The Life and Legend of J. Frank Norris The Fighting Parson

by Homer G. Ritchie

322 pages, Hardcover

Published January 1, 1991

Reviews

[Noah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book about one of the more influential leaders of the Independent Baptist movement. It was helpful to understand the controversy from what I feel was a balanced perspective. While the author succeeded Norris as pastor, he didn't try to hide the negatives in the famous preacher's colorful and unconventional style. Very informative.

[Karen Furr · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was a sufficient retelling but jumped around in places. I began to understand the man behind the legend. He was a person like all of us, with feet of clay. He loved the word of God and was zealous to see it rightly taught and understood. Reverend Norris cared deeply for those without Christ and his sensationalism was his way of reaching into their lives and saying “Listen! Step back from the brink and choose to believe in the only One who loves your soul.” His combative ways did weary me but he saw modernism etc creeping into the churches and seminaries that were to be bulwarks of biblical truth and they were failing, and this could not be tolerated. So J.Frank Norris did battle until he died. Anyone interested in Fort Worth history or Baptist history will find this book revealing.