Healing revival

== Evangelists ==
The period of revivals was described by Christian writer John Crowder as "the most extensive public display of miraculous power in modern history.
"{{sfn|Crowder|2006|p=321}}  Some, like critic and radio personality [[Hank Hanegraaff]], rejected the entire healing revival as a hoax, and condemned the subsequent evangelical and charismatic movements as a cult.{{sfn|Hanegraaff|2001|p=173}} Divine healing is a tradition and belief that became increasingly associated with Evangelical Protestantism.{{sfn|Harrell|1978|pp=11-12}} The majority of American Christianity's fascination with divine healing played a significant role in the popularity and inter-denominational nature of the revival movement.{{sfn|Harrell|1978|pp=4-6, 11}}

[[Oral Roberts]] and [[William Branham]] are described by historian [[David Edwin Harrell]] as the two giants of the movement. William Branham, who died in a 1965 car accident, is widely regarded as the initiator and the pacesetter of the revival, and described by Harrell as the movement's "unlikely leader."<ref>Harrell, D. E., ''All Things Are Possible: The Healing and Charismatic Revivals in Modern America'', Indiana University Press, 1978 p. 25.</ref><ref>Weaver, C. D., ''The Healer-Prophet: William Marrion Branham (A Study of the Prophetic in American Pentecostalism)'', Mercer University Press, 2000, p. 139.</ref> Roberts emerged as the most popular figure and left the most lasting legacy, including the [[Oral Roberts University|university]] bearing his name.  Referring to Branham's first series of meetings in St Louis in June 1946, Krapohl & Lippy have commented: "Historians generally mark this turn in Branham’s ministry as inaugurating the modern healing revival".<ref>Krapohl, R. H., & Lippy, C. H., ''The Evangelicals: A Historical, Thematic, and Biographical Guide'', Greenwood Press, 1999, p. 69.</ref>

Branham was the source of inspiration for [[T. L. Osborn]]'s worldwide crusade ministry and dozens of other smaller ministries involved in the healing revival.<ref>''[[Dictionary of Pentecostal and Charismatic Movements]]'' (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1988) p. 372.</ref>  Other major figures of the revival were [[Jack Coe]] and later [[A. A. Allen]].  Many of these ministries shared their healing testimonies in ''[[The Voice of Healing]]'', a periodical published by [[Gordon Lindsay]], which created cohesion for the group in its nascent years.
[[File:William Branham Campaign Meeting in Tacoma Washington, April 1948, As see in A Man Sent From God, 1950.jpg|alt=thousands of spectators in a large arena look towards a man standing behind a podium on a platform|thumb|right|Branham Campaign meeting in [[Tacoma, Washington]], April 1948]]

The Healing Revival was closely connected to the [[Latter Rain (post–World War II movement)|Latter Rain movement]], and the two movements deeply influenced each other. In 1948, attendees at a William Branham healing campaign in western Canada were inspired by the sermon and events of the meetings to begin fasting and praying to experience similar things in their church. The fruits of their efforts started the Latter Rain movement which quickly spread internationally and attracted many of the same people participating in the Healing Revival. [[Joseph Mattsson-Boze]] was a prominent leader of the Latter Rain movement, and his magazine ''Herald of Faith'' provided publicity to both the Healing Revival and the Latter Rain movement.<ref>{{cite book|last = Riss|first = Richard|title = Latter Rain: The Latter Rain Movement of 1948|publisher = Honeycomb Visual Productions|year = 1987|page = 11}}</ref>