In the Name of God: The Colliding Lives, Legends, and Legacies of J. Frank Norris and George W. Truett

In the Name of God tells the story of two iconic figures of national lore. George W. Truett and J. Frank Norris dominated the ecclesiology and church culture of much of the first half of the twentieth century, not only in Texas, but in the whole of America. Norris, of First Baptist Church in Fort Worth, and Truett, of First Baptist Church in Dallas, lived lives of conflict and controversy. Each led one of the largest churches in the world in the 1920s and & '30s. Each shot and killed a man, one by accident and the other in self-defense. Together, their lives were a panoply of intrigue, espionage, confrontation, manipulation, plotting, scheming, and even blackmail-in the name of God. Yet together . . . they changed the world.Review?In this carefully researched, thoughtfully framed, and beautifully written work, O.S. Hawkins has given us a fresh and illuminating look at two formative figures in Baptist life and American Christianity during the first half of the twentieth century. Even for those who think they are familiar with these stories or who have an overview of Baptist life during this time period, In the Name of God will introduce new observations and connections that will provide eye-opening insights into the legendary lives of George W. Truett and J. Frank Norris. Truett, the ubiquitous leader and stately orator, and Norris, the fiery fundamentalist and Texas tornado, overlapped in so many contexts, yet understood their callings and purposes ever so differently. The first half of this book reads like a page-turning novel; the second half of the book offers a hermeneutical guide to the diverse and distinctive contributions of Truett and Norris, as well as to the longer-term implications of their approaches to life and ministry. Even if historians should quibble over some of the interpretive explanations offered, this book will be fascinating reading for all who are interested in twentieth-century religious movements and American culture, and will be essential reading for anyone interested in the various trajectories that Baptist life has taken in recent decades.? -David S. Dockery, distinguished professor of theology, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, and president, International Alliance for Christian Education ?No one is better qualified to tell the untold story of Baptist legends J. Frank Norris and George W. Truett than my lifelong friend O. S. Hawkins. His own family roots run deep in the history of First Baptist Church in Fort Worth, and for several years he was one of George W. Truett?s pastoral successors at the historic First Baptist Church in Fort Worth. This story of these entwining lives and legacies reads like a page-turning novel. It reveals the dangers of elevating denominational loyalty over scriptural fidelity.? -Jack Graham, pastor, Prestonwood Baptist Church, Plano, TX   ?Take two titanic personalities, two great cities, two famous pulpits, and two of the largest churches in the world-and then add two men shot dead, two rival visions of Christianity, two lasting legacies, and one earth-shaking feud, and you have O. S. Hawkins? book,In the Name of God. This is one of the most fascinating stories of our time, written by the one man who has a claim upon the entire story. It is incredibly well told and tremendously relevant. I recommend it eagerly.?-R. Albert Mohler Jr., president, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary   ?My roots are deep in First Baptist Church of Fort Worth, having been licensed and ordained to the ministry there. I have enjoyed every page of O. S. Hawkins? book. It is accurate in its history and has restored some balance to the life of a man who has too often been reviled. O. S. has brought the characters to life again-a few I actually knew and others whose stories I heard from eyewitnesses. Thank you for a great read.?-Bill Monroe, pastor, Florence Baptist Temple, Florence, SC    ?This book by O. S. Hawkins, a Texas legend in