A fundamentalist reviews "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.