Customer Reviews

The Serpent Handlers: Three Families and Their Faith

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is an excellent book. I liked it because it neither degraded nor exalted the followers of this faith, it was more like a documentary. Even though I am not a member of this faith I found this book very enjoyable to read. Extremely informative.

This book takes the reader to a place that not many go. I have been fascinated by stories of faith all my life. The authors tell and let the famlies tell the stories and take us to the places that their faith takes them. This is an excellent book. I would reccomend it to all.

If you only read one book on signs followers(serpent handlers),this should be the one.An accurate account of the beliefs of these unique people is provided in their own words, from the viewpoint of three of the most prominent families in the world of the serpent handlers. Stripped of the sensationalism prevalent in most accounts of believers of this faith, this book will present an honest look into the lives of some of the most honest, likeable people you would be proud to call your friends and neighbors.

Serpent handling is a controversial practice that is often sensationalized by the media. However, the adherents of the Signs Following churches generally avoid publicity. That is what makes this book so special: The believers speak for themselves in telling their own true stories in their own words. What emerges are real people and an impressive testament to an enduring tradition conveyed in moving personal accounts of individuals who are prepared to risk their lives for what they believe is obedience to the Word of God. According to Kurt Rudolf in Gnosis: The Nature And History of Gnosticism, there were Gnostic sects like The Ophites (also called Ophians or Serpentinians) and the Naassenes in the early Christian era who had some unusual views of serpents but they cannot be considered as forerunners of the Signs Following churches that follow a strict interpretation of the Bible.

Believers who take Luke 10: 19 and Mark 16: 17 - 18 as a literal part of their faith call themselves Signs Followers and are found mainly in the Appalachian mountains and the southeastern states like Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, Tennessee, West Virginia and Ohio. Serpent handling is not the only sign; others are handling fire, healing the sick, taking poison and casting out demons. It is important to know that the taking up of snakes and performing the other signs are not attempts to prove anything but is done to confirm the Word of God. This is repeatedly emphasized by many of the interviewees.

These independent churches are in various ways connected to three great strands of American Protestantism: Holiness, Pentecostalism and Fundamentalism. Generally considering themselves as Holiness, they share with fundamentalism a total acceptance of the Bible as the Word of God. Pentecostalism is their link with mainstream Protestantism where the signs or Gifts of the Spirit, like speaking in tongues, are practiced. Theologically the members include Trinitarians and Oneness (Jesus Name) believers but this difference does not seem to matter at all and the churches are non-denominational.

The first part deals with the Brown Family of Tennessee and the House Of Prayer in the Name of Jesus Christ, situated in Marshall, North Carolina. The people include John Wayne Punkin Brown, Melinda Duvall Brown, Peggy Moore Brown, Rachelle Martinez Brown and Richard Cameron Short. Part Two looks at the Coots Family of Kentucky and the Full Gospel Tabernacle In Jesus Name in Middlesboro, Kentucky. Speakers include Louvernia Coots, Tommy Coots, Gregory Coots and Linda Turner Coots. The last part features the Elkins Family and the Church Of The Lord Jesus in Jolo, West Virginia. The people include Barbara Robinson Elkins, Joe Robert Elkins, Barbara Church Coleman, Lydia Elkins Hollins, Lucille Chafin Church and Charles Church.

The section on Lydia Elkins Hollins, organist and singer at the Jolo church, includes the account of her mother Columbia Gaye Hagerman who died from a snakebite in 1961 at the age of 23. She refused all offers of medical intervention. For five days Columbia suffered in silence before passing away. At the time of the book's publication, Lydia herself had been bitten five times. Her voice resembles that of Janis Joplin while the musical style of the hymns resembles a blend of bluegrass, country and rock.

The chapters of the book open with a family tree graph followed by a description of the areas or towns like Cocke County, Tennessee, Middlesboro, Kentucky and Jolo, West Virginia. For every individual, there is a short introduction by the authors before the person talks about his or her involvement in the church, their family and their community, what it means to be anointed and how they feel when they are practicing the signs.

Black and white photographs of individuals and families enhance the text and there are accounts of services in each of the aforementioned churches. The book concludes with an index. In addition to this most inspiring and illuminating work, I recommend Serpent Handling Believers by Thomas Burton and Salvation on Sand Mountain: Snake-Handling and Redemption in Southern Appalachia by Dennis Covington. Weston la Barre's They Shall Take Up Serpents is an interesting historic, ethnographic and psychological study of the phenomenon.

If only the whole world could experience the depth and passion of the faith of these people. Brown and McDonald do a superb job of segueing to the individual stories. The latter are the crux of the book. The accounts of and by "ordinary folk" like John Brown, Jamie Coots and Joe Elkins are fascinating. Will probably read this again and again. Perhaps even attend a service someday?

The Serpent Handlers: Three Families and Their Faith tells the stories of three families of the Signs Followers faith - a branch of Christianity originating in 1910, whose members take Mark 16: 17-18 as a central tenet of their belief. Known for the sensational aspects of their belief - picking up poisonous snakes, drinking strychnine, and speaking in tongues - Signs Followers have often been negatively portrayed by the media, and . Journalist Fred Brown earned their trust through longstanding respect, and offers The Serpent Handlers as a counterbalance. Great pains have been taking to present the stories of the serpent handlers in their own words, without extraneous or editorializing, though each individual's memoir is prefaced by with a summary of who he or she is and his or her role in the movement. A "must-read" primary source highly recommended for anyone interested in learning more about Signs Followers and their faith.

Serpent handling is a controversial practice that is often sensationalised by the media. However, the adherents of the Signs Following churches generally avoid publicity. That is what makes this book so special: The handlers are allowed to speak for themselves in telling their own true stories in their own words. What emerges are real people and an impressive testament to an enduring faith provided in moving personal accounts of people who are prepared to risk their lives for wat they believe is obedience to the Bible.

Believers who take Mark 16: 17 - 18 as a literal part of their faith call themselves Signs Followers and are found mainly in the southern Appalachians. Serpent handling is not the only sign; others are handling fire, healing the sick, drinking strychnine and casting out demons. It is important to know that the taking up of snakes and performing the other signs are not attempts to prove anything but is done to confirm the Word of God. This is emphasized by many of the interviewees.

These independent churches are in various ways connected to three great strands of American protestantism: Holiness, Pentecostalism and Fundamentalism. Generally considering themselves as Holiness, they share with fundamentalism a total acceptance of the Bible as the Word of God. Pentecostalism is their link with mainstream protestantism where the signs or Gifts of the Spirit, like speaking in tongues, are practiced.

The first part deals with the Brown Family of Tennessee and the House Of Prayer in the Name of Jesus Christ, situated in Marshall, North Carolina. The people include John Wayne Punkin Brown, Melinda Duvall Brown, Peggy Moore Brown, Rachelle Martinez Brown and Richard Cameron Short. Part Two looks at the Coots Family of Kentucky and the Full Gospel Tabernacle In Jesus Name in Middlesboro, Kentucky. Speakers include Louvernia Coots, Tommy Coots, Gregory Coots and Linda Turner Coots. The last part features the Elkins Family and the Church Of The Lord Jesus in Jolo, West Virginia. The people include Barbara Robinson Elkins, Joe Robert Elkins, Barbara Church Coleman, Lydia Elkins Hollins, Lucille Chafin Church and Charles Church.

In every case, the sections start with a family tree graph followed by a description of the areas or towns like Cocke County, Tennessee, Middlesboro, Kentucky and Jolo, West Virginia. For every individual, there is a short introduction by the authors before the person talks about his or her involvement in the church, their family and their community, what it means to be annointed and how they feel when they are practicing the signs.

Black and white photographs of individuals and families enhance the text and there are accounts of services in each of the aforementiond churches. The book concludes with an index. In addition to this most inspiring and illuminating work, I recommend Serpent-Handling Believers by Thomas Burton.

Salvation on Sand Mountain: Snake-Handling and Redemption in Southern Appalachia

Mountain Holiness: A Photographic Narrative

I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN FACINATED WITH SERPENT HANDLING.
I THINK THIS HAS TO BE THE BEST BOOK,IF YOU WANT AN HONEST
LOOK INTO THE LIVES OF SOME SINSERE JESUS LOVING PEOPLE AND THERE
LIVES.I LIKED THIS BOOK BECAUSE ALOT OF IT WAS WERITTEN IN THE WORDS OF SAINTS THEMSELFS.BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE.AND A GREAT BOOK,I HIGHLY RECCCOMEND THIS BOOK OVER OTHER BOOKS THAT I HAVE READ ON THE SUBJECT.PEACE BE.STEVE SPARKS