Official Review: How the Fundamentalist Grinch Stole the ...
-
shannonkate8
- Posts: 313
- Joined: 20 Dec 2019, 12:30
- Currently Reading:
- Bookshelf Size: 130
- Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-shannonkate8.html
- Latest Review: Ivan and the Silver Seeds by Ivy Lin and Walter Sattazahn
Official Review: How the Fundamentalist Grinch Stole the ...
[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "How the Fundamentalist Grinch Stole the Southern Baptist Convention" by Truett Baker.]
How the Fundamentalist Grinch Stole the Southern Baptist Convention by Truett Baker had a catchy title that drew me in. I wasn’t quite happy about the use of one of my favorite Dr. Seuss characters, but I had to see how they related. The book turned out to be more of an article and was only thirty pages long. In it, Truett Baker provides a brief overview and history of the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC), Fundamentalism, and the beliefs influencing both. As someone who did not grow up in the faith, I found it remarkably interesting. For those that are unfamiliar, like me, I felt that more background could have been given. It would, essentially, "set the stage." That said, the lack of further information did prompt me to go looking for this information. However, the author provided enough background to interest me but not go overboard and turn the article into a history lesson.
Following this, the author talked about how Fundamentalists shamed, pushed away, and demonized anyone with remotely liberal or moderate views. In turn, this pushed away anyone with contradictions to the Fundamentalist belief system and spurred the creation of the Southern Baptist Convention.
My favorite part was how the author managed to write an academic paper that was easy to understand and didn’t have any note of condescension. He appeared to want to truly educate laypeople on this issue that is, clearly, dear to his heart. While the article was slightly biased against the Southern Baptist Convention, I believe the author did well in explaining both the Fundamentalist belief and the Moderate belief. This discussion of differing beliefs and opinions kept me reading.
I also enjoyed the use of sources mixed with personal experiences. The author grew up in an SBC household and knows their beliefs well. However, it appears that he has grown into a more moderate individual. This led to some amusing anecdotes that also supported the references.
Unfortunately, given that there were greater than ten errors found in the text, I have to assume that it was not professionally edited. There were some glaring errors, such as pages in an entirely different font. As such, I would recommend that the author do additional proofreadings and request the assistance of an editor. Similarly, because proper editing was missed, this has to be my least favorite aspect of the text.
Overall, I have to give this book 3 out of 4 stars. I had to take away a star for the number of grammatical errors. However, the text saved this book from becoming a two. I was genuinely interested in it and wanted to continue reading. While it is certainly not a thriller, like some fiction books, it was unique enough to capture my attention.
As such, I would recommend this book to those who enjoy religious non-fiction. It could also be very useful to academics, specifically those who study religion and history. That said, those who do not like religion or care to read about the SBC should skip this. As an additional note, readers should be aware of a potential trigger warning, as the author does briefly mention allegations of molestation.
******
How the Fundamentalist Grinch Stole the Southern Baptist Convention
View: on Bookshelves
How the Fundamentalist Grinch Stole the Southern Baptist Convention by Truett Baker had a catchy title that drew me in. I wasn’t quite happy about the use of one of my favorite Dr. Seuss characters, but I had to see how they related. The book turned out to be more of an article and was only thirty pages long. In it, Truett Baker provides a brief overview and history of the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC), Fundamentalism, and the beliefs influencing both. As someone who did not grow up in the faith, I found it remarkably interesting. For those that are unfamiliar, like me, I felt that more background could have been given. It would, essentially, "set the stage." That said, the lack of further information did prompt me to go looking for this information. However, the author provided enough background to interest me but not go overboard and turn the article into a history lesson.
Following this, the author talked about how Fundamentalists shamed, pushed away, and demonized anyone with remotely liberal or moderate views. In turn, this pushed away anyone with contradictions to the Fundamentalist belief system and spurred the creation of the Southern Baptist Convention.
My favorite part was how the author managed to write an academic paper that was easy to understand and didn’t have any note of condescension. He appeared to want to truly educate laypeople on this issue that is, clearly, dear to his heart. While the article was slightly biased against the Southern Baptist Convention, I believe the author did well in explaining both the Fundamentalist belief and the Moderate belief. This discussion of differing beliefs and opinions kept me reading.
I also enjoyed the use of sources mixed with personal experiences. The author grew up in an SBC household and knows their beliefs well. However, it appears that he has grown into a more moderate individual. This led to some amusing anecdotes that also supported the references.
Unfortunately, given that there were greater than ten errors found in the text, I have to assume that it was not professionally edited. There were some glaring errors, such as pages in an entirely different font. As such, I would recommend that the author do additional proofreadings and request the assistance of an editor. Similarly, because proper editing was missed, this has to be my least favorite aspect of the text.
Overall, I have to give this book 3 out of 4 stars. I had to take away a star for the number of grammatical errors. However, the text saved this book from becoming a two. I was genuinely interested in it and wanted to continue reading. While it is certainly not a thriller, like some fiction books, it was unique enough to capture my attention.
As such, I would recommend this book to those who enjoy religious non-fiction. It could also be very useful to academics, specifically those who study religion and history. That said, those who do not like religion or care to read about the SBC should skip this. As an additional note, readers should be aware of a potential trigger warning, as the author does briefly mention allegations of molestation.
******
How the Fundamentalist Grinch Stole the Southern Baptist Convention
View: on Bookshelves
"It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it." -Aristotle
Latest Review: Ivan and the Silver Seeds by Ivy Lin and Walter Sattazahn
