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America’s Baptists
God's Rascal: J. Frank Norris and the Beginnings of Southern Fundamentalism
A biography of the pastor of churches in both Dallas and Detroit, simultaneously, describes his career, his legal problems, his campaigns on various issues, and his role in Southern fundamentalism
220 pages, Hardcover
First published August 15, 1996
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About the author
Barry Hankins
24 books7 followersBarry G. Hankins is Professor of History at Baylor University, as well as a Resident Scholar with the Institute for Studies of Religion (ISR). His publications include Baptists in America: A History (OUP, 2015) and Evangelicalism and Fundamentalism: A Documentary Reader (NYU Press, 2008). Hankins's biography Francis Schaeffer And the Shaping of Evangelical America: Fundamentalist Warrior, Evangelical Prophet (Eerdmans, 2008) was awarded the 2009 John Pollock Award for Christian Biography.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
May 21, 2019
Although this scholarly monograph provides a considerable amount of helpful information about the fundamentalist controversialist and religious empire-builder J. Frank Norris (1877-1952), it is an unsatisfying biography. Because there is little extant information about Norris’s personal life, Hankins decided to analyze Norris’s public life topically. Even Norris’s death is treated incidentally, in the middle of a sentence about the 1952 presidential campaign.
The author makes clear at the outset that his early attempt to write a balanced biography of Norris became impossible when he realized such a work would be “inaccurate.” Hankins believed he had to emphasize the preacher’s “complete disregard for basic standards of civility and honesty.” (4) I share Hankins dark view of Norris, though not necessarily the victimhood of all Norris’s enemies—of whom there were legion. Some contemporary Southern Baptist leaders were slippery characters whom Norris often accurately (if just as often, brutishly) nailed.
Finally, the reader quickly tires of Norris’s self-promotion, “paranoid style,” and disgusting treatment of erstwhile friends. Not that Hankins can be blamed for that. But it is unpleasant to read a whole book about such an ethically challenged character. Here’s a volume from which one may profitably gather scholarly notes but not the sort of thing I would read for pleasure.
The author makes clear at the outset that his early attempt to write a balanced biography of Norris became impossible when he realized such a work would be “inaccurate.” Hankins believed he had to emphasize the preacher’s “complete disregard for basic standards of civility and honesty.” (4) I share Hankins dark view of Norris, though not necessarily the victimhood of all Norris’s enemies—of whom there were legion. Some contemporary Southern Baptist leaders were slippery characters whom Norris often accurately (if just as often, brutishly) nailed.
Finally, the reader quickly tires of Norris’s self-promotion, “paranoid style,” and disgusting treatment of erstwhile friends. Not that Hankins can be blamed for that. But it is unpleasant to read a whole book about such an ethically challenged character. Here’s a volume from which one may profitably gather scholarly notes but not the sort of thing I would read for pleasure.
August 9, 2025
Great historical reflection on J. Frank Norris and the beginnings of southern fundamentalism. It is interesting to see the parallels in much of what takes place in modern politics. I wasn't familiar with Norris, and I certainly learned a lot. Very insightful!
March 23, 2022
Fascinating book that bears a lot of instruction for our current moment. Hankins’ own viewpoints cloud the book at times and are distracting.
June 20, 2015
Academic, hard to read. doesn't go into his personal life hardly at all. not biographical in that sense.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews