Sunday, October 28, 2007

Kathryn Kuhlman: Miracle Worker

In the 1970's, I had a foster mother in a boys' group home in Elkhart, Indiana -- Millie Mickey -- who at one time sang in Kathryn Kuhlman's choir. She shared with us some wonderful aneocdoal memories of her time singing in the choir, like the time a man rushed onto the stage pointing a handgun at her -- fully intending to shoot her -- only to have her uttering the words "Dear Jesus" and having the pistol-brandishing man pass out on stage.

Such was the power of the Holy Spirit.

Thinking of Millie, I did a cursory search on YouTube earlier this evening, and to my surprise and delight, I found video footage of Kathryn Kuhlman that I'd thought I'd share with you:



To her credit, she openly embraced the long-haired, scraggly-looking "Jesus freaks" at a time when more mainstream Christians religion thumbed their noses and looked down upon them. She was inclusive in a way that many of her (mostly male) peers were not, mainly because she had a ministry at a time when women ministers were few and far between. It can be safe to say that feminists owe her a debt for blazing a trail and opening the doors for women to be accepted in pastoral roles in the mainstream churches.

I was because of Kuhlman's catch phrase that I penned a memorable (if sardonic) line in one of my plays: But then, Kathryn Kuhlman believed in miracles. I don't.

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