Los Angeles has always been a city that prefers reinvention to tradition, making it the ideal incubator for new religious movements. Its distance from centers of institutional power allowed for fluid identities, unusual beliefs, and performance as a currency. Self-transformation was the ultimate goal for many in this young, ambitious, and growing city.
Aimee Semple McPherson arrived in Los Angeles in 1918 with a tambourine and $10, along with her two children and mother. She had been holding Pentecostal tent revivals across America and building a following of believers who saw her as divinely gifted. McPherson’s mother served as a support system, handling finances and logistics, while Aimee followed the voice of God on their cross-country journey to Los Angeles.
In the 1920s, McPherson founded the Angelus Temple, possibly America’s first megachurch, and started a Christian radio station. Her theatrical approach to the gospel, combining spectacle with the message, made her a pioneer of Christian entertainment. Despite her success, scandal enveloped McPherson in 1926 when she disappeared at Venice Beach, only to reappear claiming she had been kidnapped. The ensuing legal battle brought scrutiny to every aspect of her life but did not diminish her popularity.
McPherson’s life and showmanship epitomized the allure of Los Angeles, a place where dreams of revival, transformation, and second chances come to fruition. Seekers continue to arrive in the City of Angels with hopes of reinventing themselves, mirroring the spirit of reinvention that has defined the city for decades.
Claire Hoffman’s biography of Aimee Semple McPherson, “Sister, Sinner,” delves into the complex life of this religious innovator and her impact on the landscape of Los Angeles.
