for a reader not familiar with the subject. The author has done a lot of research. I did find the book to be rather slow. This book will appeal to anyone wishing to know more about Kuhlman and Charismatic Christianity.

Charismatic Christianity is now an accepted form of Christianity in America but it was not always that way. Artman takes the life of Katherine Kuhlman as a framework in exploring the movement, including its origins in Pentecostalism.

Artman includes the expected aspects of Kuhlman's life, such as her childhood, prior evangelists who influenced her, her early ministry, marriage and divorce, and her use of television. She also adds insights into the culture of the time. I appreciated her comments on the fact that Kuhlman was a woman in a time when women could be evangelists but not pastors. Artman also includes other insights into the era, such as the use of television and what that meant to culture in general and Christianity specifically.

This is a good book for those interested in the history of the American Pentecostal and Charismatic movements. Artman has done a good job in explaining how Kuhlman's controversial ministry and healing services related to and shaped those movements. She has also done a good job in bringing back to memory such an interesting woman with her flowing gowns and well scripted television programs.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review.

The Miracle Lady
Kathryn Kuhlman and the Transformation of Charismatic Christianity
by Amy Collier Artman
Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company
Biographies & Memoirs , Religion & Spirituality
Pub Date 19 Mar 2019


I am reviewing a copy of The Miracle Lady through Wm. B. Eerdman’s Publishing Company and Netgalley:


Johnny Carson welcomed Kathryn Kulman as a guest of The Tonight Show On October 15.1974 with this. “I imagine there are very few people who are not aware of Kathryn Kuhlman. She probably, along with Billy Graham, is one of the best-known ministers or preachers in the country.” Billy Graham is better remembered but Kathryn Kulman (1907-1976) was a well known evangelist. She preached faith and miracles to millions of people over the fifty five years of ministry. She was one of the most important figures in the rise of Charasmatic Christianity.


In this book author Amy Collier Artman not only tells the story of Kathryn Kulman’s life, and her ministry she also shows how it relates to the story of Charismatic Christianity, particularly on how Charismatic Christianity moved from the fringes of American Society to the mainstream.


The Miracle Lady traces Kathryn Kulman’s remarkable career as a preacher who was media savy, and it fleshes out Kulman’s unconventional character. The author shows how Kathryn Kulman skillfully navigated oppressive structures, rules, and landmines that surrounded female religious leaders in conservative culture.


I give A Miracle Lady five out of five stars!


Happy Reading!

"The Miracle Last" is a detailed, thorough history of the fascinating Kathryn Kuhlman. The author provides so much information about Kathryn's rise in the public eye and in Charismatic Christianity, and her impact on both Christian and secular culture in the United States. At times, I felt that there was simply too much information, to the point that the reading was very dry. However, there would always be something interesting soon to follow. I wouldn't label this as the most spellbinding biography I've read, but it certainly was interesting, and extremely well written and organized. many thanks to the publisher, who provided me with a free electronic copy of the book via NetGalley. I was not required to write a review of any kind. The opinions here are my own.

I have long been fascinated by Kathryn Kuhlman and read several books dedicated to her life. It's very, very interesting how she lived and ministered. I do enjoy reading about her life. Recommended.

*My thanks to the publisher for a copy of this book.

I found this book to be kind of dry although it did have an interesting start. If you want a history of the charismatic religious movement then this is probably for you. I found it kind of a struggle to work through this book though.
I could also sense that just maybe this book was written by someone who was critical of Kathryn Kulhman and her motives. Often it came through that she felt like Kathryn was an opportunistic woman, focused on position, influence and or money. While I am sure that Kathryn was not perfect, it was kind of disturbing to see the author's view from her eyes. Was Kathryn flamboyant? Yes, definitely. Was she unusual? Once again a strong yes. Was she totally authentic? That is between her and God.
I will give the author credit for doing her homework when it came to featuring how "Your Faith and Mine" episodes ran. She was very detailed in her accounts. She also included other ministries and what they ran into as they televised healing meetings.
One particular "meeting" on TV that I enjoyed reading about was when Kathryn Kuhlman interviewed Adele Carmichael. It made me smile when it was described as two giant personalities meeting. It made me even more interested in finding out about Adele. I had heard of many of the people and women mentioned in the book. But she is someone I don't remember hearing about before.
This book also featured quite a few other people and their ministries also including others that followed after her and give credit to the fact that she prepared the way for healing ministries. Benny Hinn was one that was mentioned after Kathryn's passing.
Still, my last words on this book would be that I found it sadly..boring.

I will be giving this book 2 Stars on the Amazon reviews when it opens to post them.

I wanted to read this book because my Mom loved to watch Kathryn Kuhlman on tv. I really didn’t know that much of Kathryn’s life story until I read this book. I was shocked and amazed at how much she changed the perception of women evangelists, healing and Christianity itself. This book also talks about some of the mentors and others that were involved in her life and ministry. There is a lot of information here and at times it was a little difficult to grind through.
If you’re curious how things have changed over the years with Pentecostalism, Charismatic Christians, healing, and women preachers and evangelists; with Kathryn forging the way, this should be very interesting to you. Very well done.

Kathryn Kuhlman (1907–1976) was a person of paradoxes. She was a woman leader in patriarchal evangelicalism. She was a TV evangelist that didn't tout for money. She was a 'healer' who didn't claim any healing ability - she always placed the focus on God as the healer. Her ministry marked a distinction between Pentecostalism and Charismaticism. She lived the life of a liberated single (divorced) woman while opposing women's liberation.

Kuhlman belonged to the facilitator type of healing ministry. As Artman observes:

'Facilitating healing emerged out of a renewal of interest in healing in the more mainstream evangelical Christianity of the time. It represented a movement away from the more volatile and dramatic ministries of “heroic healers of incipient Pentecostalism” such as Maria Woodworth-Etter and John Alexander Dowie.'

Facilitating healing was characterised by Charles Price and A. B. Simpson. Price's 'teacher' was Aime Semple McPherson. Yet, as Artman reveals Kuhlman sought to both distance herself from and yet affirm McPherson.

Artman ably and expertly traces the contours of Kuhlman's life and career. Artman has trawled through hours upon hours of the TV programmes that Kuhlman produced as well as photographic and documentary evidence to provide a perspective, as objective as possible, on Kuhlman and her times.

The book is more than a biography of Kuhlman it shows how Pentecostalism moved from the fringes of evangelical Christianity to the centre. It was renamed and rebranded as charismatic Christianity in an attempt to make it more acceptable. This process Artman terms gentrification. It was a process with Kuhlman at the centre. Kuhlman's TV programmes provided an easy way into this movement without having to go to a revival meeting. It was a safe, accessible and private way in. As Artman has it:

'Kuhlman’s life provides an orienting narrative, a road map for studying the gentrification of charismatic Christianity.'
Kuhlman taught that healing was in the atonement of Christ; it contained a ransom from both sin and sickness. She held Arminian views - that salvation was open to all who respond. She also held to a strong premillennial eschatology. As this is a historical study rather than a theological one these Artman identifies these points but doesn't discuss them further.

This book provides a fascinating insight into Kulhman and the transition of Pentecostalism into the charismatic movement.

I live near to the area that Katherine was from, and have heard alot about her. I was surprised to see this title but excited to read it. What a fascinating read. Katherine's life, especially given the time frame she was in, was not only an example but a goal. So thankful to have this resource to teach other women in spirit-filled leadership about the legacy of faith we see here.

This book is only offered for download. I thought this would be offered for Kindle. I would have to read this on my desktop, and I don't have the time or desire to read in that fashion.