The Truth in Crisis: The Controversy in the Southern Baptist Convention (Vol. 1)

The shift in the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) toward conservatism is one of the most important developments in 20th-century Christianity. The conservative shift began in 1979 and continues today, though most historians say the actual "Battle for the Bible" concluded in 1993. Author James C. Hefley was there as an eyewitness to this history. A gifted writer with a clear focus on the theological issues involved, Hefley penned this five-volume series as developments occurred. He literally provides a step-by-step account. Dr. James T. Draper, a former SBC president and now president of the SBC's mammoth publishing arm, LifeWay Christian Resources, says of volume 1, "Every Southern Baptist should read James Hefley's book. I was personally amazed at the detail of his research and documentation that was presented and also very pleased at the objective way which he approached our Southern Baptist Convention. He has made a great effort to be fair and impartial in presenting the story of these days of controversy." The five volumes together comprise a complete history of the SBC controversy in the 20th century. In volume 1, author Hefley covers the crucial beginning years of the controversy, explaining in detail the soil from which the issues sprang and how the drama began to play itself out. The book begins with Hefley's own personal history growing up as a Southern Baptist. He presents candidly and forthrightly his own credentials for and biases in writing about his own denomination's uproar. Then he gives the background that led to the start of the controversy in 1979. His description of the earliest actors and their backgrounds offers insights no other book on the controversy presents. His intricate history from the beginning bell in June 1979 in Houston until the crucial meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention in Dallas six years later is jammed and packed with facts that literally bring to life events and characters. Former Houston Chronicle Religion Editor Louis Moore writes in the foreword to volume 1, "Jim Hefley presents the facts in a readable and informative way. I have enormous confidence in the actions of well-informed people, and this book will go a long way to educate its readers."