A  book review of a 1999 release of a Pressler book on his crusade to purge the SBC of liberalism

With publication of this book, Pressler for the first time gives a public record of the conservative movement from his own perspective. The 362-page volume, titled “A Hill on Which to Die,” is published by the SBC’s publishing house, LifeWay Christian Resources.

“Since he and the conservative movement burst onto the SBC scene 20 years ago, Southern Baptists have developed starkly different perceptions of the appeals-court judge who devoted himself to ridding the denomination of liberalism. Some bless him as a hero who saved the SBC; others blame him for a witch-hunt that damaged the convention and destroyed lives. “

I choose “B”, as do most who recount the movement.  Most who know of him are of the negative opinion

The book was needed to set the record straight, Pressler writes, because so many “liberals” have unjustly attacked him and other leaders of the conservative movement. “History might not deal charitably with the conservative movement, because so many of those who write history are not sympathetic with our goals and purposes.”

Neither did Bill Moyers in a PBS interview in a series called God and Politics in the early 80’s

The title, he explains, comes from a frequent comment made by Adrian Rogers, pastor of Bellevue Baptist Church in Memphis, Tenn., and the first in a string of conservatives elected SBC president beginning in 1979.