1. Who was Aimee Semple McPherson?
2. How was she first drawn into Christian ministry, and how did she become known as "Sister Aimee?"
3. How did she develop a following, and what was unique about her ministry, in terms of race relations?
4. Describe the Angelus Temple and Sister Aimee's ministry there.
5. How did she find herself on trial in Los Angeles, and what was the result?
6. What has happened to the International Church of the Four Square Gospel that she founded (look it up on Wikipedia, and while you are at it, also look up Pentecostalism)?
7. A precursor to Sister Aimee's work in Los Angeles was the Azusa Street Revival. Read about it in Wikipedia and write a brief summary.
Sociology 4595: "Sister Aimee"--Groups
1. How do you understand the American doctrine of the separation of church and state? Why do you suppose a religious leader like Aimee McPherson might be opposed to that doctrine?
2. The United States has had a number a religious figures who became "celebrities," and Sister Aimee is probably the first woman in that role. How would you account for her influence?
3. How well does Weber's model of charismatic leadership fit the case of Sister Aimee?
4. What happens after a period of charismatic leadership, during the stage Weber sometimes called routinization? The Four-Square Gospel church is perhaps a good example. Notice who led the church during its period of greatest growth. What is apt to be gained and what lost during the period when the original leader is gone?