Sunday’s New York Times takes a look at the Fort Worth based “prosperity gospel” and its preachers Kenneth and Gloria Copeland who delight ”the crowd with anecdotes about the luxurious lives they had attained by following the Word of God.”

Private airplanes and boats. A motorcycle sent by an anonymous supporter. Vacations in Hawaii and cruises in Alaska. Designer handbags. A ring of emeralds and diamonds. “God knows where the money is, and he knows how to get the money to you,” preached Mrs. Copeland, dressed in a crisp pants ensemble like those worn by C.E.O.’s. Even in an economic downturn, preachers in the “prosperity gospel” movement are drawing sizable, adoring audiences. Their message — that if you have sufficient faith in God and the Bible and donate generously, God will multiply your offerings a hundredfold — is reassuring to many in hard times. The preachers barely acknowledged the recession, though they did say it was no excuse to curtail giving. “Fear will make you stingy,” Mr. Copeland said.

The Copelands would not give an interview to the Times, which quotes one critic who calls them “spiritual pickpockets.” Jonathan Walton, a professor of religion at the University of California who has written about the movement told the paper:

“To dismiss and ignore the harsh realities of this economic crisis,” he said. “is beyond irresponsible, to the point of reprehensible.”