The Presbyterian Controversy: Fundamentalists, Modernists, and Moderates (Religion in America) [Paperback]

Bradley J. Longfield (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 25, 1993 | Series: Religion in America

This extensive reference work, hailed by the Journal of Religion as "a book long needed by historians of American religion", offers "a unique contribution to this often-told story by providing an in-depth analysis of seven persons intimately involved in the controversy" (Theology Today). 13 halftone illustrations.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"A thorough and accessible history of the topic."--Louisville Presbyterian Seminary

"Longfield's excellent chronicle focuses on six major Presbyterian participants....This is an enormously illuminating book about major Presbyterian figures who had counterparts in other churches also torn by conflict."--Theological Studies

"An outstanding history of the early 20th century conflict within the Presbyterian church. The work should be digested not only by historians of American religion, but by pastors and lay people with a genuine concern for the future of the Protestant mainline establishment."--Trinity Journal

"A book long needed by historians of American religion....An important contribution."--Journal of Religion

"Represents superb scholarship. His study not only clarifies the history of the conflict...but also contributes to an understanding of conflicts that have divided many American Protestant denominations since that time."--Choice

About the Author

Bradley J. Longfield is at University of Dubuque Theological Seminary.

Product Details

• Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA (November 25, 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0195086740
• ISBN-13: 978-0195086744
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.1 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #558,316 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Key insights for Mainline decline., November 26, 1998

By 

[e-mail] (New Hampshire, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Presbyterian Controversy: Fundamentalists, Modernists, and Moderates (Religion in America) (Paperback)

An insightful and enjoyable survey of the people and ideas which split the Presbyterian Church in the 1930s. Through careful research and a captivating style, Longfield studies indepth the main characters of the Fundamentalist/Moderist controversary in the Presbyterian Church. Sympathetic to both sides, he shows how relaxing theological standards began to blunt the church's ability to speak to its members and society. Important reading for anyone trying to discover the roots of decline in mainline churches in America today.

16 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars A Diplomatic Attempt, October 23, 2003

By 

Daniel Douglass "Dan" (Honolulu, HI United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Presbyterian Controversy: Fundamentalists, Modernists, and Moderates (Religion in America) (Paperback)

Longfield attempts to fairly and finely balance the most pivotal denominational split of 20th century America. He does so by briefly biographing and documenting the interaction of the PCUSA's main players at that time. The documentation is excellent. The problems enter when Longfield interprets and implies motives. The main problem is Longfield succumbing to the whole problem Machen was fighting against in the modernist contrversy: historical consciousness. As a result the reader is not given an objective account. Machen is categorized as a fundementalist in the same category with William Jennings Bryan. Anyone familiar with Machen's intense new testement scholarship and political stances know otherwise. And to someone like myself who greatly admires Machen, such a depiction is borderline blasphemy. Machen was a brilliant and faithful standard bearer, not a demagogue or reactionary (as implied by fundementalist label). I recommend this book with serious reservations to discerning readers. 'Toward a Sure Faith' by Chrisope serves as an excellent account setting the stage for Machen's latter battles.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A sad story, but not to be forgotten, December 12, 2007

By 

B. C. Richards (Tucson, AZ, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Presbyterian Controversy: Fundamentalists, Modernists, and Moderates (Religion in America) (Paperback)

I wish that every Christian in the United States would read this book. The story of the downfall of the Presbyterian Church USA is one of the most compelling cases for the practical importance of sound doctrine, and it comes through clearly in Longfield's account, even though he is not particularly sympathetic to the one character, Machen, who more clearly than any other saw the consequences of the perfidious doctrines of liberalism. Longfield tells the story primarily through short biographies of six of the most prominent figures of the controversy, which I think is helpful because it presents the family background as well as the theological roots of each of them. The book is also extensively documented.

No one should read this book without reading Machen's "Christianity and Liberalism" first, which is the classic statement of Biblical Christianity against liberalism. Longfield tells the story of Machen and his allies' fight for this Biblical Christianity. They fought both against the liberals and against the moderates who were mostly theologically conservative, but primarily by accident, since if their commitment to the historic doctrines of Christianity had sprung from a deep conviction of their truth they would have stood up for those convictions. As it was, they didn't care, and the battle was lost as a result.

It is very interesting to read Longfield's take on the current situation in the mainline denominations, as he is obviously not sympathetic theologically to conservatives, but concedes they were right in forseeing the inexorable consequences of jettisoning the historic doctrines of the faith. In the last paragraph of the book, he suggests that perhaps the church needs to "affirm a normative middle theological position with clear boundaries." One wonders where any such normativity or boundaries could even conceivably come from once it has already been decided that it will most certainly not come from the Bible as the normative revelation of God. The infinite morass of subjectivity to which religion then immediately descends does not seem likely to be balanced out by "affirming a normative middle theological position" that would necessarily be every bit as subjective as any other potential position.

I enjoyed reading this book immensely, and I think Longfield does a reasonable job of at least trying to be sympathetic to all sides. Obviously, when the sides are so fundamentally opposed ideologically it is impossible to be truly sympathetic to all sides, and I think the picture he paints of Machen is not altogether fair. For instance, he suggests that Machen's joy on the final split from the PCUSA was a joy over schism for its own sake, which is nonsense: if all Machen wanted was a split he wouldn't have had to fight for his life for twenty years to do that. His joy was due to finally being free from an apostate church. I also highly recommend listening to Prof. Godfrey's lecture after reading this book. It is available at an org site called radioapologia, and it balances this book brilliantly.