A Hill on Which to Die: One Southern Baptist's Journey

Rating:
Summary: Must read for all Baptists: liberals and conservatives alike
Review: After years of seeing liberals spin the conservative takeover of the Southern Baptist Convention to their liking, Paul Pressler's book is refreshing.

Pressler is to conservative Southern Baptists what Ronald Reagan is to Republicans. In "A Hill on Which to Die," Pressler gives documentation of rampant liberalism throughout the convention. Pressler did not, as some liberals would have us believe, "Burn down the barn to get rid of a few rats." Liberalism was prevalent, and a conservative takeover was the only way to reclaim the seminaries and colleges.

The book offers countless surprises: how Adrian Rogers did not want the nomination the night before the 1979 convention opened; how and why Pressler watched the 1979 convention from a skybox; how the "Donahue" show helped the conservative movement; how former president W.A. Criswell, himself a conservative, had failed to make changes when he was president; how Pressler tried to make changes before 1979, only to get the cold-shoulder.

Throughout the book, Pressler tells how the conservative movement was misunderstood and misrepresented. The battle was not over the interpretation of Scripture, but rather its integrity and inerrancy. And, surprisingly, it was not very organized. Conservatives did not use countless vans and buses to get messengers to conventions, as liberals charge. Rather, it was mostly a grass-roots effort which began with conservative churches wanting to change the liberal establishment. The conservatives were in the majority throughout the churches, but were not being represented in the presidency and on the committees.

And, as some may claim, it was not a hate-filled movement. The book is filled with examples of Pressler's Christian love for all believers - liberals, moderates and conservatives. However, throughout the battle, Pressler's beliefs and motives were mischaracterized and spun by the opposition, leading to the negative opinions about him that abound today. Occasionally, there were even flat-out lies. Finally, he gets to respond.

Liberals will not want to read this book, but they should.

This should be required reading for all Southern Baptists.

Rating:
Summary: Important reading, but dull in spots
Review: As a non-Baptist, I nonetheless have an interest in the struggle for Biblical fidelity in any denomination or institution. I have read several books on the "liberal vs. conservative" theological battles in different venues. It is crucial, in a time where most mainline denominations have cascaded down the slippery slope of liberalism (while consistently losing members) that believers in the authority of God's Word not be forced out, ridiculed, or left bereft of power in the few churches where theological conservatism still has at least some representation. I did not realize the extent liberalism had taken hold in the Southern Baptist Convention until I read this book. The story of how conservatives retook the ground lost to liberalism in this denomination is a story that needed to be told.

Some of the book, especially dealing with denominational structure, is somewhat confusing, although I'm sure through no fault of the author. When you have a structure where a Committee on Comittees appoints a Committee on Boards, which now has a different name, and they appoint other boards and committees with varying term lengths, you can see where it would take a legal mind just to wade through all the folderol. The writing, in general, could have used some "spicing up". I think the author could have benefitted greatly by using a collaborator. Nevertheless, I recommend this book for liberals and conservatives alike, Baptist or not, who have an interest in this ongoing battle between the theological right and left.

Rating:
Summary: Sorry!
Review: As a non-Baptist, I nonetheless have an interest in the struggle for Biblical fidelity in any denomination or institution. I have read several books on the "liberal vs. conservative" theological battles in different venues. It is crucial, in a time where most mainline denominations have cascaded down the slippery slope of liberalism (while consistently losing members) that believers in the authority of God's Word not be forced out, ridiculed, or left bereft of power in the few churches where theological conservatism still has at least some representation. I did not realize the extent liberalism had taken hold in the Southern Baptist Convention until I read this book. The story of how conservatives retook the ground lost to liberalism in this denomination is a story that needed to be told.

Some of the book, especially dealing with denominational structure, is somewhat confusing, although I'm sure through no fault of the author. When you have a structure where a Committee on Comittees appoints a Committee on Boards, which now has a different name, and they appoint other boards and committees with varying term lengths, you can see where it would take a legal mind just to wade through all the folderol. The writing, in general, could have used some "spicing up". I think the author could have benefitted greatly by using a collaborator. Nevertheless, I recommend this book for liberals and conservatives alike, Baptist or not, who have an interest in this ongoing battle between the theological right and left.

Rating:
Summary: A Narrow View of the Christian Faith
Review: Judge Pressler's views in "A Hill On Which to Die..." though may be sincere, lacks the breadth of theological understanding of the various expressions of Christianity. Pressler, like many Fundamentalists, fail to accept that much of our understanding of scripture and theological concepts are interpretations and very few of the arguments that he is willing to die for would effect salvific truth. Every sincere believer and every denomination thinks in one way or another they have the "correct" view and interpretation. The problem is not believing. Pressler is correct in his argument that one must stand firm in one's belief. However, his failure in the book is the adequate display of the fact that Christianity, even among faithful Southern Baptists, is broader than the narrow views which he holds. His concepts of Christianity would undoubtedly reject the Christianity of C. S. Lewis (Anglican), J. I. Packer (Anglican), Eugene Peterson (Presbyterian), Mother Theresa (Roman Catholic), and the vast majority of both main line and evangelical Christianity. For these reasons and others, I would not recommend this book.

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Summary: Pressler Embarrasses Self & SBC
Review: Paul Pressler embarrasses himself in this disgraceful memoir. The story of his "decision" to turn down President Bush's offer of a government post is laughable in it's inaccuracy. This is just one example of Pressler's egomaniacal and self delusive re-interpretation of his own history. He exemplifies everything that non-Baptists falsely believe are typical of the Southern Baptist Convention, to it's shame.

Rating:
Summary: Pressler Embarrasses Self & SBC
Review: Paul Pressler embarrasses himself in this disgraceful memoir. The story of his "decision" to turn down President Bush's offer of a government post is laughable in it's inaccuracy. This is just one example of Pressler's egomaniacal and self delusive re-interpretation of his own history. He exemplifies everything that non-Baptists falsely believe are typical of the Southern Baptist Convention, to it's shame.

Rating:
Summary: Surely the most important book yet on the Controversy
Review: That Paul Pressler is brilliant is unquestionable: an appealate judge, a CNP past-president, and the leader/strategist of the only successful conservative resurgence in the history of the Protestant church, everyone will allow that much.

So it is no wonder that this book would be well written and precise.

But here we also see Pressler's background -- a lifetime of service both in law and missions prior to the Controversy -- and that background clearly informs all that happens from 1979 forward. It is extremely enlightening. And while surely the book cannot help its bias, being written by the chief protagonist of the winning side, neither can anyone escape either its importance or its ease of reading. Its influence will be justly great.

Judge Pressler's accomplishments -- and the triumph of truth in America's largest Protestant denomination -- are well served by this memoir. I have encouraged my whole church to read it.

Rating:
Summary: The Mixed Legacy of the SBC Takeover
Review: The struggle for a sound belief in the Bible has been won in the Southern Baptist Convention. Pressler was one of the leaders in the struggle. "A Hill on which to Die" portrays the heart of this man of God. It is a book that needed to be written, and is needed to be read by every Souhtern Baptist. Paul Pressler tells more than "his side" of the story, he tells the truth that can be confirmed by a host of witnessess. Thank you Paul for this addition hiistory of the Southern Baptist Convention.

Rating:
Summary: The Truth Is Told
Review: The struggle for a sound belief in the Bible has been won in the Southern Baptist Convention. Pressler was one of the leaders in the struggle. "A Hill on which to Die" portrays the heart of this man of God. It is a book that needed to be written, and is needed to be read by every Souhtern Baptist. Paul Pressler tells more than "his side" of the story, he tells the truth that can be confirmed by a host of witnessess. Thank you Paul for this addition hiistory of the Southern Baptist Convention.