In Pursuit of Purity (Soft)

by David O. Beale

Book Overview

Men from nearly every denomination and all walks of life are a part of that history: from Lyman Stewart, a Christian businessman, to J.Greshman Machen, the learned Princeton professor; from the fiery... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0890843503
• ISBN13: 9780890843505
• Release Date: January 1986
• Publisher: BJU Press
• Length: 475 Pages
• Weight: 1.75 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.4" x 6.1" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

Excellent Historicial Analysis!

This book is about the history of American Fundamentalism since 1850. Beale defines a Fundamentalist as a born again believer whom is militant in orthodoxy and set on fire with a soul winning zeal (348). And Fundamentalists are committed to the doctrine and practice of holiness (3). Fundamentalists hold to certain Fundamentals of the faith and they are the inerrancy of the scripture, Christ's virgin birth, deity, substitutionary atonement, and biblical miracles (7). In chapter 3 Beale speaks of the fountainheads of Fundamentalism in the Niagara Bible Conference, which is where Fundamentalism has its roots. In chapter 4 Beale speaks of the major contributions of the Scofield Reference Bible to Fundamentalism being the single most influential publication in Fundamentalism's history. In chapter 6, we learn about the development of Liberalism. Liberalism has its roots in the enlightment, higher criticism and other such factors. Richard Simon said that Moses did not write the Pentateuch (70) and sadly after him came many more higher critics, many of which are writing & teaching in liberal seminaries today. However, the major beginnings of liberalism came as early as 1761 when Jonathan Mayhew preached a sermon Striving to Enter In at the Strait Gate and in it claimed that apostates were not bad people, and the unregenerate could still strive after holiness (71). In chapter 18 Beale speaks about the organizing of Baptist Fundamentalism. There was much opposition to Fundamentalism in 1919, and many formed the WCFA. Later would Fundamentalism take a strong hold on the Christian radio market, which has been to their advantage since then. In chapter 20 Beale speaks of Fortification and Forgeries. I especially enjoyed reading about John Roach Straton (212) whom was the voice of a prophet in the pagan New York City. Straton would openly preach to the unregenerate and wicked from a portable automobile pulpit. What a great way to present the gospel and it's a shame that others are not as bold as this man in our day. The great drawback to this chapter is it's speaking of the Inclusive Policy by the Northern Baptist Mission Society, which granted both liberals and conservatives on the same missions teams (215). In chapter 26, the challenges of Broad Evangelicalism are addressed. On page 262, we learn about the main differences between new Evangelicalism and Fundamentalism. Then on page 264 the problems with Billy Graham. His statements about the Catholic Pope are questionable as well as his views on Inerrancy, which appear to be the same as that of EJ Carnell and Hubbard. On pages 268-69 does Beale give out a very useful chart on broad Evangelicalism. I believe the chart is very accurate, however he failed to mention the CM & A which I would place under the category of Holiness. In chapter 28, the author speaks of W.B. Riley and his life and legacy. On page 280 we learn of his calling to ministry was an impressive call. The author speaks a little of Robert P

A Must Read

Dr. David O. Beale, author of In Pursuit of Purity: American Fundamentalism Since 1850, is the pastor of Faith Baptist Church in Franklin, Virginia and a professor of church history at Bob Jones University. Beale is a Fundamental Baptist Pastor and professor, but he writes as a historian committed to preserving the record of the fundamentalist fight against the infiltration of liberalism in American Christianity in both the Nineteenth and Twentieth Century through articles and books like In Pursuit of Purity. Beale begins by defining Fundamentalism and then progressively works through periods of time in a logical and well-defined manner with short well-documented chapters focused on specific issues and denominations. Beale's work provides any evangelical Christian with a single volume resource to gain a clear appreciation of why Baptists, Presbyterians, Congregationalist and other Bible believing Christians united to fight those who sought to undermine and ultimately destroy a believer's confidence in the Word of God and the person and work of the Son of God. After defining a Christian Fundamentalist as "one who desires to reach out in love and compassion to people, believes and defends the whole Bible as the absolute inerrant, and authoritative Word of God, and stands committed to the doctrine and practice of holiness," (3) Beale gets to work by establishing that fundamentalism is not some new phenomena in Chapter one but merely an extension and continuation of a long line of dissenting groups who have always stood strong for Orthodox Christianity. Beale assumes that his reader has very limited understanding of what fundamentalists were fighting for; therefore, he systematically explains the issues and communicates well-documented facts in short, easy-to-read chapters. Beale's organization makes his work valuable as both a single read for clarity and a lifelong reference work for further information on specific topics like "The Fall of Princeton Theological Seminary." (165) Beale's opening sentence in chapter thirty-one provides a good flavor of his writing style and focus; he writes, "There have been several notable Fundamentalists who sounded a clarion warning of Methodism's drift into modernism." (309) Then Beale goes on to provide names, incidents, points of reference, articles and such all relating to fundamental Methodists and their either individual or collective impact. At times, Beale writes with "rose colored glasses" as he opens his final chapter with "Fundamentalism has shown a desire to reach out in love and compassion to people." (353) This is exceptionally difficult to completely substantiate. In fact, Beale seems to contradict himself as he presents men like J. Frank Norris as those who tremendously impacted fundamentalism in a positive manner. Although it was true that Norris impacted fundamentalism, he does not have a reputation of reaching out to people in love or compassion. Beale makes specific reference

In Pursuit of Purity: American Fundamentalism Since 1850

This is a narrative history of fundamentalism focusing on its internal development as a self-conscious interdenominational movement in American Christianity. Based upon research in an impressive variety of sources and written in a clear, straightforward style, it provides a valuable perspective on the history of fundamentalism by an insider, a faculty member of an institution that considers itself a citadel of true fundamentalism. Professor Beale leaves little doubt about those groups that he believes belong among the fundamentalist faithful and those whose compromises have placed them beyond the pale.Divided into thirty-seven chapters, the work traces the history of fundamentalism from the Prayer Meeting Revivals (1857-1859) and the "great revival" in Ireland (1859-1861) through the Bible and prophetic conferences of the late nineteenth century and the struggles during the first three decades of the twentieth century to the contemporary scene in which those who consider themselves the legitimate and obedient contenders of the fundamentalist faith are arrayed against an infinite variety of enemies, ranging from religious liberals and tolerant conservatives to the "new evangelicals" and "neofundamentalists." In a vein similar to works by George Marsden and other recent students of fundamentalism, this one interprets the phenomenon as primarily urban and Northern in origin with significant roles assigned to eminently respectable theologians of the Presbyterian and Baptist persuasion. Professor Beale emphasizes the complexity and diversity of fundamentalism and attempts to correct the stereotypical view of it as a compassionless, anti-intellectual, religiously contentious movement mean of spirit and pharisaical of character.The two basic themes of this book revolve around the interdenominational character of fundamentalism and its emphasis on "the doctrine and practice of holiness," a term that the author defines as meaning separation-separation from the world, false religion, and every practice of disobedience to the scriptures. Fundamentalists, Professor Beale argues, have always accepted the Bible unequivocally as the divinely and verbally inspired, inerrant Word of God. While their methods of pursuing holiness have changed from time to time, their theology has not.From its origins in 1857 to about 1930, fundamentalists functioned as non-conformists bent upon ridding mainline churches of liberals and modernists, labels used interchangeably. Failing in that effort, they embraced separatism beginning in the 1930s and withdrew from denominations controlled by liberals and other "apostates." Then, confronted by the emergence of the "new evangelicals" in the 1950s, who strove for respectability and even opened dialogues with liberals, fundamentalists began practicing their holiness in another way. They withdrew from churches and institutions that had become dominated by "disobedient evangelicals" (9).According to Professor Beale, the "Christian school

Well worth the investment of coin and time

This is a sorely needed and admirable work on a frequently misunderstood and misrepresented movement. It is engagingly written and informative. This thorough work of history deserves a place in any well rounded library and should be sought out by anyone interested in the history of American Christianity.

All things pure

This book explains for those of us not raised in the fundamentalist tradition that the tradition is really the pursuit for purity--purity in scriptures and purity in holiness. When those of us raised outside of the fundamentalist tradition learn what this pursuit for purity is all about--we join in this pursuit for all things pure.