Shifting Attitudes toward the “Saucer” Question in Mid-Century American Pentecostalism

Abstract

After some basic background and outlining of key contextual elements, this article examines the commentaries of William Branham, O.L. Jaggers, Gordon Lindsay, and Frank Stranges on the rise and growing popularity of the UFO phenomenon through the 1950s and 1960s. This brief survey tracks the shift from pluralistic interpretations to the dominant demonic interpretation while highlighting the accompanying nationalistic and apocalyptic milieu. It concludes with a brief deconstruction to clear the ground for future potential research.