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The Sword of the Lord: The Roots of Fundamentalism in an American Family
The Scots-Irish who settled the South inherited both an evangelical legacy of abolitionism and social reform on the one hand, and responsibility for the destructive consequences of slavery on the other. Himes’ granddad was John R. Rice, the dean of American fundamentalists until his death in 1980. This book is about the history of fundamentalism and how we can move beyond it.
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First published November 10, 2010
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About the author
Andrew Himes
4 books9 followersI am a Seattle writer with a unique perspective on fundamentalism and evangelicalism, as the son, grandson, great-grandson, brother, nephew, and cousin of Baptist preachers. My granddad, John R. Rice, was a prominent fundamentalist leader, founder of The Sword of the Lord newspaper, and mentor to many younger preachers such as Billy Graham and Jerry Falwell. My newest book is The Sword of the Lord: The Roots of Fundamentalism in an American Family. I was a youthful rebel first arrested for "illegal use of a bullhorn" in 1969 as an antiwar protester, and then I tried (and failed) to overthrow the imperialist bourgeoisie during the 70s. Only later in life did I begin a spiritual journey to reconnect with and redefine my family’s spiritual heritage.
I produced the 2004 film Voices in Wartime, a documentary that uses poetry to explore the trauma of war. I was co-editor of the Voices in Wartime Anthology, and director of the short film on PTSD, Beyond Wartime. Then, in 2005 I founded the Voices Education Project, which amplifies the voices of veterans and civilian witnesses to war, in order to heal the wounds of war and create a more peaceful world.
In the early 90s I helped pioneer Microsoft's embrace of the Internet by managing the company's first web team, and was a founding editor of the Microsoft Developer Network. In the 80s I founded the premiere Macintosh programming magazine, MacTech Journal, and was the author of books on multimedia authoring, scripting languages, hypertext, and expert systems -- the technologies that were the foundation of the modern Internet.
My wife, Alix Wilber, spent the past eight years working at the renowned Seattle literary center, Richard Hugo House, and we live with our cat Mehitabel and poodles Binti and Moby (the Great White Poo.) I am the dad of Amber Himes Cornell and the granddad of beautiful baby Chiara who has a fantastic giggle. Oh, yes, (in the spirit of full disclosure) I also created the Demented Breakfast Cereal Treat Contest, for which I have no excuse.
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February 19, 2017
For over 75 years, a small, independent newspaper has been the face of fundamentalism in America. John R. Rice founded
The Sword of the Lord
in 1934 and continued to manage the paper until his death in 1980. After Rice's death the fundamentalist movement fragmented and the paper has lessened in influence, although it still represents an old-fashioned, fundamentalist faith.
In a new book released this week, one of John R. Rice's grandsons, Andrew Himes, takes up his pen to tell the story of fundamentalism from an insider's perspective. Himes grew up within a leading fundamentalist family in the hey day of American fundamentalism. His book The Sword of the Lord: The Roots of Fundamentalism in an American Family includes personal encounters with several big names widely known even outside of fundamentalism. Himes tells a story his mom related of Billy Graham moving a piano in their home when he was a sophomore at Wheaton College. On the occasion of John R. Rice's death, Himes himeself attended the funeral and ate a meal afterward with Jerry Falwell, then just embarking on his dream of establishing the Moral Majority, soon to be known as the Religious Right.
Himes traces the roots of the Rice family back to the Revolutionary war, and interweaves personal accounts of his ancestors' lives with an account of the historical background of fundamentalism. He explores the sociological elements of the Scots-Irish people and the Southern mindset during and after the Civil War. His family ended up in Texas where the Civil War lived on as the great lost cause. Himes also details the beginnings of American evangelicalism and the influence of the 18th century revivals on fundamentalism.
The book is more intriguing when John R. Rice comes on the scene and we hear of his mentor, J. Frank Norris. When William Jennings Bryan died suddenly after the conclusion of the Scopes trial, J. Frank Norris picked up the mantle of the leadership of the fundamentalist movement. Norris' fights with the Southern Baptist Convention eventually included his young protege, who followed Norris out of the SBC. Himes traces the career of John R. Rice from his early days of evangelistic crusades in various towns in Texas to his national prominence as a leader in fundamentalism and even a member of the National Association of Evangelicals. Rice's early days included numerous revival crusades in small towns throughout the South. It seems he often built a tabernacle for the meetings, and a few months later would leave behind a new Fundamentalist Baptist Church (they always had the same name), unaffiliated with the any convention. Rice eventually took to radio and various newspapers to help expand his reach. He moved to Wheaton soon after he broke with Norris (who seemed to get jealous of John R. Rice's influence). Rice then became a mentor for Billy Graham, and the tale of Rice's painful parting with Graham is told from Rice's vantage point. We then learn of Rice's conflict with Bob Jones in the 1970s.
The history itself is fascinating and the book is well documented. But Himes' personal tale remains an enigma for most of the book. Has he lost his faith completely? What is his ultimate assessment of fundamentalism now? Why is he writing this book? These and other questions will fill the mind of any reader who views fundamentalism favorably -- as standing for the truths of Scripture even if they may have gone awry in some respects. Himes seems to misunderstand much of what fundamentalism was about, particularly when with respect to theology. In the chapter on "The Fundamentals" he says: "However, before the end of the 18th century, few Christian theologians had claimed that the Bible as a whole was without internal contradictions, or textual and factual errors." This is just not the case, as D.A. Carson and others have demonstrated. He also errs when in the same chapter he states that the "oldest extant texts of the Old and New Testaments were Greek manuscripts dating from the fourth century...". We have numerous manuscripts that date earlier than this and we have Hebrew OT scrolls going back to 100 years before Christ.
Throughout the book, a critique is leveled at Rice himself, to an extent, and to fundamentalism in general. Himes points out the narrowness of fundamentalism, and the political aspirations the movement harbored. The issue of race, and the notoriety of the Ku Klux Klan which early fundamentalist leaders tolerated, is the biggest critique on the movement. The race issue plays a big role in the book. Particularly poignant is the description of the Sherman Riot in north Texas, where George Hughes, a black man, was murdered by an angry mob, who also destroyed most of the town's black businesses. One year after that 1930 riot, John R. Rice came to town with his evangelistic crusade. He preached on a lot of sins but failed to bring up the bloody riot. Himes gives some explanation for why Rice failed to confront the topic of race in the chapter entitled "The Jim Crow Challenge". First, he claims it would have been a deviation from Rice's primary motivation of saving souls. Second, he "could not possibly offer a critique of racial oppression in the white South without destroying his own ministry and undercutting his movement's support for The Sword of the Lord. Even if he had been opposed to racial injustice, his Texas audience was not." Himes does share one family story where Rice was indignant that a southern establishment wouldn't serve a black friend of his some ice cream. Rice was a product of his time, but it is a sad fact that fundamentalism as a whole turned a blind eye to the civil rights movement.
The fundamentalist inclination toward separation began to spiral out of control toward the end of Rice's life. It got to the point where John R. Rice saw the need to stand up for a less strident fundamentalism. Himes shares the account of Rice's last address at a Sword conference in August of 1980. Rice's text was John 10:16, and he spoke of the other sheep that Christ has. In the chapter "Jesus Has Other Sheep", Himes quotes Rice at some length from that sermon. I excerpt that quote below because it helps show where Himes is heading with his book.
The ironic twist to this sermon is that Rice had planned to end his message by having the audience sing Bill Gaither's song, "The Family of God". The lyrics start with, "I'm so glad I'm a part of the family of God." Curtis Hutson who was Rice's successor, made sure that didn't happen.
At the conclusion of the book, Himes describes a meeting with his uncles and aunts where he asked them about fundamentalism. He was surprised when they didn't claim to be fundamentalists. One of his aunts said it this way, "You know, those people who claim to be 'fundamentalist' nowadays wouldn't want to be associated with us, either! They're what Daddy (John R. Rice) would have called, 'ultra-fundamentalists,' arrogant and self-righteous, very sure of themselves." Himes singles out "the lack of Christian love for others" by those claiming to be fundamentalists, as being the key reason why John R. Rice's children eschew the fundamentalist label.
Himes doesn't give us exactly where he lands with respect to religion, although he keys in on love as being of primary importance. He concludes the book with what he's learned from his "post-fundamentalist" family: "Honor truth. Love well. Live your faith." Wise advice, for sure, but something is lacking. Fundamentalism today is a many-headed, varied movement, but the uniting factor throughout fundamentalism is a passion for the truth of Scripture. There is a simple dedication to the Bible and the gospel of Jesus Christ that is truly commendable. Evangelical Christianity today shares a common lineage with fundamentalism, and many conservative evangelicals would be described as fundamentalists by the average American. So I'm not too keen on becoming "post-fundamentalist," if that means shirking a high view of the fundamentals of the faith. I do agree that Christian love and the expansive spirit that John R. Rice exhibited is largely missing in today's fundamentalism. Himes is right to push us on these points. But the truth of Scripture and the gospel of the substitutionary atonement of Jesus Christ, remains an essential "fundamental" in the life of any Christian.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, even if at times some of the back-story seemed to take too long to develop. The topic was of great interest to me, and the more I got into the book the more intrigued I became. There are bits and pieces of history that will be new to almost any reader, and the personal stories from the recollection of the Rice family are fascinating. For fundamentalists, this book will challenge your perspective of the history of your movement, but it won't be a slap in the face. Himes is not out to attack fundamentalists, he is simply sharing his family's history. His historical account educates and informs those not familiar with the history of fundamentalism, and if anything ugly is uncovered, the fault is not his. Rather than ignoring the past, we can seek to learn from it. May we all redouble our efforts to be always reforming our church practice and our personal lives into greater conformity to the truth of God's Word.
Disclaimer: This book was provided by the author for review. I was under no obligation to offer a favorable review.
In a new book released this week, one of John R. Rice's grandsons, Andrew Himes, takes up his pen to tell the story of fundamentalism from an insider's perspective. Himes grew up within a leading fundamentalist family in the hey day of American fundamentalism. His book The Sword of the Lord: The Roots of Fundamentalism in an American Family includes personal encounters with several big names widely known even outside of fundamentalism. Himes tells a story his mom related of Billy Graham moving a piano in their home when he was a sophomore at Wheaton College. On the occasion of John R. Rice's death, Himes himeself attended the funeral and ate a meal afterward with Jerry Falwell, then just embarking on his dream of establishing the Moral Majority, soon to be known as the Religious Right.
Himes traces the roots of the Rice family back to the Revolutionary war, and interweaves personal accounts of his ancestors' lives with an account of the historical background of fundamentalism. He explores the sociological elements of the Scots-Irish people and the Southern mindset during and after the Civil War. His family ended up in Texas where the Civil War lived on as the great lost cause. Himes also details the beginnings of American evangelicalism and the influence of the 18th century revivals on fundamentalism.
The book is more intriguing when John R. Rice comes on the scene and we hear of his mentor, J. Frank Norris. When William Jennings Bryan died suddenly after the conclusion of the Scopes trial, J. Frank Norris picked up the mantle of the leadership of the fundamentalist movement. Norris' fights with the Southern Baptist Convention eventually included his young protege, who followed Norris out of the SBC. Himes traces the career of John R. Rice from his early days of evangelistic crusades in various towns in Texas to his national prominence as a leader in fundamentalism and even a member of the National Association of Evangelicals. Rice's early days included numerous revival crusades in small towns throughout the South. It seems he often built a tabernacle for the meetings, and a few months later would leave behind a new Fundamentalist Baptist Church (they always had the same name), unaffiliated with the any convention. Rice eventually took to radio and various newspapers to help expand his reach. He moved to Wheaton soon after he broke with Norris (who seemed to get jealous of John R. Rice's influence). Rice then became a mentor for Billy Graham, and the tale of Rice's painful parting with Graham is told from Rice's vantage point. We then learn of Rice's conflict with Bob Jones in the 1970s.
The history itself is fascinating and the book is well documented. But Himes' personal tale remains an enigma for most of the book. Has he lost his faith completely? What is his ultimate assessment of fundamentalism now? Why is he writing this book? These and other questions will fill the mind of any reader who views fundamentalism favorably -- as standing for the truths of Scripture even if they may have gone awry in some respects. Himes seems to misunderstand much of what fundamentalism was about, particularly when with respect to theology. In the chapter on "The Fundamentals" he says: "However, before the end of the 18th century, few Christian theologians had claimed that the Bible as a whole was without internal contradictions, or textual and factual errors." This is just not the case, as D.A. Carson and others have demonstrated. He also errs when in the same chapter he states that the "oldest extant texts of the Old and New Testaments were Greek manuscripts dating from the fourth century...". We have numerous manuscripts that date earlier than this and we have Hebrew OT scrolls going back to 100 years before Christ.
Throughout the book, a critique is leveled at Rice himself, to an extent, and to fundamentalism in general. Himes points out the narrowness of fundamentalism, and the political aspirations the movement harbored. The issue of race, and the notoriety of the Ku Klux Klan which early fundamentalist leaders tolerated, is the biggest critique on the movement. The race issue plays a big role in the book. Particularly poignant is the description of the Sherman Riot in north Texas, where George Hughes, a black man, was murdered by an angry mob, who also destroyed most of the town's black businesses. One year after that 1930 riot, John R. Rice came to town with his evangelistic crusade. He preached on a lot of sins but failed to bring up the bloody riot. Himes gives some explanation for why Rice failed to confront the topic of race in the chapter entitled "The Jim Crow Challenge". First, he claims it would have been a deviation from Rice's primary motivation of saving souls. Second, he "could not possibly offer a critique of racial oppression in the white South without destroying his own ministry and undercutting his movement's support for The Sword of the Lord. Even if he had been opposed to racial injustice, his Texas audience was not." Himes does share one family story where Rice was indignant that a southern establishment wouldn't serve a black friend of his some ice cream. Rice was a product of his time, but it is a sad fact that fundamentalism as a whole turned a blind eye to the civil rights movement.
The fundamentalist inclination toward separation began to spiral out of control toward the end of Rice's life. It got to the point where John R. Rice saw the need to stand up for a less strident fundamentalism. Himes shares the account of Rice's last address at a Sword conference in August of 1980. Rice's text was John 10:16, and he spoke of the other sheep that Christ has. In the chapter "Jesus Has Other Sheep", Himes quotes Rice at some length from that sermon. I excerpt that quote below because it helps show where Himes is heading with his book.
Do you love the people of God who don't see things like you do? How about Billy Graham? I love Billy Graham. I pray for him every day.... I read recently that Pope John XXIII wrote out a wonderful meditation, and he said, "Lord, I'm that prodigal son who said he wanted to come home from the hog farm to his father." He said, "Lord, I'm that publican in the temple who prayed, Lord, be merciful to me a sinner." And my heart went out to him and I said, "Amen!" When I get to Heaven I'm going to put my arm around him! Would you be glad to see someone saved who doesn't agree with you?... In John chapter 13, Jesus said, "A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that you are my disciples, if you have love one to another." Of course, Jesus meant you and your little buddy, didn't he? No he didn't! He meant the rest of 'em too. If you're going to love like a Christian, you've got to love everybody Jesus loves....
The ironic twist to this sermon is that Rice had planned to end his message by having the audience sing Bill Gaither's song, "The Family of God". The lyrics start with, "I'm so glad I'm a part of the family of God." Curtis Hutson who was Rice's successor, made sure that didn't happen.
At the conclusion of the book, Himes describes a meeting with his uncles and aunts where he asked them about fundamentalism. He was surprised when they didn't claim to be fundamentalists. One of his aunts said it this way, "You know, those people who claim to be 'fundamentalist' nowadays wouldn't want to be associated with us, either! They're what Daddy (John R. Rice) would have called, 'ultra-fundamentalists,' arrogant and self-righteous, very sure of themselves." Himes singles out "the lack of Christian love for others" by those claiming to be fundamentalists, as being the key reason why John R. Rice's children eschew the fundamentalist label.
Himes doesn't give us exactly where he lands with respect to religion, although he keys in on love as being of primary importance. He concludes the book with what he's learned from his "post-fundamentalist" family: "Honor truth. Love well. Live your faith." Wise advice, for sure, but something is lacking. Fundamentalism today is a many-headed, varied movement, but the uniting factor throughout fundamentalism is a passion for the truth of Scripture. There is a simple dedication to the Bible and the gospel of Jesus Christ that is truly commendable. Evangelical Christianity today shares a common lineage with fundamentalism, and many conservative evangelicals would be described as fundamentalists by the average American. So I'm not too keen on becoming "post-fundamentalist," if that means shirking a high view of the fundamentals of the faith. I do agree that Christian love and the expansive spirit that John R. Rice exhibited is largely missing in today's fundamentalism. Himes is right to push us on these points. But the truth of Scripture and the gospel of the substitutionary atonement of Jesus Christ, remains an essential "fundamental" in the life of any Christian.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, even if at times some of the back-story seemed to take too long to develop. The topic was of great interest to me, and the more I got into the book the more intrigued I became. There are bits and pieces of history that will be new to almost any reader, and the personal stories from the recollection of the Rice family are fascinating. For fundamentalists, this book will challenge your perspective of the history of your movement, but it won't be a slap in the face. Himes is not out to attack fundamentalists, he is simply sharing his family's history. His historical account educates and informs those not familiar with the history of fundamentalism, and if anything ugly is uncovered, the fault is not his. Rather than ignoring the past, we can seek to learn from it. May we all redouble our efforts to be always reforming our church practice and our personal lives into greater conformity to the truth of God's Word.
Disclaimer: This book was provided by the author for review. I was under no obligation to offer a favorable review.
March 6, 2011
As a child, John R. Rice would come and preach at my church. I remember him and Jack Hyles preaching a Sword conference there. In fact, in one of Hyles’ books he mentioned a story that took place while they were speaking there. During a break Rice went missing. Hyles says he found him playing hopscotch with a child down the street. While in college I lived in the “John R. Rice Hall.” While living there I wrote a song (parody) “On the cover of The Sword of the Lord” sung to the tune of “The Cover of Rolling Stone.”
Well we are big time preachers,
we've got diamonds on our fingers
And we're loved everywhere we go
We hold big camp meetings
and fill big churches
But it’s not ALL for show
We don’t need any pills
to give us all kind of thrills
But the thrill we've never known
Is the thrill that'll get you
when you get your picture
On the cover of the Sword of the Lord
{Refrain}
On the Sword Wanna see my picture on the cover
Sword Wanna buy five copies for my mother
Sword Wanna see my smilin' face
On the cover of the Sword of the Lord
If that offends you I will remind you that Buck Owens did “On the Cover of the Music City News” and I am sure somebody somewhere has done “On the Cover of the Gospel Singing News.”
The school declared a day of mourning when Rice died in 1980. The college president was one of the speakers at his funeral. I got his newspaper, “The Sword of the Lord” for many years. I saved every one until my wife finally declared the stacks were taking up too much space. So I read this book (actually I received a .pdf early release from the author) with much anticipation. I found it fascinating, thought provoking and a little sad.
Andrew Himes is the grandson of famed evangelist John R. Rice. His father, grandfather, great-grandfather, brother, five nephews and many cousins are or were Baptist preachers. His mother was one of Rice’s six daughters. He had an insider’s view of the early days of independent Baptist fundamentalism and it wasn’t all pretty.
As the title states this book is about the roots of fundamentalism in an American family. This isn’t a biography of John R. Rice. It goes back much further than him. In fact, this book was uniquely enjoyable to me because not only does it deal with fundamentalism, but American history (particularly Civil War history) as well. He traces his family roots all the way back to Revolutionary War times. Himes does a very fine job of intertwining his personal story as he gives us a historical perspective on the roots of fundamentalism. Each of the first 26 chapters starts with some type of quote referencing the sword of the Lord (the biblical usage, not the newspaper). Some of these are from the Bible, some from sermons, some from other literary sources.
Himes comes across as being honest, about himself, his family, and his famous grandfather. If you are looking for a smear job of Rice, you won’t find it here. In spite of the fact that he left fundamentalism (and I would say orthodoxy too) he loved his grandfather (and grandmother). In reference to Rice’s funeral he writes, “I had always thought of him as one of the kindest, funniest and most honorable people I knew” (p. 11).
Because it is what he lived, Himes is dealing with southern fundamentalism. I trace my roots to northern fundamentalism, so I sometimes felt that fundamentalism was being painted with too broad a brush. Not everything he accused fundamentalism as being guilty of was true for all fundamentalists. He especially deals with racism among early fundamentalists (and Southern Baptists). Though disturbing, I don’t doubt what he says. It was primarily this racism that drove him away from his Christian faith. He became a prodigal before finishing high school.
There is much good historical information in this book, especially concerning America’s religious evolution from puritans to neo-evangelicals. Also, I never realized the magnitude of Rice’s ministry. At one time, The Sword of the Lord employed over 50 people and had a mailing list of 300,000!
Himes does a fair job of explaining what fundamentalism believes and why people would espouse such a belief. In is interesting to hear a clear explanation of the gospel from someone who doesn’t believe it. Although he now considers himself a Christian again, he admits it is not historic Christianity.
If you grow up in Sword style fundamentalism you will enjoy reading this book.
Well we are big time preachers,
we've got diamonds on our fingers
And we're loved everywhere we go
We hold big camp meetings
and fill big churches
But it’s not ALL for show
We don’t need any pills
to give us all kind of thrills
But the thrill we've never known
Is the thrill that'll get you
when you get your picture
On the cover of the Sword of the Lord
{Refrain}
On the Sword Wanna see my picture on the cover
Sword Wanna buy five copies for my mother
Sword Wanna see my smilin' face
On the cover of the Sword of the Lord
If that offends you I will remind you that Buck Owens did “On the Cover of the Music City News” and I am sure somebody somewhere has done “On the Cover of the Gospel Singing News.”
The school declared a day of mourning when Rice died in 1980. The college president was one of the speakers at his funeral. I got his newspaper, “The Sword of the Lord” for many years. I saved every one until my wife finally declared the stacks were taking up too much space. So I read this book (actually I received a .pdf early release from the author) with much anticipation. I found it fascinating, thought provoking and a little sad.
Andrew Himes is the grandson of famed evangelist John R. Rice. His father, grandfather, great-grandfather, brother, five nephews and many cousins are or were Baptist preachers. His mother was one of Rice’s six daughters. He had an insider’s view of the early days of independent Baptist fundamentalism and it wasn’t all pretty.
As the title states this book is about the roots of fundamentalism in an American family. This isn’t a biography of John R. Rice. It goes back much further than him. In fact, this book was uniquely enjoyable to me because not only does it deal with fundamentalism, but American history (particularly Civil War history) as well. He traces his family roots all the way back to Revolutionary War times. Himes does a very fine job of intertwining his personal story as he gives us a historical perspective on the roots of fundamentalism. Each of the first 26 chapters starts with some type of quote referencing the sword of the Lord (the biblical usage, not the newspaper). Some of these are from the Bible, some from sermons, some from other literary sources.
Himes comes across as being honest, about himself, his family, and his famous grandfather. If you are looking for a smear job of Rice, you won’t find it here. In spite of the fact that he left fundamentalism (and I would say orthodoxy too) he loved his grandfather (and grandmother). In reference to Rice’s funeral he writes, “I had always thought of him as one of the kindest, funniest and most honorable people I knew” (p. 11).
Because it is what he lived, Himes is dealing with southern fundamentalism. I trace my roots to northern fundamentalism, so I sometimes felt that fundamentalism was being painted with too broad a brush. Not everything he accused fundamentalism as being guilty of was true for all fundamentalists. He especially deals with racism among early fundamentalists (and Southern Baptists). Though disturbing, I don’t doubt what he says. It was primarily this racism that drove him away from his Christian faith. He became a prodigal before finishing high school.
There is much good historical information in this book, especially concerning America’s religious evolution from puritans to neo-evangelicals. Also, I never realized the magnitude of Rice’s ministry. At one time, The Sword of the Lord employed over 50 people and had a mailing list of 300,000!
Himes does a fair job of explaining what fundamentalism believes and why people would espouse such a belief. In is interesting to hear a clear explanation of the gospel from someone who doesn’t believe it. Although he now considers himself a Christian again, he admits it is not historic Christianity.
If you grow up in Sword style fundamentalism you will enjoy reading this book.
October 4, 2012
As someone very interested in the history of fundamentalism, especially the years after the 1920s, I was extremely excited to read this book. While I am grateful it was written, it's bias in places was a little hard for this fundamentalist to swallow.
For the author, the one thing that drove him away from fundamentalism and from God in particular was the fundamentalist mishandling of the civil rights movement. I'm grateful that he documented that aspect of our history so well. It does seem though, that the author tries to view all of the history of fundamentalism through the race lens, and it doesn't work for me.
I will say this though, for an author who has admittedly given up on fundamentalism, God, conservative politics and the like, he didn't paint an altogether negative picture of the Independent Baptist Movement. There is a lot of dark in this painting, but their is some lights as well. I appreciated that.
For the author, the one thing that drove him away from fundamentalism and from God in particular was the fundamentalist mishandling of the civil rights movement. I'm grateful that he documented that aspect of our history so well. It does seem though, that the author tries to view all of the history of fundamentalism through the race lens, and it doesn't work for me.
I will say this though, for an author who has admittedly given up on fundamentalism, God, conservative politics and the like, he didn't paint an altogether negative picture of the Independent Baptist Movement. There is a lot of dark in this painting, but their is some lights as well. I appreciated that.
May 18, 2022
I am not sure what I was expecting from this book, but I found it to be interesting and informative.
The author writes from a vague theological position, and while much of his critique of Rice's brand of Fundamentalism is warranted, his conclusions leave much to be desired.
I felt like Himes was very dismissive of Premillennial Dispensationalism as well as Biblical Creationism, but for the most part, I think he dealt fairly with both the good and the bad of Rice, Norris, Jones, Falwell, Graham etc.
The author writes from a vague theological position, and while much of his critique of Rice's brand of Fundamentalism is warranted, his conclusions leave much to be desired.
I felt like Himes was very dismissive of Premillennial Dispensationalism as well as Biblical Creationism, but for the most part, I think he dealt fairly with both the good and the bad of Rice, Norris, Jones, Falwell, Graham etc.
May 16, 2013
For anybody deeply committed to understanding the Christian Fundamentalism of Jack Hyles, Bob Jones, Jerry Falwell, and their strata of Fundamentalism, this book is a must-read. Here is a rich and varied, sometimes shameful, sometimes heart wrenching, treasure of stories and history that show, on the one hand, the lineage of a family that produced a mild mannered man who created a grassroots resurgence of Christian Fundamentalist devotion (both the good and the bad). And on the other hand, Himes shows the bigger events that shaped America and the American religious terrain that became such a fertile ground for Christian Fundamentalism.
This book is not a biography of John R Rice. Rather, it’s a biography of American Christian Fundamentalism, written by an even hand. Himes is meticulous in finding the roots of modern Christian Fundamentalism: going all the way back to the Scots-Irish settlers in this country. He shows the gradual transitions in thinking, the profound influence of the Civil War on the movement that would become Christian Fundamentalism, the effects of the Scopes Monkey Trial. While never being bitter and always avoiding any temptation to get on any soapboxes himself, Himes shows the great moral failures of the thinking that justified slavery and then justified Jim Crow. (He is less clear about the lot of women in Christian Fundamentalism, making only passing references to the strict dress code and rigid patriarchy that even his grandfather endorsed.)
All the big names are here, placed in historical context: Billy Sunday, J Frank Norris, William Jennings Bryan, R. G. Lee, Bob Jones Sr., Billy Graham, etc. Himes weaves the big story: the Civil War, the Great Depression, the First World War, the Second World War, and then he weaves the smaller details seamlessly into the big story, so that the reader sees how Christian Fundamentalism was shaped and formed, and how the Rice family itself changed and adapted as its fortunes were altered.
Himes’ analysis is brilliant, and his writing impeccable. I have two small criticisms of the book. First, Himes misses the “women’s side” of the story in the history of Christian Fundamentalism. My guess is that the overall gentle home life of Himes has hidden from him the very grim lot of women and young girls in Christian Fundamentalism. John R Rice clearly cherished his wife and daughters, strict man though he was. And it looks like Himes’ mother, a daughter of John R Rice, expected and was treated with respect all her life. I’m glad for that, but both the role of women and their lot in Christian Fundamentalism deserve greater mention.
Second, Himes places great emphasis on the role Jerry Falwell had with his grandfather, and he neglects Jack Hyles. In fact, I think Hyles gets one single mention in the book. Now, the reality, as far as I recall from the days when John R Rice was still preaching, was that Falwell distanced himself from Rice by the late seventies, and Jack Hyles hitched himself firmly to John R Rice for the last decade of Rice’s life. They preached together a lot, for years, and Hyles pulled out Rice as his passport to validity in Christian Fundamentalism. The Sword of the Lord newspaper headlined Jack Hyles a lot more, and for a lot longer, than it did Jerry Falwell.
Again, I don’t think there is any deep, dark conspiracy here. I recall hearing from other survivors of the IFB the rumor that, especially when Dave Hyles joined the preaching circuit, that John R Rice began to realize the tremendous error of having given Jack Hyles so much endorsement. Rice found himself trapped in his own engine of Fundamentalism, having handed so much power to such a ruthless man. My guess is that the Rice family simply does not discuss Hyles. They, after all, provided most of the source material to the author, who was at the time of the ascendancy of Jack Hyles, an atheist and political radical recruiting new members to the Communist party. Himes never made the rounds of the numerous “revivals” and conferences, and he relied on others to tell him about the preaching circuit. But to me, as a person in my teens and twenties in the Hyles-Rice, Sword of the Lord heyday, the ommission of Hyles is very noticeable.
But in a work that has such a broad scope and is so compelling, these two criticisms should not keep anybody back from reading Himes’ account and analysis. He has done a tremendous service to any student of Church History, and he has also provided a great tool for Fundamentalists themselves to look at a snapshot of what they are, what they have done, and where they have come from, and address the places and matters where they have failed.
This book is not a biography of John R Rice. Rather, it’s a biography of American Christian Fundamentalism, written by an even hand. Himes is meticulous in finding the roots of modern Christian Fundamentalism: going all the way back to the Scots-Irish settlers in this country. He shows the gradual transitions in thinking, the profound influence of the Civil War on the movement that would become Christian Fundamentalism, the effects of the Scopes Monkey Trial. While never being bitter and always avoiding any temptation to get on any soapboxes himself, Himes shows the great moral failures of the thinking that justified slavery and then justified Jim Crow. (He is less clear about the lot of women in Christian Fundamentalism, making only passing references to the strict dress code and rigid patriarchy that even his grandfather endorsed.)
All the big names are here, placed in historical context: Billy Sunday, J Frank Norris, William Jennings Bryan, R. G. Lee, Bob Jones Sr., Billy Graham, etc. Himes weaves the big story: the Civil War, the Great Depression, the First World War, the Second World War, and then he weaves the smaller details seamlessly into the big story, so that the reader sees how Christian Fundamentalism was shaped and formed, and how the Rice family itself changed and adapted as its fortunes were altered.
Himes’ analysis is brilliant, and his writing impeccable. I have two small criticisms of the book. First, Himes misses the “women’s side” of the story in the history of Christian Fundamentalism. My guess is that the overall gentle home life of Himes has hidden from him the very grim lot of women and young girls in Christian Fundamentalism. John R Rice clearly cherished his wife and daughters, strict man though he was. And it looks like Himes’ mother, a daughter of John R Rice, expected and was treated with respect all her life. I’m glad for that, but both the role of women and their lot in Christian Fundamentalism deserve greater mention.
Second, Himes places great emphasis on the role Jerry Falwell had with his grandfather, and he neglects Jack Hyles. In fact, I think Hyles gets one single mention in the book. Now, the reality, as far as I recall from the days when John R Rice was still preaching, was that Falwell distanced himself from Rice by the late seventies, and Jack Hyles hitched himself firmly to John R Rice for the last decade of Rice’s life. They preached together a lot, for years, and Hyles pulled out Rice as his passport to validity in Christian Fundamentalism. The Sword of the Lord newspaper headlined Jack Hyles a lot more, and for a lot longer, than it did Jerry Falwell.
Again, I don’t think there is any deep, dark conspiracy here. I recall hearing from other survivors of the IFB the rumor that, especially when Dave Hyles joined the preaching circuit, that John R Rice began to realize the tremendous error of having given Jack Hyles so much endorsement. Rice found himself trapped in his own engine of Fundamentalism, having handed so much power to such a ruthless man. My guess is that the Rice family simply does not discuss Hyles. They, after all, provided most of the source material to the author, who was at the time of the ascendancy of Jack Hyles, an atheist and political radical recruiting new members to the Communist party. Himes never made the rounds of the numerous “revivals” and conferences, and he relied on others to tell him about the preaching circuit. But to me, as a person in my teens and twenties in the Hyles-Rice, Sword of the Lord heyday, the ommission of Hyles is very noticeable.
But in a work that has such a broad scope and is so compelling, these two criticisms should not keep anybody back from reading Himes’ account and analysis. He has done a tremendous service to any student of Church History, and he has also provided a great tool for Fundamentalists themselves to look at a snapshot of what they are, what they have done, and where they have come from, and address the places and matters where they have failed.
January 13, 2026
First, this isn't, as some may assume, primarily concerned with his famous grandfather's life and the paper he wrote by the name "The Sword of the Lord" instead, it's the author's perception of the wider world history leading towards the rise of fundamentalism, interweaved with how his family interacted with such things. While it eventually gets to the life of John R Rice, that's a long time coming. If that's what you want, may want to look elsewhere.
Nearly every chapter, the author begins by recounting some story about himself and his growing up that is somewhat thematically related to the chapter to come. However, this also had the effect of revealing how the author couldn't see beyond his own lens, kept himself as the focus, and viewed events and people through his own post modern tinted worldview, sometimes to the neglect of the historical and theological context of the time.
It's also important to note the author is not a fundamentalist, nor even a Christian by any reasonable standard. He interacts with, and decries, the most surface level versions of many doctrines, teachings, and even the character of God.
That's not to say some of his criticism is without merit. Throughout the book, the author delights in detailing every moral ill he can find within Christians, many of which were truly faults needing to be called out, though he doesn't balance it with the good that could be found in those figures. This is most seen in the issues that, and until he reaches his grandfather's life, his coverage of fundamentalism, and even his own family, is entirely negative.
The author spent extended paragraphs on their justification of slavery, connections to the KKK, and perceived lack of care about social programs and helps, and while he does note, at times, the Christians who did better and rejected those things, it's obvious that Himes recollection of history is tainted by his embrace of radical social justice, socialism, and his deep rejection of Christianity, leading him to maximize any sins, and minimize any good, in these men and women.
Thankfully, he is more fair than others like him, sometimes noting exceptions of what he considers good Christians, or occasionally tempering his attacks in various ways. Yet, the result is still the same. Religion, fundamentalism especially, is seen as a novel, intolerant, and infantile reaction to the trustworthy and perfect march of science and social justice. In other words, he comes off as one whose understanding of Christianity as a whole is about the level of the memes created by a typical Reddit Atheist. And in that, he couldn't be more wrong.
The book therefore, often speaks in contradictions, decrying a perceived lack of social justice and help of fellow man, right before a paragraph talking about a fundamentalist orphanage or charity program. (Page 198, for example)
However, when one is writing of the fundamentalists, readers must expect bias. Sometimes it is for the movement and her characters, sometimes against. In this case, against.
What can be appreciated is the extensive bibliography that provides sources for his quotes and claims in the later part of the book, as well as openly addressing the very real faults of many fundamentalists, with the documentation to prove his claims. However, the same cannot be said for the first portion, where he often fills in gaps, makes assumptions, and invents the feelings and thoughts of those he is writing about, with no citations to back his claims.
While quick to condemn everyone else in the fundamentalist movement, thankfully Himes is far more open about praising and respecting his grandfather, leading to the history dealing with John R Rice to being the more even and less bias parts of the book. This was a breath of fresh air after the beginning of the book.
The history of events, and insights from other family members, do make a helpful read, but Himes continually dragging it back to his story and his feelings and his politics drag down what otherwise could have been a heartfelt and more helpful history.
In conclusion, it's...fine.
There's a lot of facts and family history that's very insightful, but the author's bias worldview and personal day barges it's way into the story so often that it becomes dreary to read. I appreciate what he has done, and the time he spent here, but found, like many others today, he has overturned every stone looking for the sins and problems of fundamentalism and importing his own reasons for their positions and problems.
His brother, a Baptist missionary and pastor, also wrote a biography of John R Rice, which I'm very interested to compare the two.
Nearly every chapter, the author begins by recounting some story about himself and his growing up that is somewhat thematically related to the chapter to come. However, this also had the effect of revealing how the author couldn't see beyond his own lens, kept himself as the focus, and viewed events and people through his own post modern tinted worldview, sometimes to the neglect of the historical and theological context of the time.
It's also important to note the author is not a fundamentalist, nor even a Christian by any reasonable standard. He interacts with, and decries, the most surface level versions of many doctrines, teachings, and even the character of God.
That's not to say some of his criticism is without merit. Throughout the book, the author delights in detailing every moral ill he can find within Christians, many of which were truly faults needing to be called out, though he doesn't balance it with the good that could be found in those figures. This is most seen in the issues that, and until he reaches his grandfather's life, his coverage of fundamentalism, and even his own family, is entirely negative.
The author spent extended paragraphs on their justification of slavery, connections to the KKK, and perceived lack of care about social programs and helps, and while he does note, at times, the Christians who did better and rejected those things, it's obvious that Himes recollection of history is tainted by his embrace of radical social justice, socialism, and his deep rejection of Christianity, leading him to maximize any sins, and minimize any good, in these men and women.
Thankfully, he is more fair than others like him, sometimes noting exceptions of what he considers good Christians, or occasionally tempering his attacks in various ways. Yet, the result is still the same. Religion, fundamentalism especially, is seen as a novel, intolerant, and infantile reaction to the trustworthy and perfect march of science and social justice. In other words, he comes off as one whose understanding of Christianity as a whole is about the level of the memes created by a typical Reddit Atheist. And in that, he couldn't be more wrong.
The book therefore, often speaks in contradictions, decrying a perceived lack of social justice and help of fellow man, right before a paragraph talking about a fundamentalist orphanage or charity program. (Page 198, for example)
However, when one is writing of the fundamentalists, readers must expect bias. Sometimes it is for the movement and her characters, sometimes against. In this case, against.
What can be appreciated is the extensive bibliography that provides sources for his quotes and claims in the later part of the book, as well as openly addressing the very real faults of many fundamentalists, with the documentation to prove his claims. However, the same cannot be said for the first portion, where he often fills in gaps, makes assumptions, and invents the feelings and thoughts of those he is writing about, with no citations to back his claims.
While quick to condemn everyone else in the fundamentalist movement, thankfully Himes is far more open about praising and respecting his grandfather, leading to the history dealing with John R Rice to being the more even and less bias parts of the book. This was a breath of fresh air after the beginning of the book.
The history of events, and insights from other family members, do make a helpful read, but Himes continually dragging it back to his story and his feelings and his politics drag down what otherwise could have been a heartfelt and more helpful history.
In conclusion, it's...fine.
There's a lot of facts and family history that's very insightful, but the author's bias worldview and personal day barges it's way into the story so often that it becomes dreary to read. I appreciate what he has done, and the time he spent here, but found, like many others today, he has overturned every stone looking for the sins and problems of fundamentalism and importing his own reasons for their positions and problems.
His brother, a Baptist missionary and pastor, also wrote a biography of John R Rice, which I'm very interested to compare the two.
April 16, 2021
ROLLERCOASTER THEOLOGY
I originally bought this book thinking that it might be a collection of material from back issues of the Sword of the Lord newspaper. I was a little disappointed to discover that it was a family history rather than a history of fundamentalist Christianity which many refer to as a movement rather than unpolluted Christianity which goes back to the original Gospel taught by the Lord and His Apostles.
I decided to read it anyway and I was really enjoying the history as it covers the bad and the good. The most bbad being the old South mentality and the heavy focus on racism. The racist roots of what they call the "fundamentalist movement" make cringe, though not as much since modern racist blacks want to be seemingly even worse than the slave masters were. Racism from either side is from satan whether it's the KKK or BLM.
The family history and interlaced biography of John R. Rice was interesting and enjoyable to read. I discovered that the Preacher's wife was a Cooke and it made me curious if we were of the same family tree. I also learned some revelations (to me) regarding other Pastors such as Billy Sunday, Billy Graham, Jerry Falwell , Bob Jones Sr & Jr and others.
Then it got a little confusing as the author (John Rice's grandson, by the way) turns his back on God and basically becomes marxist/Communist (a modern day democrat). He seems to drift in and out of socialism and Christian thought. I'm not sure if he respects or disrespects his grandfather's religion.
I was enjoying the book so much in the digital format that I ordered the print version to have in my library. That was about halfway through the book.
As it moves along, John R. Rice repents of his racism but maintains his Fundamentalist Baptist faith. Himes (the author) repents of his Marxism but somewhat remembrances Christianty but maintains his socialism. He seems to be what his grandfather fervently preached against: a liberal modernist. He dismisses doctrine and BIBLICAL
fundamentalism and embraces humanism and "post-fundamentalsm." He tries to compensate for his family's racist heritage buy supercrusading against racism (from the white side, of course).
He quotes the Lord telling us to love God and love our neighbor but seems to switch the priority. We are to love all people but we can "love all people" and still go to hell with them or we can have greater love for God and lead people to Him. He also seems to twist Jesus's statement that He has "other sheep not of this fold" which I believe refers to non-Jews and he makes it about black and white.
He brags about his family becoming post-fundamentalists like it's a feather in the cap. It's not! It's a shame. A Fundamentalist Baptist believes the Fundamentals of the King James Bible. Any other kind of "Christianity" is human philosophy and apostasy. I am very happy to be an Independent Fundamentalist Baptist and no, I did not grow up that way. I was saved from the catholicult.
It is very clear that Himes has disdain for the word "fundamentalist" based on human error. I'm surprised that he uses the word "Christian" positively since so many misrepresent that word even more.
Yes, God is loving, forgiving and merciful. He is also just righteous and holy. He gave us His written word to guide our lives AND TO JUDGE BY. HIS way, not an SJW snowflake way. There is a Heaven but there is also a hell! Being a Biblical Fundamentalist will guide you to Heaven. Posts fundamentalism, anti-fundamentalism or modernism will guide you to hell.
Himes also refers to Baptists as a Protestant denomination which is also ignorant. Baptists are Baptist, PERIOD. The original church was Baptist. Protestants protest the church of Rome who are actually protestants of the Baptist Church. We are not a denomination of anything.
The book closes with a bunch of discussion (bait) questions and a myriad of credits. I wish I would have stopped reading after the death of John R. Rice. This book should have been called The Butter knife of A Grandson The Roots and Attempted Murder of Fundamentalism.
Do I recommend this book? Wanna buy my print version? Otherwise....
I originally bought this book thinking that it might be a collection of material from back issues of the Sword of the Lord newspaper. I was a little disappointed to discover that it was a family history rather than a history of fundamentalist Christianity which many refer to as a movement rather than unpolluted Christianity which goes back to the original Gospel taught by the Lord and His Apostles.
I decided to read it anyway and I was really enjoying the history as it covers the bad and the good. The most bbad being the old South mentality and the heavy focus on racism. The racist roots of what they call the "fundamentalist movement" make cringe, though not as much since modern racist blacks want to be seemingly even worse than the slave masters were. Racism from either side is from satan whether it's the KKK or BLM.
The family history and interlaced biography of John R. Rice was interesting and enjoyable to read. I discovered that the Preacher's wife was a Cooke and it made me curious if we were of the same family tree. I also learned some revelations (to me) regarding other Pastors such as Billy Sunday, Billy Graham, Jerry Falwell , Bob Jones Sr & Jr and others.
Then it got a little confusing as the author (John Rice's grandson, by the way) turns his back on God and basically becomes marxist/Communist (a modern day democrat). He seems to drift in and out of socialism and Christian thought. I'm not sure if he respects or disrespects his grandfather's religion.
I was enjoying the book so much in the digital format that I ordered the print version to have in my library. That was about halfway through the book.
As it moves along, John R. Rice repents of his racism but maintains his Fundamentalist Baptist faith. Himes (the author) repents of his Marxism but somewhat remembrances Christianty but maintains his socialism. He seems to be what his grandfather fervently preached against: a liberal modernist. He dismisses doctrine and BIBLICAL
fundamentalism and embraces humanism and "post-fundamentalsm." He tries to compensate for his family's racist heritage buy supercrusading against racism (from the white side, of course).
He quotes the Lord telling us to love God and love our neighbor but seems to switch the priority. We are to love all people but we can "love all people" and still go to hell with them or we can have greater love for God and lead people to Him. He also seems to twist Jesus's statement that He has "other sheep not of this fold" which I believe refers to non-Jews and he makes it about black and white.
He brags about his family becoming post-fundamentalists like it's a feather in the cap. It's not! It's a shame. A Fundamentalist Baptist believes the Fundamentals of the King James Bible. Any other kind of "Christianity" is human philosophy and apostasy. I am very happy to be an Independent Fundamentalist Baptist and no, I did not grow up that way. I was saved from the catholicult.
It is very clear that Himes has disdain for the word "fundamentalist" based on human error. I'm surprised that he uses the word "Christian" positively since so many misrepresent that word even more.
Yes, God is loving, forgiving and merciful. He is also just righteous and holy. He gave us His written word to guide our lives AND TO JUDGE BY. HIS way, not an SJW snowflake way. There is a Heaven but there is also a hell! Being a Biblical Fundamentalist will guide you to Heaven. Posts fundamentalism, anti-fundamentalism or modernism will guide you to hell.
Himes also refers to Baptists as a Protestant denomination which is also ignorant. Baptists are Baptist, PERIOD. The original church was Baptist. Protestants protest the church of Rome who are actually protestants of the Baptist Church. We are not a denomination of anything.
The book closes with a bunch of discussion (bait) questions and a myriad of credits. I wish I would have stopped reading after the death of John R. Rice. This book should have been called The Butter knife of A Grandson The Roots and Attempted Murder of Fundamentalism.
Do I recommend this book? Wanna buy my print version? Otherwise....
December 19, 2016
Quite useful if you want to painlessly absorb a whole lot of history about "fundamentalism" in the U.S. ...but that's a rather small audience. Lots and lots of names I recognize from my childhood but never had any idea what they meant as everybody I knew wrote them off as "seminary stuff".
The idea of paralleling a personal (family) history with the history of a movement seems like a really good one, but this implementation doesn't seem as compelling as it should be. The short chapters are "sorta" chronological and "sorta" thematic at the same time; the result is dead people keep coming back to life, and the reader can't figure out what's going on.
The huge twists and turns in the movement get so little context or analysis that their motivation seems "random". And the descriptions of the character arcs of the various ancestors similarly seem only weakly motivated (perhaps because they hew closely to reality and/or family lore). Either the combination isn't such a good idea after all, or more likely the author is just "too close" to the subject, with the sense of not being able to see the forest for the trees.
The idea of paralleling a personal (family) history with the history of a movement seems like a really good one, but this implementation doesn't seem as compelling as it should be. The short chapters are "sorta" chronological and "sorta" thematic at the same time; the result is dead people keep coming back to life, and the reader can't figure out what's going on.
The huge twists and turns in the movement get so little context or analysis that their motivation seems "random". And the descriptions of the character arcs of the various ancestors similarly seem only weakly motivated (perhaps because they hew closely to reality and/or family lore). Either the combination isn't such a good idea after all, or more likely the author is just "too close" to the subject, with the sense of not being able to see the forest for the trees.
May 22, 2019
This work by Andrew Himes—poet, computer pioneer, ex-fundamentalist, and ex-Maoist—combines memoir, biography, family history, and an indictment of southern fundamentalism for its racism. The book is most valuable for its poignant reminiscences of growing up in a family dominated by Himes’ grandfather, evangelist John R. Rice (1895-1980). Nevertheless, the work is a ramble, moving back and forth in time and making amateurish pronouncements about American history in general and the history of American evangelicalism in particular. Himes reprints part of a sermon in which his grandfather referred to him as a child who had not been “held accountable as he ought.” Whether a few good spankings might have kept Himes from Marxism is unknowable, but it is tempting to believe they might have made him a more disciplined thinker and writer.
February 19, 2011
The Sword of The Lord
Subtitled “The Roots of Fundamentalism in an American Family”, this book deals with the historical background which gave rise to Fundamentalism, the culture of Fundamentalism, the battles of Fundamentalism, and the relationship of all of these to the Rice family.
Andrew Himes, grandson of famed evangelist John R. Rice, writes with amazing honesty about his feelings and struggles with Fundamentalism. Each chapter opens with some sort of personal anecdote before delving into the history, happenings, ideas, and personalities of Fundamentalism.
Himes deals more with Southern, Independent Baptist Fundamentalism more than any other type. That is because he is relating all of this to his family and how they functioned in the movement.
There's much that could probably be said about the relationship between the Scotch-Irish, the Appalachian people, the Civil War, and the Ku Klux Klan to the rise of Southern Fundamentalism. I don't know that I would discount anything that Himes said in that respect. I do wish that there would have been a little more acknowledgment of the northern Fundamentalists, simply because they had a relationship to , and an influence on Southern Fundamentalists. I do understand, however, that he is seeking to relate to his family and Southern Fundamentalism.
Sadly, Southern Fundamentalism has a checkered past. In fact, that can be said about the present, also. The struggles of Southern Fundamentalism were not simply doctrinal struggles, but battles for society. Often, Southern Fundamentalists were on the wrong side of the battle, or simply ignored it in the name of evangelism. Himes speaks of how this disconnect between Christianity and human kindness hurt him and caused him to abandon Christianity for a long time.
The story is told in a moving fashion. Many times my heart was stirred because of the injustices that were chronicled. My heart was also stirred with a desire to love Christ more. With all of his flaws, John R. Rice is portrayed as a great man. Himes presents what seems to be a balanced picture of his grandfather and his influence on Fundamentalism. Rice is presented as a fighter for truth, but also a lover of his family and a man of compassion.
From the northern battles of Fundamentalism (that receive scant mention) to J. Frank Norris, William Bell Riley, William Jennings Bryan, Billy Sunday, Billy Graham, and Jerry Falwell, Himes looks at the rise and strength of Fundamentalism. He shows us how John R. Rice and family fit into the picture. His portrait of Rice is that of any man: Rice was a man of convictions and beliefs. He was also a man who learned and grew as he aged and matured.
Himes also shows how Fundamentalism and Fundamentalists reacted to Rice and his changes. We read of the separation of Fundamentalism and Evangelicalism, the separation of Rice and Graham, and the rise of Jerry Falwell and the Moral Majority.
Among the saddest of things that I read was the fact that John R. Rice, the last time he spoke at a Sword of The Lord conference, was not given the opportunity to have the impact he wished to have. After speaking to the assembly about loving one another and those who disagree with us, Rice wished to have the people sing “The Family of God”, a song that emphasizes the unity of God's children. Sadly, his successor as editor of the Sword of The Lord, Curtis Hutson, prevented the distribution of cards with the words to the song, thus preventing the song from being sung. Hutson did not walk in the footsteps of Rice in regard to desiring a better relationship with those with whom he had disagreements, it seems. Rice is said to have wept because this happened.
At the end of the book, Himes speaks of having conversations with his family about Fundamentalism. He, and they, have many positive things to say about what they learned. Sadly, because of the excesses of many of the Independent Fundamental Baptists, many of Rice's descendants do not claim to be Fundamentalists. Why? Because today's Fundamentalists aren't in step with what they believe about love.
I am sure that, if the folks at the Sword of The Lord get hold of this book, there will be many ways in which they find fault with it. They will probably attempt to discredit the book and the author. I only hope that many will read this book, learn the value of a Fundamentalism that holds to the Fundamentals while loving others.
I hope that the book will show people that John R. Rice was not perfect, but that he was a man to respect, and in many ways follow. He should especially be followed in holding up the Fundamentals, as well as in his willingness to change, moderate, and learn to love more. In a day in which we are having many discussions about the direction of Fundamentalism, we should certainly look at our past to see what we can learn. The voice of this book should be one that is heard in that discussion.
In concluding, I must say that there is one large negative that looms before my eyes. Himes speaks of Fundamentalism as originally being about arcane doctrines. He also speaks of needing a faith that is driven by praxis rather than arcane doctrines. The reality is that the Fundamentalists understood that there could be no right practice without right doctrine. The problem is that many of them (and probably many of us today) did not recognize the disconnect between their doctrine and their practice.
This was one of those books that, once started, is difficult to put down. I shall award this book four stars.
Subtitled “The Roots of Fundamentalism in an American Family”, this book deals with the historical background which gave rise to Fundamentalism, the culture of Fundamentalism, the battles of Fundamentalism, and the relationship of all of these to the Rice family.
Andrew Himes, grandson of famed evangelist John R. Rice, writes with amazing honesty about his feelings and struggles with Fundamentalism. Each chapter opens with some sort of personal anecdote before delving into the history, happenings, ideas, and personalities of Fundamentalism.
Himes deals more with Southern, Independent Baptist Fundamentalism more than any other type. That is because he is relating all of this to his family and how they functioned in the movement.
There's much that could probably be said about the relationship between the Scotch-Irish, the Appalachian people, the Civil War, and the Ku Klux Klan to the rise of Southern Fundamentalism. I don't know that I would discount anything that Himes said in that respect. I do wish that there would have been a little more acknowledgment of the northern Fundamentalists, simply because they had a relationship to , and an influence on Southern Fundamentalists. I do understand, however, that he is seeking to relate to his family and Southern Fundamentalism.
Sadly, Southern Fundamentalism has a checkered past. In fact, that can be said about the present, also. The struggles of Southern Fundamentalism were not simply doctrinal struggles, but battles for society. Often, Southern Fundamentalists were on the wrong side of the battle, or simply ignored it in the name of evangelism. Himes speaks of how this disconnect between Christianity and human kindness hurt him and caused him to abandon Christianity for a long time.
The story is told in a moving fashion. Many times my heart was stirred because of the injustices that were chronicled. My heart was also stirred with a desire to love Christ more. With all of his flaws, John R. Rice is portrayed as a great man. Himes presents what seems to be a balanced picture of his grandfather and his influence on Fundamentalism. Rice is presented as a fighter for truth, but also a lover of his family and a man of compassion.
From the northern battles of Fundamentalism (that receive scant mention) to J. Frank Norris, William Bell Riley, William Jennings Bryan, Billy Sunday, Billy Graham, and Jerry Falwell, Himes looks at the rise and strength of Fundamentalism. He shows us how John R. Rice and family fit into the picture. His portrait of Rice is that of any man: Rice was a man of convictions and beliefs. He was also a man who learned and grew as he aged and matured.
Himes also shows how Fundamentalism and Fundamentalists reacted to Rice and his changes. We read of the separation of Fundamentalism and Evangelicalism, the separation of Rice and Graham, and the rise of Jerry Falwell and the Moral Majority.
Among the saddest of things that I read was the fact that John R. Rice, the last time he spoke at a Sword of The Lord conference, was not given the opportunity to have the impact he wished to have. After speaking to the assembly about loving one another and those who disagree with us, Rice wished to have the people sing “The Family of God”, a song that emphasizes the unity of God's children. Sadly, his successor as editor of the Sword of The Lord, Curtis Hutson, prevented the distribution of cards with the words to the song, thus preventing the song from being sung. Hutson did not walk in the footsteps of Rice in regard to desiring a better relationship with those with whom he had disagreements, it seems. Rice is said to have wept because this happened.
At the end of the book, Himes speaks of having conversations with his family about Fundamentalism. He, and they, have many positive things to say about what they learned. Sadly, because of the excesses of many of the Independent Fundamental Baptists, many of Rice's descendants do not claim to be Fundamentalists. Why? Because today's Fundamentalists aren't in step with what they believe about love.
I am sure that, if the folks at the Sword of The Lord get hold of this book, there will be many ways in which they find fault with it. They will probably attempt to discredit the book and the author. I only hope that many will read this book, learn the value of a Fundamentalism that holds to the Fundamentals while loving others.
I hope that the book will show people that John R. Rice was not perfect, but that he was a man to respect, and in many ways follow. He should especially be followed in holding up the Fundamentals, as well as in his willingness to change, moderate, and learn to love more. In a day in which we are having many discussions about the direction of Fundamentalism, we should certainly look at our past to see what we can learn. The voice of this book should be one that is heard in that discussion.
In concluding, I must say that there is one large negative that looms before my eyes. Himes speaks of Fundamentalism as originally being about arcane doctrines. He also speaks of needing a faith that is driven by praxis rather than arcane doctrines. The reality is that the Fundamentalists understood that there could be no right practice without right doctrine. The problem is that many of them (and probably many of us today) did not recognize the disconnect between their doctrine and their practice.
This was one of those books that, once started, is difficult to put down. I shall award this book four stars.
December 31, 2022
As a recovering Ind Fund Baptist - the hypocrisy and debauchery I personally witnessed in the movement from Jack Hyles and his imp followers is documented is many books and videos… I found this book heart warming because the sincerity of the Rice family and their true love for Christ was evident.
May 20, 2021
Excellent book
January 1, 2020
I came across this book accidentally and was surprised that I had never heard of it. Himes is the grandson of John R. Rice, one of the most influential men in the Fundamentalist movement during his lifetime. The format is interesting because Himes weaves his personal life story and that of his family with a historical perspective on the Fundamentalist movement. It kept the story moving and personalized what can be a cold rendition of names, places, and issues.
When I began reading this book, I was expecting one of two extremes. Either the author would glorify the Fundamentalists with a particular emphasis on his grandfather’s contributions, or he would vilify everything about what the general public thinks of as a bunch of religious fanatics who border on being a cult. What I found is that Himes has some of both. I am sure that readers who have had some exposure to the Fundamentalist movement will be critical of Himes for not going further in one of those two extremes. I thought the presentation was largely well balanced, but it did leave me wondering about the spiritual condition of the author.
I liked the transparent love that Himes displays for his family in general and his grandfather in particular. I have read a few of Rice’s books and heard him preach three times, but this book showed a much more personal side of one of the main movers in 20th century American religious history. It made me want to read more of Rice’s books.
I disagreed with the contention that fundamentalism is racist at its heart and the religious expression of a bunch of unreconstructed southerners. I can see how Himes arrived at that conclusion, but I would think if it were as pervasive as this book portrays, I would have seen a lot more of it. The church I grew up in and the schools I attended would not have objected to the word fundamentalist being applied to them, at least not then. Part of the problem is the word fundamentalism means different things to different people. I think of it as defining a theological position but many people, apparently Himes among them, define it in sociological terms. I found it particularly interesting that when Himes asked his aunts and uncles, who had all worked for fundamental schools or churches, if they would still call themselves fundamentalists, they said no. The meaning has changed that much in the last 30 years or so. It was also a revelation to me that John R. Rice came to a position of acceptance of fellow believers that he had doctrinal disagreements with. That runs contrary to one of the guiding principles of fundamentalist thinking, the idea of separation over even the slightest difference in doctrinal perspective.
This book gives an insight to one of the most interesting religious movements of the 20th century. I would think that anyone really wanting to know what fundamentalist was and how it became what it is, should begin with this book. It is well worth reading.
When I began reading this book, I was expecting one of two extremes. Either the author would glorify the Fundamentalists with a particular emphasis on his grandfather’s contributions, or he would vilify everything about what the general public thinks of as a bunch of religious fanatics who border on being a cult. What I found is that Himes has some of both. I am sure that readers who have had some exposure to the Fundamentalist movement will be critical of Himes for not going further in one of those two extremes. I thought the presentation was largely well balanced, but it did leave me wondering about the spiritual condition of the author.
I liked the transparent love that Himes displays for his family in general and his grandfather in particular. I have read a few of Rice’s books and heard him preach three times, but this book showed a much more personal side of one of the main movers in 20th century American religious history. It made me want to read more of Rice’s books.
I disagreed with the contention that fundamentalism is racist at its heart and the religious expression of a bunch of unreconstructed southerners. I can see how Himes arrived at that conclusion, but I would think if it were as pervasive as this book portrays, I would have seen a lot more of it. The church I grew up in and the schools I attended would not have objected to the word fundamentalist being applied to them, at least not then. Part of the problem is the word fundamentalism means different things to different people. I think of it as defining a theological position but many people, apparently Himes among them, define it in sociological terms. I found it particularly interesting that when Himes asked his aunts and uncles, who had all worked for fundamental schools or churches, if they would still call themselves fundamentalists, they said no. The meaning has changed that much in the last 30 years or so. It was also a revelation to me that John R. Rice came to a position of acceptance of fellow believers that he had doctrinal disagreements with. That runs contrary to one of the guiding principles of fundamentalist thinking, the idea of separation over even the slightest difference in doctrinal perspective.
This book gives an insight to one of the most interesting religious movements of the 20th century. I would think that anyone really wanting to know what fundamentalist was and how it became what it is, should begin with this book. It is well worth reading.
April 24, 2011
Testimony
Andrew Himes has accomplished something this reader never though possible: he manages to delve into Fundamentalism (AKA Religious Right, the Moral Majority, etc), explain its roots, escort us through a progression of development form the pre-Civil War times of immigration to the present day, and does this with a compassion that can only spring from the mind of one who has been a part of the movement, subsequently discarding it as a way of life and philosophy, and then re-evaluating it in terms of the loss of his grandfather who was one of its major proponents. Himes manner of writing is warm, non-judgmental, and yet one that thoroughly examines all aspects of both the need for the development of the movement (a safe haven for those who feared loss of control over their own world to the 'others' outside their circle), the heinous cruelties that the movement fostered such as the Ku Klux Klan and the repulsive hate words about gays and women and dress codes seething form the mouths of such people as Billy Sunday, Billy Graham, Jerry Falwell, John R. Rice's newspaper 'The Sword of the Lord' et al, and the rise of the political impact of the Religious Right that threatens true democracy.
Himes poses the question 'What is Fundamentalism to you?' and offers five doctrines in response: the virgin birth, the inerrancy and divine inspiration of the Bible, the need for sinners for atonement, Jesus' death and resurrection, and the miracle attributed to Christ. After spending a full book defining not only the history of fundamentalism but also his own personal history of complete commitment to fundamentalism until his 16th year when he fled the house and embraced Maoism only to eventually find that Maoist socialism was as incomplete an answer to universal peace as Christian fundamentalism, Himes leaves his readers with his staring the fact that when a scribe asked Jesus the fundamental question "What commandment is foremost of all?' His response was: 'Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God is one Lord; and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with al your strength.' The second is this, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no greater commandment than these."
And so Himes presents Fundamentalism, explained in an erudite manner mixed with personal testimony of his own experience, and the hope is that many people will read this work and from both sides of this often egregious divide find commonality and complete acceptance that first commandment 'Love thy neighbor as thyself' and perhaps a long festering wound will begin to heal. It could even extend beyond the American political arena to the global abandonment of war. That would be a new miracle.
Grady Harp
Andrew Himes has accomplished something this reader never though possible: he manages to delve into Fundamentalism (AKA Religious Right, the Moral Majority, etc), explain its roots, escort us through a progression of development form the pre-Civil War times of immigration to the present day, and does this with a compassion that can only spring from the mind of one who has been a part of the movement, subsequently discarding it as a way of life and philosophy, and then re-evaluating it in terms of the loss of his grandfather who was one of its major proponents. Himes manner of writing is warm, non-judgmental, and yet one that thoroughly examines all aspects of both the need for the development of the movement (a safe haven for those who feared loss of control over their own world to the 'others' outside their circle), the heinous cruelties that the movement fostered such as the Ku Klux Klan and the repulsive hate words about gays and women and dress codes seething form the mouths of such people as Billy Sunday, Billy Graham, Jerry Falwell, John R. Rice's newspaper 'The Sword of the Lord' et al, and the rise of the political impact of the Religious Right that threatens true democracy.
Himes poses the question 'What is Fundamentalism to you?' and offers five doctrines in response: the virgin birth, the inerrancy and divine inspiration of the Bible, the need for sinners for atonement, Jesus' death and resurrection, and the miracle attributed to Christ. After spending a full book defining not only the history of fundamentalism but also his own personal history of complete commitment to fundamentalism until his 16th year when he fled the house and embraced Maoism only to eventually find that Maoist socialism was as incomplete an answer to universal peace as Christian fundamentalism, Himes leaves his readers with his staring the fact that when a scribe asked Jesus the fundamental question "What commandment is foremost of all?' His response was: 'Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God is one Lord; and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with al your strength.' The second is this, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no greater commandment than these."
And so Himes presents Fundamentalism, explained in an erudite manner mixed with personal testimony of his own experience, and the hope is that many people will read this work and from both sides of this often egregious divide find commonality and complete acceptance that first commandment 'Love thy neighbor as thyself' and perhaps a long festering wound will begin to heal. It could even extend beyond the American political arena to the global abandonment of war. That would be a new miracle.
Grady Harp
June 1, 2014
Former fundamentalist and now a "Bapticostal".
I grew up in a very strict Baptist church, understood and was saved at a very young age through a Billy Graham crusade in the 70s. I remember kneeling on a blue polyester chair while the crusade was on tv and giving my life to Christ. I can still feel that roughness on my cheek but no, do not think it is a requirement of salvation. :) I went to school the next day and witnessed to everyone. my uncle is now a Baptist pastor and mom is hands down the most prolific soul winner that I know. she has lead hundreds to the Lord and lives and breathes to see others saved. our church was very legalistic and used fear to keep us in line. I remember sermons on the dangers of contemporary Christian music and also one revival where a household cleaning product Company was singled out as evil for having a symbol on their product logo, (as a child I was so afraid that my parents had to throw out all those cleaning supplies!- now I think he was in cahoots with the competition). also the tribulation chills where they killed Christians resulting in many sleepless nights.
that being all said as I grew in the Lord I matured and eventually broke away from the movement and came to the same conclusions that the author did. I have friends in many denominations now and have seen God heal, restore
, raise the dead, change lives. the fear that we are taught I no longer have and it has made my love for Him grow more now that I'm not always waiting to be hit over the head by a God who loves punishment over grace for His people.
God loves us where we are at and He is more than able to use us just as we are. strict narrow minded, as I was or now that life and pain has seasoned me more compassionate and loving but always growing in Grace. I love the foundation my Baptist roots gave me and will be forever grateful for them. I'm also indebted to my more charismatic friends for their patience in letting me grow.
Dr Rice changed my life forever with his book on prayer and I am daily blessed by those words and also the words of his grandson whose journey in faith so closely mirrored mine and yes this book has helped me immensely in my journey ever closer to Him in whom is the only hope of salvation, or Lord.
Judge less and enjoy the journey...
I grew up in a very strict Baptist church, understood and was saved at a very young age through a Billy Graham crusade in the 70s. I remember kneeling on a blue polyester chair while the crusade was on tv and giving my life to Christ. I can still feel that roughness on my cheek but no, do not think it is a requirement of salvation. :) I went to school the next day and witnessed to everyone. my uncle is now a Baptist pastor and mom is hands down the most prolific soul winner that I know. she has lead hundreds to the Lord and lives and breathes to see others saved. our church was very legalistic and used fear to keep us in line. I remember sermons on the dangers of contemporary Christian music and also one revival where a household cleaning product Company was singled out as evil for having a symbol on their product logo, (as a child I was so afraid that my parents had to throw out all those cleaning supplies!- now I think he was in cahoots with the competition). also the tribulation chills where they killed Christians resulting in many sleepless nights.
that being all said as I grew in the Lord I matured and eventually broke away from the movement and came to the same conclusions that the author did. I have friends in many denominations now and have seen God heal, restore
, raise the dead, change lives. the fear that we are taught I no longer have and it has made my love for Him grow more now that I'm not always waiting to be hit over the head by a God who loves punishment over grace for His people.
God loves us where we are at and He is more than able to use us just as we are. strict narrow minded, as I was or now that life and pain has seasoned me more compassionate and loving but always growing in Grace. I love the foundation my Baptist roots gave me and will be forever grateful for them. I'm also indebted to my more charismatic friends for their patience in letting me grow.
Dr Rice changed my life forever with his book on prayer and I am daily blessed by those words and also the words of his grandson whose journey in faith so closely mirrored mine and yes this book has helped me immensely in my journey ever closer to Him in whom is the only hope of salvation, or Lord.
Judge less and enjoy the journey...
April 15, 2013
This book was enjoyable and interesting (worth every bit of 99 cents!), though a little strange. The parts I most enjoyed were biographical, especially the personal insights from Andrew's childhood. I also enjoyed his historical forays (though he did a lot of guessing about what his forebears must have been thinking). But there was a great deal of history that didn't seem to belong. I liked the book and found it profitable, but I kept feeling that it fit better in a different book.
Ah, well. Himes did his homework and provides a helpful insider/outsider perspective on fundamentalist history, focusing particularly on his grandfather, John R. Rice.
Himes was also evenhanded enough that he kept me wondering for a good while whether or not the story would end with his return to Christian faith. But that while ended, I'm afraid, as the mild sneers added up. He was never overtly nasty, but he still took unnecessary swipes at various Christian doctrines.
He did, however, have genuine praise for his grandfather despite their deep disagreements. And praise for his bright and beautiful aunts, Rice's daughters. He seemed to respect his fundamentalist family for their integrity and zeal even though he disagrees with their views.
This is demonstrated in the coda to his book:
This wan little homily illustrates, however, why I'm sticking with a Christian faith that has some backbone. Even if I'm sometimes embarrassed (or mortified, or incensed) by the doctrinal and personal eccentricities of some of the 20th century fundamentalists Himes canvasses in his book (especially J. Frank Norris), every one of them would see through such an empty moralistic call. What is true? Love for what? Faith in what?
If the fundamentalism in Himes' book has significant problems (and it does), at least it knows that humans should let God answer those questions, and we should stick by those answers.
Ah, well. Himes did his homework and provides a helpful insider/outsider perspective on fundamentalist history, focusing particularly on his grandfather, John R. Rice.
Himes was also evenhanded enough that he kept me wondering for a good while whether or not the story would end with his return to Christian faith. But that while ended, I'm afraid, as the mild sneers added up. He was never overtly nasty, but he still took unnecessary swipes at various Christian doctrines.
He did, however, have genuine praise for his grandfather despite their deep disagreements. And praise for his bright and beautiful aunts, Rice's daughters. He seemed to respect his fundamentalist family for their integrity and zeal even though he disagrees with their views.
This is demonstrated in the coda to his book:
In the spirit of appreciative inquiry, here is what I have learned from my post-fundamentalist family: Honor truth. Love well. Live your faith.
This wan little homily illustrates, however, why I'm sticking with a Christian faith that has some backbone. Even if I'm sometimes embarrassed (or mortified, or incensed) by the doctrinal and personal eccentricities of some of the 20th century fundamentalists Himes canvasses in his book (especially J. Frank Norris), every one of them would see through such an empty moralistic call. What is true? Love for what? Faith in what?
If the fundamentalism in Himes' book has significant problems (and it does), at least it knows that humans should let God answer those questions, and we should stick by those answers.
March 15, 2014
I very much enjoyed this book. The author, Andrew Himes, is one of John R. Rice's grandson. He is/was the black sheep of the family. He did not believe in the same things as the Rice clan. I believe his view of the Rice family and The Sword of the Lord is an honest view. Andrew gives the biography of the Rice family doing to America. He says they were Scots-Irish bringing their love of freedom and Calvinist religion with them. In the book the reunion with the Rice family is at the Funeral of John R. Rice. He tells how is grandmother told him his grandfather would want him to be a pall bearer (unconditional love). He talks about the awkward time at the meal after the funeral sitting next to Jerry Falwell. The book gives a surprising explanation of the handing off of The Sword of the Lord to Curtis Hutson. For those who are not familiar with The Sword of the Lord, it is a fundamental newspaper that has been around for many, many years.
If you are interested in the fundamentalist Christian movement you will enjoy this book.
If you are interested in the fundamentalist Christian movement you will enjoy this book.
May 26, 2011
With his newly released book Sword of the Lord: The Roots of Fundamentalism in an American Family, Andrew Himes creates a history that is both well-researched and deeply personal. It’s a history that’s about more than dates and place-names. It’s about the struggle of a people to survive and thrive in a foreign land. And it’s about the ties of blood that bind Himes to these people, from their roots among the Scots-Irish — “a troublesome group of dirt-poor, hardscrabble farmers and fighters in the borderlands and lowlands along the Scottish, English, and Welsh borders” — to his own family heritage as the grandson of influential fundamentalist preacher and publisher John R Rice.
Read the full review, or an interview with the author on my blog.
Read the full review, or an interview with the author on my blog.
September 14, 2011
This is a fascinating history of the Rice family from their beginnings to the current day. John Rice has rubbed shoulders with some of Christianities most famous figures like Billy Sunday, Bob Jones, J. Frank Noris and Billy Graham. He was an ardent defender of orthodox Christianity and the movement known as fundamentalism. He was a prolific writer and famous preacher. The Sword of the Lord will give you a look into the history of a family that could possibly only be written by a family member. Andrew Himes seeks to give a fair treatment of his family history even at its worst moments. This book gives the reader a view into the Rice family as well as the history of American. I highly recommend this book!
May 31, 2012
Excellent. Himes is the grand son of John R. Rice, a leader of the Christian Fundamentalist movement. The Sword of the Lord is the story of the Rice family, how the immigrated to America, their struggles, and the rise of John R. Rice as a prominent Fundamentalist leader. Himes isn't a Fundamentalist, but his treatment of the movement, while harsh, is also very fair. His style is candid, covering the ups and the down in his personal life and in his family.
I graduated from a Fundamentalist college. That experience took several years to sort through and make sense of. The highly recommend this book to anyone who went to a Baptist Fundamentalist college. This is the best book you'll ever read on the history of that movement.
I graduated from a Fundamentalist college. That experience took several years to sort through and make sense of. The highly recommend this book to anyone who went to a Baptist Fundamentalist college. This is the best book you'll ever read on the history of that movement.
October 27, 2012
I married into an Independant Fundamentalist family. I learned much from reading this book. I recently inherited a collection of books written by John R. Rice, so I enjoyed learning about Rev. Rice. There was a lot of history written into this book, which I enjoyed, but once I got to the chapters written about John R. Rice I literally could not put this book down! So interesting about Billy Graham and Jerry Falwell as well! I really did enjoy this book and I recommend it!
December 29, 2011
This was a fascinating book. I appreciated how the author wove his own personal journey into the history of the fundamentalist movement in America and his family's role in it. He was thorough, gracious, even-handed, and unflinchingly honest, which was impressive given his close connection to the stories he told.
November 11, 2013
Had a hard time getting into this book but when I finally got into it, I thoroughly enjoyed it. The book talks about the beginnings of the fundamentalist movement in the US, something I knew little about before reading this book. As a Baptist, it helped to see the history of one arm of the Baptist movement, both the good, the bad and the ugly.
January 31, 2014
An interesting personal view of the fundamentalist movement from the grandson of John Rice. Himes tells his story while giving the history of Rice and the American fundamentalist movement. My only complaint would be that while Himes does end with the truth of God's love, God's wrath against sin because of His holiness (Romans 1:18-32) is ignored.
August 19, 2014
Very informative history of fundamentalism in the U.S written by a decendant of John Rice, "the dean of American fundamentalists." Reads kind of like the wild west of American religion in the 20th century. The book dragged for me, as I recall I would have preferred more of the anecdotal part of the book with personal stories.
July 29, 2011
This book provides a very interesting and informative look at the roots of Christian fundamentalism in America.
January 17, 2012
This is a thoughtful and straightforward account of the rise of fundamentalism in the United States. It helped me to process my own background--understand, process, sort.
September 22, 2014
thought I'd never get through it. Interesting to see how fundamentalist Christianity started and how it has changed through the years. There seemed to be a lot of digressions however.
July 27, 2012
My extended review is posted on my blog:
http://jacksonianamerica.com/2012/07/...
http://jacksonianamerica.com/2012/07/...
July 9, 2013
Very well researched. I really enjoyed learning more of the history of the fundamentalist movement. Appreciated the author's graciousness, in that he did not turn it into his own personal soapbox.
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