Hypocrisy and Corruption in Religion

Where it surfaces

• Elmer Gantry

  Elmer's outward religious conformity masks his inner lack of belief and moral laxity, highlighting the theme of hypocrisy.

• Chapter I

  Elmer's drunken bravado and Eddie's manipulative pressure highlight the gap between religious profession and personal conduct.

• I

  Elmer, a future evangelist, is introduced in a drunken, belligerent state, foreshadowing the hypocrisy between his later religious persona and his actual behavior.

• II

  Elmer's detestation of piety and admiration for drunkenness and profanity contrasts with his attendance at a religious college, highlighting hypocrisy.

• III

  Eddie Fislinger, a pious Y.M.C.A. president, uses prayer meetings as a political tool, and Elmer's manipulation of the class election mirrors the corruption seen in religious institutions.

• Chapter VI

  Elmer's drunken defense of Eddie and his subsequent flight from conversion highlight the hypocrisy of his religious posturing.

• Chapter II

  Dr. Lefferts feigns piety to mock Eddie Fislinger, revealing the performative nature of religious expression.

• I

  The chapter highlights the manipulative and self-serving piety of the college community, who celebrate Elmer's conversion while ignoring his true character, and the church's failure to instill genuine morality.

• II

  Elmer outwardly participates in church rituals but secretly indulges in vices and doubts, highlighting the gap between public piety and private behavior.

• III

  Dr. Lefferts feigns piety to mock Eddie's beliefs, exposing the performative nature of religious debate and the ease of manipulating doctrine.

• Chapter III

  Elmer secretly smokes after his conversion and considers the ease of being a preacher who can avoid cross-examination, revealing his hypocrisy.

• IV

  Elmer plagiarizes from an atheist to craft his first sermon, highlighting the gap between his public piety and private dishonesty.

• V

  Elmer prepares to deliver a religious exhortation based on ideas from the agnostic orator Ingersoll, revealing the deceptive and self-serving nature of his ministry.

• VI

  Elmer's sudden piety is met with uncritical acclaim, highlighting the institutional willingness to overlook his past and embrace a manufactured conversion.

• VII

  Judson smokes an illegal cigarette in secret while serving as a Y.M.C.A. secretary, highlighting the gap between his public piety and private actions.

• VIII

  Elmer's pride in his manipulative preaching ability and Jim's critique of his insincerity highlight the theme of religious hypocrisy.

• Chapter IV

  Elmer's internal disgust with the piety of the faculty contrasts with his outward embrace of the ministry for social gain, and the leaders accept his false Call without scrutiny.

• I

  Elmer's calculation of the ministry's benefits, including low risk of punishment for drinking or flirting, highlights his pragmatic and hypocritical approach.

• Chapter II

  Elmer fakes a divine Call to secure his place in the ministry, revealing the corrupt and self-serving nature of his religious commitment.

• Chapter V: Ordination

  Elmer's internal conflict between genuine faith and performative piety is evident; he prays sincerely for a moment but also revels in his rhetorical skills and social triumph.

• I

  Elmer's inner boredom and worldly temptations contrast with his outward pious persona and professional training in religious rhetoric.

• II

  Elmer publicly professes piety while privately indulging in smoking and recalling past vices; his mother knowingly overlooks his faults.

• III

  Brother Tusker's 'charge to the churches' reveals the clergy's resentment toward parishioners and the mundane, self-serving concerns behind the religious facade.

• Chapter VI

  Harry Zenz exposes the hypocrisy of preachers who pretend to represent God while being motivated by practicality, laziness, or social ambition, and cites statistics of clergy sex crimes.

• I

  Harry Zenz exposes the hypocrisy of clergy who pretend to represent God while committing sex crimes and using religion for personal gain.

• Chapter VII

  Elmer uses his pastoral role to pursue personal romantic interests, showing the gap between his pious public image and private desires.

• I

  Dean Trosper suspects Elmer of worldly sins yet entrusts him with a church, while Elmer plans to manipulate the deacons for money.

• II

  Elmer's sermon on love is a facade; he inwardly boasts of manipulating the congregation and feels carnal desire for Lulu.

• IV

  Elmer uses his clerical position to manipulate Lulu, pretending to discuss church work while pursuing his own desires.

• V

  Elmer, an ordained minister, is accused of using his position to pursue Lulu Bains, highlighting the hypocrisy of his moral authority.

• Chapter VI

  Deacon Bains' rigid orthodoxy and Elmer's opportunistic alignment with it highlight the hypocrisy of using theology for social conformity rather than genuine faith.

• VII

  Elmer outwardly performs piety and ministerial charm while inwardly plotting a secret liaison with Lulu, revealing the gap between his public role and private desires.

• Chapter VIII

  Elmer uses his pastoral persona and feigned piety to manipulate Lulu, exploiting her sympathy for sexual advances.

• IX

  Elmer, a seminary student and aspiring preacher, seduces Lulu under the guise of righteousness, then rationalizes his actions and avoids responsibility.

• Chapter VIII

  Elmer's focus on oratory and practical manipulation contrasts with the scholarly integrity of Dr. Zechlin, highlighting hypocrisy in the ministry.

• I

  Elmer's disdain for genuine learning and his focus on oratory and manipulation reflect the hollow professionalism in seminary training.

• II

  Zechlin's continued role as a preacher despite his atheism exemplifies hypocrisy within the clergy.

• V

  Elmer's pious posturing masks his cruelty and lack of Christian charity, while the institution punishes the victim rather than the perpetrator.

• Chapter IX

  Elmer uses his religious position to manipulate and exploit others, accusing Frank of doubt while engaging in deceit and coercion himself.

• I

  Elmer accuses Frank of weakening faith while himself manipulating the situation to remove an obstacle to his affair with Lulu, showing his own hypocrisy.

• II

  Elmer uses his religious role to justify his affair and his desire to end it, revealing the hypocrisy of his moral teachings.

• Chapter III

  Elmer, a minister, uses religious rhetoric ('Go and sin no more') to justify his own predatory behavior and avoid responsibility.

• IV

  Elmer Gantry, a preacher, is suspected of engaging in a secret romantic relationship with Lulu Bains, highlighting the hypocrisy between his public religious role and private actions.

• V

  Elmer, a minister, is caught reading a risqué magazine and later uses religious rhetoric to justify his forced engagement while planning to escape it.

• VI

  Elmer feigns hurt rectitude while the dean's advice reflects institutional pragmatism over genuine spiritual guidance.

• VII

  Elmer uses his position as a preacher to manipulate and entrap others, feigning moral outrage while orchestrating the sin he condemns.

• Chapter X

  Elmer lies to Dean Trosper about Lulu's infidelity to escape his engagement, then drinks and carouses with salesmen while posing as a shoe salesman, highlighting his hypocrisy as a preacher.

• I

  Elmer lies to Dean Trosper about Lulu's infidelity to escape a relationship and gain a better preaching assignment, showing the hypocrisy within religious leadership.

• II

  Elmer, a preacher, hides his identity from a fellow traveler to avoid judgment and indulges in drinking, revealing his hypocrisy.

• III

  Elmer, who was considering a pastorate, drunkenly performs a burlesque sermon and mocks preachers, revealing his hypocrisy.

• IV

  Elmer Gantry, a preacher, is found drinking and flirting in a café, contrasting with his religious role.

• V

  Elmer's expulsion from the ministry reveals the gap between his pious claims and his actual behavior.

• Chapter XI

  Elmer's burlesque sermons and his critical view of other ministers highlight the hypocrisy within religious circles.

• I

  Elmer, a former preacher now a salesman, attends church to criticize professionally and considers using religion for personal gain, embodying hypocrisy.

• II

  The contrast between the public piety of the evangelists and their private, worldly behavior (e.g., the pianist's plain clothes, the director's red dress) highlights hypocrisy.

• III

  Elmer, a former preacher now in business, agrees to pose as a saved businessman without disclosing his clerical background, demonstrating the hypocrisy underlying the revival campaign.

• IV

  Aylston's own moral failings (drunkenness, forgery, seduction) contrast with his role as a religious assistant.

• Chapter VI

  Elmer fabricates a story about Jim Leffingwell to manipulate his audience, while Sharon claims moral immunity through sanctification, revealing deep hypocrisy.

• Chapter XIII

  Elmer pays people to convert and pays others to stay away; the evangelists view converts as objects rather than humans.

• I

  Elmer develops sermons from encyclopedias and manuals, preaches on chastity while engaging with female seekers, and the team's focus on profits and spectacle over genuine faith.

• III

  The focus on financial arrangements, the vague claim of an 'Old Ladies’ Home,' and the use of religion for profit highlight the hypocrisy within the revival movement.

• IV

  Elmer invents the 'Hallelujah Yell' as a gimmick, and the personal work statistics are 'imaginatively entered' to boost sales of future meetings.

• V

  The evangelists treat converts as objects and engage in deceitful practices for professional gain.

• VII

  The gap between Sharon's emotional performances and her lack of original thought, as well as the cooperative but self-serving nature of the crew.

• Chapter XIV

  Sharon condemns dancing in sermons but enjoys it privately; the troupe's drinking and property damage contradict their public piety.

• III

  Sharon condemns dancing in sermons but privately enjoys it, revealing the hypocrisy between her public persona and private desires.

• Chapter IV

  The evangelists' refusal to pay rent and the faithful's rationalization of misconduct expose hypocrisy within the religious movement.

• V

  The crew publicly denounces alcohol but privately drinks whisky; they oscillate between debauchery and hysterical religiosity.

• VI

  Dr. Binch and Sharon condemn other evangelists for greed and immorality while themselves employing manipulative fundraising and backbiting, exposing their own hypocrisy.

• Chapter III

  Elmer uses his position as an evangelist to manipulate and seduce a female choir member, revealing the moral hypocrisy behind his pious facade.

• V

  Elmer's hypocrisy is evident as he presents a pious front but abandons Sharon and others to save himself, later claiming to have rescued people for the reporters.

• Chapter XVI

  Elmer steals from the collection, lies about his credentials, and exploits followers' hopes for personal gain, revealing the corruption behind the spiritual facade.

• II

  Elmer cynically uses New Thought jargon to manipulate audiences and steals from the collection plate, revealing the corruption behind spiritual facades.

• III

  Elmer preaches prosperity while facing bankruptcy, and his lectures are a mix of borrowed ideas and empty promises.

• Chapter XVII

  Frank perceives that a preacher can be a scoundrel or hypocrite and still be accepted, and that many church members are either ignorant or seeking respectability.

• I

  Frank observes that preachers like Elmer Gantry can be scoundrels or hypocrites yet still be accepted by their congregations, and that Dean Trosper's harshness brings only fear.

• V

  Frank feels he is a hypocrite for preaching what he no longer believes, and Elmer's confident borrowing highlights the corruption in religious leadership.

• Chapter XVIII

  Elmer lies about his abstinence from alcohol and tobacco, and his motives are purely self-serving despite professing piety.

• II

  The bishop's home is filled with pretentious souvenirs and a carefully curated library that suggests a worldly, status-conscious religiosity rather than genuine spiritual depth.

• III

  Elmer's exaggerated politeness and flattery, along with the bishop's pretentious display of photographs and books, suggest a superficial piety and concern with status rather than genuine spirituality.

• Chapter XIX

  Elmer's internal struggle between his desire for purity and his immediate attraction to Jane Clark reveals the hypocrisy of his professed holiness.

• I

  Elmer's internal conflict between his professed holiness and his immediate lustful thoughts toward Jane Clark highlights the hypocrisy beneath his pious exterior.

• II

  Elmer's ecstatic vows of purity and renunciation of 'lower desires' are undercut by his past behavior and his immediate attraction to Cleo, hinting at ongoing hypocrisy.

• Chapter XX

  Elmer outwardly follows the Methodist Discipline while privately indulging in worldly pleasures and avoiding its strict rules.

• I

  Elmer's possessions and library reveal a focus on appearance and ready-made sermons rather than genuine faith, highlighting hypocrisy in religious practice.

• IV

  Elmer preaches about love and purity while employing deceptive tactics and ignoring his own moral failings.

• VI

  Elmer's calculated approach to ministry—first building a reputation as a spiritual leader, then demanding payment—reveals the mercenary and hypocritical nature of his religious vocation.

• VII

  The reception's superficiality and Elmer's gushing, insincere speech hint at the performative nature of religious leadership.

• Chapter IX

  Elmer selectively follows the Discipline's rules, using its language to impress his congregation while ignoring its demands for seriousness, prudence with women, and early rising.

• Elmer's Literary Pursuits

  Elmer uses literature superficially to enhance his sermons and impress others, revealing his manipulative and self-serving approach to faith.

• Chapter XI

  Elmer's pretense of intellectual engagement while actually preferring pulp fiction highlights the hypocrisy of his religious persona.

• XII

  Elmer's outward piety contrasts with his private indulgences and superficial morality.

• Chapter XXI

  Elmer feigns piety and answers doctrinal questions with certainty while privately indulging in worldly pleasures and manipulating his congregation.

• I

  Elmer outwardly maintains a reformed and perfected character while inwardly feeling no urgency to embrace Cleo and muttering resentfully about her father.

• III

  Elmer conceals his distaste for Cleo and his regret at being tied down, presenting a gentlemanly facade that contrasts with his inner feelings.

• V

  Elmer, a preacher, uses religious authority to justify his brutality, telling Cleo that being a preacher's wife doesn't exempt her from being 'human,' revealing the hypocrisy of his professed piety.

• Chapter VI

  Elmer's revival is a calculated performance for personal gain, and his private disdain for the congregation contrasts with his public piety.

• Chapter VIII

  Elmer performs a funeral with apparent piety but inwardly resents his congregation and seeks personal gain.

• IX

  The chapter exposes the political machinations and self-interest behind pastoral appointments, with ministers feigning disinterest in higher salaries while actively seeking advancement.

• Elmer's Conference Examination

  Elmer's confident affirmations of spiritual devotion contrast sharply with his immediate indulgence in a large meal and his condescending attitude, highlighting the gap between his public profession and private character.

• Chapter XXII

  Elmer's crusade against vice is politically motivated; he supports a candidate with ties to brothels while publicly denouncing sin.

• I

  Elmer preaches violently against sins he himself commits, using his pulpit to salve his guilt while engaging in extramarital affairs.

• II

  Elmer's patriotic and moral fervor is driven by self-promotion and financial gain rather than genuine faith.

• III

  Elmer supports a candidate accused of owning brothels, then switches to a Jewish radical for political gain, showing his moral flexibility.

• IV

  Elmer's decision is based not on spiritual calling but on real estate speculation and personal advancement, highlighting the corruption of religious motives.

• Chapter XXIII

  Elmer's calculated vice crusade, manipulation of the press, and focus on personal ambition over genuine piety exemplify religious hypocrisy.

• Chapter II

  Elmer refuses a drink and cigar to maintain his pious image while secretly longing for them, and T. J. Rigg openly discusses using religion as a tool for social control, highlighting the gap between public morality and private behavior.

• III

  Elmer's sermon on vice is a calculated performance, exploiting public fears for personal gain.

• IV

  Elmer's calculated dressing and regret about not choosing the Episcopal Church for its 'class' and leniency toward drinking reveal his focus on social status rather than genuine faith.

• V

  Elmer's public piety and charitable works contrast with his private irritability, neglect of family, and resentment toward parishioners, exposing the hypocrisy behind his ministry.

• VI

  Elmer's inner contempt for his congregation, his laughter at their sanctimony, and his feigned piety during communion and sermons highlight the hypocrisy at the core of his ministry.

• VII

  Elmer views ministry as a career ladder, plans to use sensational vice-crusading for publicity, and inwardly scorns the very faith he preaches.

• Chapter XXIV

  Elmer's resentment and grudging repayment of a debt to Frank, coupled with his disdain for Frank's integrity, highlights the hypocrisy in clerical relations.

• I

  Elmer views clerical allies and rivals as the same thing, and his interactions are driven by self-interest and manipulation rather than genuine faith.

• Chapter XXV

  Elmer preaches against sin while secretly dancing, drinking, and pursuing married women, embodying religious hypocrisy.

• I

  Elmer preaches against sin while secretly dancing, drinking, and flirting with parishioners, embodying the hypocrisy of religious leaders.

• Chapter II

  Elmer uses his clerical position to manipulate Lulu, claiming a spiritual brotherhood while pursuing an affair.

• III

  Elmer uses the church as a refuge for his affair with Lulu, exploiting his position as pastor for personal gratification.

• Chapter XXVI

  Elmer's pursuit of publicity and money, his manipulation of Lulu, and his cynical use of vice-crusading for attention highlight hypocrisy.

• Lively Sunday Evenings and the Art of Publicity

  Elmer's public piety contrasts with his private manipulation of reporters and his affair with Lulu.

• Chapter III

  The clergy's delight in sharing scandalous stories while resisting action exposes their hypocrisy.

• IV

  Elmer's crusade is a calculated performance, targeting small-time criminals while avoiding real danger, exposing the hypocrisy behind his moral outrage.

• V

  Elmer uses his religious authority to lead a vice raid, but his theatrical posing and promise of a 'real house of prostitution' suggest a performative and corrupt approach to morality.

• Chapter VI

  Elmer's self-righteous condemnation of the women contrasts with his own past and the brutality of the raid, highlighting religious hypocrisy.

• VII

  Elmer's self-righteous raid contrasts with the peaceful, honest atmosphere of the saloon, highlighting religious hypocrisy.

• VIII

  Elmer's violent actions contrast with his religious role, highlighting the hypocrisy of his crusade.

• IX

  Elmer's self-congratulatory attitude and desire for adulation contrast with his professed moral mission.

• Chapter XXVII

  Elmer's crusade against vice is performative, as vice quickly returns; he uses religion for personal gain and social climbing.

• I

  Elmer's vice crusade is shown as a performative moral campaign that selectively targets vice while he himself engages in questionable behavior, such as his late-night meetings with Lulu Bains Naylor and his manipulation of public perception.

• II

  Elmer, a pastor, uses his religious fame to pursue personal pleasure and escape his marital and extramarital obligations, revealing the hypocrisy behind his public persona.

• III

  Elmer's lecture promotes abstinence and chastity while he personally admires the Klan's bigotry, yet he publicly avoids the issue to maintain popularity.

• V

  Elmer's self-congratulatory speech about church growth and collections contrasts sharply with Pengilly's probing question about genuine faith.

• Chapter XXVIII

  Frank accuses liberal preachers of hypocrisy for using the same theological jargon as corrupt evangelists like Gantry, and for failing to confront corruption within the church.

• I

  Frank accuses many clergymen, including Elmer Gantry and Dr. Mahlon Potts, of being hypocritical, insulated, and out of touch with real human experience.

• Chapter XXIX

  Elmer and Rigg manipulate church politics and use underhanded tactics to destroy Frank's career for personal gain.

• I

  Elmer and Rigg conspire to manipulate religious doctrine for personal and financial gain.

• Chapter II

  Elmer Gantry publicly attacks Frank Shallard for opposing Prohibition, while privately manipulating church leaders to undermine him, revealing the corrupt use of religious authority.

• V

  The church body's swift condemnation of Frank based on hearsay, and Dr. McTiger's condescending dismissal of Frank's scholarship, reveal institutional hypocrisy.

• Chapter VI

  Elmer and Rigg manipulate church membership for personal and institutional gain, using flattery and deceit to lure a wealthy parishioner.

• VII

  Elmer's attacks on Frank and his claim of broad-mindedness contrast with his aggressive tactics, highlighting hypocrisy.

• IX

  The 'Christian' vigilantes justify their cruelty as defending religion, revealing the corruption of faith into a tool for oppression.

• Chapter X

  The indifference of the motorist and the farmer, who turn away a suffering man, underscores the failure of Christian charity in practice.

• XII

  Elmer's initial fervor to defend Frank quickly fades, revealing a self-serving concern for his church's fundraising over genuine moral action.

• Chapter XXX

  Elmer manipulates Dr. Dodd for a D.D. degree, lies about his frontier ministry, and secretly enjoys obscene postcards while posing as a moral crusader.

• I

  Elmer and Dr. Dodd engage in a transparent quid pro quo: a Doctor of Divinity degree in exchange for future fundraising, revealing the transactional nature of religious leadership.

• II

  The ceremony honors Elmer Gantry, a figure of questionable moral character, highlighting the gap between public acclaim and private conduct.

• Chapter III

  The church's celebration of Elmer's honorary degree and salary increase underscores the materialistic and status-driven aspects of religious leadership.

• IV

  The chapter highlights the irony of Elmer preaching about humility and simple kindness while he is driven by ambition and the pursuit of greater influence and fame.

• V

  Elmer's internal rejoicing at his own success and his condescension toward Jim, while claiming a divine call, highlights his hypocrisy.

• VI

  Elmer's manipulation of religious connections for personal glory highlights the hypocrisy within clerical circles.

• VII

  Elmer's self-righteous and condescending behavior as a minister contrasts sharply with his lack of genuine compassion, revealing hypocrisy.

• VIII

  Elmer's self-congratulatory thoughts about giving people happiness and faith contrast with his willingness to sit with drinkers and his performative piety in ordering ginger ale while implying he could drink alcohol if he were not a preacher.

• IX

  Elmer uses travel experiences to gather sermon material, showing his manipulative approach to ministry.

• XI

  Elmer fabricates a tale of frontier piety, revealing his willingness to deceive for effect.

• XIII

  Elmer's private interest in obscene postcards contrasts sharply with his public outrage as a minister, highlighting his hypocrisy.

• XIV

  Elmer's willingness to use his wife's birthday as a pretext while prioritizing his own advancement highlights the hypocrisy behind his moral posturing.

• XV

  Elmer's plan to manipulate religious and moral organizations for personal power reveals the hypocrisy underlying his evangelical facade.

• XVI

  Elmer's fabricated story of resisting temptation in Paris exemplifies his hypocrisy, as he presents a false image of piety to his congregation.

• Chapter XXXI

  Elmer prays for his mother's understanding while privately wishing Cleo would die so he can marry Hettie, revealing his duplicity.

• II

  Elmer's irritation with his secretaries and Lulu contrasts with his public moral campaign, revealing his private disdain and hypocrisy.

• IV

  Elmer conducts a secret affair with his secretary while publicly maintaining a moral facade, using her skills to further his career.

• V

  Elmer, a minister, uses pious language and feigned moral outrage to manipulate Lulu into ending their affair, revealing his hypocrisy.

• Chapter VI

  Elmer enforces blue laws selectively, using religious authority for personal and political gain, while the laws are typically ignored.

• VII

  Elmer's duplicitous letters to both the church and the Napap board, promising full commitment to each while planning to delegate actual work, exemplify hypocrisy and corruption in religious leadership.

• VIII

  Elmer prays for his mother's understanding while simultaneously wishing his wife dead and calling his mistress.

• Chapter XXXII

  Elmer's secret affair and subsequent blackmail expose the hypocrisy of his public piety as a minister.

• I

  Elmer, a pastor, lies to his family about his true intentions, using a religious duty as a cover for an illicit meeting.

• II

  Elmer, a preacher, is caught in an adulterous affair and blackmailed, highlighting the hypocrisy of his religious position.

• Chapter III

  Elmer, a preacher, is caught in a scandalous affair, highlighting the hypocrisy of his religious position.

• IV

  Elmer's scandal and the church leaders' willingness to use underhanded tactics highlight the corruption within religious institutions.

• V

  Elmer's sudden piety and domestic kindness appear as a superficial response to scandal, highlighting the gap between his public religious persona and private actions.

• VI

  Elmer Gantry, a prominent minister, is threatened with a scandalous lawsuit for sexual misconduct, exposing the hypocrisy behind his public piety.

• Chapter XXXIII

  Elmer's public prayer of purity and moral crusade is immediately undercut by his noticing a new female singer, exposing his hypocrisy.

• I

  The threat of a lawsuit for alienation of affections against a reverend highlights the hypocrisy and moral corruption beneath the religious facade.

• II

  Elmer's scandal and the resulting national attention highlight the hypocrisy and corruption within his religious role.

• III

  Elmer, a pastor, is complicit in a scheme to fabricate a confession and cover up his own misconduct, revealing deep hypocrisy.

• IV

  The press and religious institutions quickly exonerate Elmer, suggesting a willingness to overlook corruption for institutional gain.

• V

  Elmer's scandal and the family's shifting loyalties highlight the hypocrisy and corruption within religious circles.

• VI

  Elmer's public prayer for purity and moral crusade is immediately undercut by his private notice of an attractive new singer, highlighting his hypocrisy.