Televangelist Jimmy Swaggart Dies at 90 After Scandal-Plagued Ministry

Jimmy Swaggart, a prominent Pentecostal televangelist and gospel music artist, died at age 90, marking the end of a tumultuous yet influential career. Known for his fiery sermons and massive ministry empire, Swaggart was embroiled in multiple sex scandals, including high-profile incidents in 1988 and 1991 involving prostitutes, which led to his defrocking by the Assemblies of God after he refused a full rehabilitation program. Despite his controversies, Swaggart was a significant figure in gospel music, selling 15 million albums worldwide and earning a Grammy nomination, with close familial ties to music legends Jerry Lee Lewis and Mickey Gilley. His public denunciations of other televangelists' moral failings, including Jim Bakker and Marvin Gorman, contrasted with his own personal failings, creating a complex legacy of sanctimony and scandal. Swaggart’s life story reflects a blend of religious fervor, musical talent, and human frailty, cementing his place in both religious and musical history. His death was publicly announced by his ministry, and he was posthumously inducted into the Southern Gospel Hall of Fame in 2025.