Book Recommendation: A Hill on Which to Die by Paul Pressler

by T. C. Pinckney                                                                                       Vol. XII, No. 7, August 1999

The June/July Baptist Banner carried a Baptist Press release about Paul Pressler’s new book, A Hill on Which to Die. At that time I had not yet read the book and so did not comment. Now, however, I have just completed the book and want personally to commend it to your attention.

Paul Pressler and Paige Patterson have been the two central dynamos during the conservative resurgence in the Southern Baptist Convention over the last twenty-plus years. God has used them mightily in this movement which has restored the SBC to its theological roots. No one among conservatives has been more intimately involved, has more knowledge about what happened, or has paid a greater price than these two men. Therefore I want to make recommendations to both conservatives and moderates.

Conservatives should read A Hill on which to Die because none of us was so intimately involved over so long a period as Paul Pressler. His book affords personal views of both the man and his commitment. It also provides an unexcelled review of conservative efforts, tactics, and networking (there was no hierarchical organization).

Moderates and liberals should also read the book. To them it affords an insight to the other side and how we functioned. Perhaps more interesting to moderates, however, is that in several instances Pressler evaluates what he considers seriously flawed liberal strategy and tactics. Whether moderates agree with his conclusions or not, they will be deeply interested in his assessments. Further, the book provides a statement of conservative motives, goals, and reasoning from one of the two principal protagonists.

In sum, read it. You’ll like it.