Televangelist Jimmy Swaggart Dies at 90 After Cardiac Arrest

Renowned American televangelist Jimmy Swaggart has died at the age of 90, weeks after suffering a cardiac arrest at his home in Louisiana on June 15.

Swaggart, a prominent and polarizing figure in the world of evangelical Christianity, passed away as one of the last surviving titans of 20th-century televangelism. He was best known as the founder of the SonLife Broadcasting Network and longtime pastor of the Family Worship Center in Baton Rouge.

A fiery preacher with a talent for gospel music, Swaggart’s sermons reached millions through television broadcasts at the height of his influence in the 1980s. His ministry reportedly raised more than $100 million annually and filled stadiums across the United States.

Swaggart, a cousin of rock-and-roll pioneer Jerry Lee Lewis, frequently blended preaching with musical performances, releasing dozens of gospel albums over the years. In 1981, he earned a Grammy nomination for Best Gospel Performance for his album Worship.

However, Swaggart’s career was significantly tarnished by scandal. In 1988, following his public accusation against fellow preacher Marvin Gorman, Swaggart was caught with a prostitute, a revelation that sparked national outrage and led to his defrocking by the Assemblies of God.

He tearfully confessed on television but was embroiled in a second similar scandal in 1991, further damaging his credibility and diminishing his once-dominant presence on the evangelical stage.

Despite these controversies, Swaggart continued preaching and broadcasting from his Baton Rouge church until his final years, maintaining a loyal—if smaller—base of supporters.

Swaggart is remembered as a complex and controversial figure in American religious history—celebrated for his passionate oratory and gospel music, but also remembered for personal failings that ultimately reshaped his legacy.