Goodpasture/Hardin book report

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Book Review

"Common Cause: B.C. Goodpasture, the Gospel Advocate, and Churches of Christ in the Twentieth Century,"

by John C. Hardin

B.C. Goodpasture was editor of the Gospel Advocate between 1939 and 1977. His editorship coincided with the evolution of mainstream churches of Christ into a denomination. As a prototypical "editor/bishop," he presided over that process as much as any other individual. A fascinating biography of B.C. Goodpasture is now available free online in PDF format. The 354-page heavily footnoted essay is the doctoral dissertation of John C. Hardin at Auburn University. Ed Harrell directed him in the project.

Hardin’s work is divided into seven chapters including an introduction and conclusion. They document Goodpasture’s rise to power as editor of the Advocate, his behind the scenes maneuvering during the waning controversy over premillennialism in the 1940’s and his more active involvement in the institutional controversies of the 1950’s. By the late 1960’s and 1970’s when progressives in the mainstream began to push for more ecumenism and a "new hermeneutic," Goodpasture’s influence and that of other editor/bishops was diminishing, though he probably never realized it. The easy-to-read but meaty dissertation leaves several distinct impressions.

1. The Denominational Concepts That Gave Him Power

Biblically the church of Christ is simply all the saved individuals in the world known only by God (Acts 20:28). However, through the centuries humans have tended to identify God’s church with their preferred network of congregations. Prominent religious journals have historically had a prominent role in trying to control the networks, whether blatantly as in the case of the Watchtower and the Jehovah’s Witness organization or more subtly as in the case of the Advocate and mainstream churches of Christ in the 1950’s and 1960’s. Whether blatant or subtle, it is power and control!

Perhaps Goodpasture’s power as bishop/editor was most evident in 1954 when he endorsed the idea of "quarantine" against all who opposed the idea of church supported institutions. Hardin said, "In November of that year he printed a letter from an unnamed elder suggesting that the Advocate ‘publish a list of the preachers who have been chronic church-busters’" (p.154). "Later in 1957 he began publishing confessions of preachers who had once rejected institutionalism but later embraced it." Hardin continued,

The statements indicated that many preachers feared becoming isolated from the mainstream. For a preacher to announce in the Advocate that he had changed his views–or that after much study he had finally settled his convictions on the issues–was to ensure that he would not be excluded from the pulpits of mainstream churches, the lectureships of mainstream colleges, and the columns of mainstream papers" (p. 158, 159).

Goodpasture portrayed those who opposed institutionalism as "divisive ‘hobbyists’ and ‘radicals out of line with the Bible and history. In the tragic manner of earlier ‘factionists,’ he argued, they were isolating themselves by imposing their doctrinal quirks on the church as a whole" (p. 154).

Hardin acknowledges the denominational concepts that motivated the Gospel Advocate’s networking with various institutions and churches. "The network built between the colleges and the papers provided a surrogate denominational framework for the loose-knit movement, and that sense of denominational identity came through loud and clear during 1955 and 1956 as the colleges helped the Advocate celebrate the centennial of its founding" (p. 135).

Reading in Hardin’s work of the avalanche of churches and disciples into acceptance of the denominational machinery of institutionalism creates admiration for men like Yater Tant, Roy Cogdill and others in their attempts to try to halt the landslide. Their efforts, though sometimes flawed, were valiant and reminiscent of those of Old Testament prophets who fought against apostasy in ancient Israel. There are still some old warriors among us who fought institutionalism in the 1950’s and1960’s, often a great personal cost and sacrifice. How I wish more young Christians could appreciate their sacrifices!

2. The Constant Praise

Goodpasture was constantly subjected to the praise and admiration of those who felt that his work with the Advocate had saved the church. His latter years must have been filled with appreciation dinners, awards and the collection of various types of honors. Hardin quotes a Goodpasture friend D. Ellis Walker, "In a lifetime it is a rare thing to hear a man receive and deserve the manifold praise that was heaped upon B. C. Goodpasture." Then Hardin states, "By the seventies, supporters had already built a substantial pedestal beneath his feet, but in that decade their acclaim of the editor became more frequent and intentional" (p. 304).

Willard Collins said,

May we rejoice that B. C. Goodpasture occupies the editor’s chair of the Gospel Advocate, that he serves as president of the entire Gospel Advocate Company, and that he is an elder in one of the largest congregations in the brotherhood, because in these positions he can do so much for Christ and his church (p. 143).

Rex Turner said, "Brother Goodpasture has been and is a balance wheel for the church of the Lord" (p. 257).

In speaking of those who praised Goodpasture, Hardin wrote, "He embodied their ideals, so they idealized him. Moreover, a high appraisal of the editor of the Gospel Advocate roughly equated with a high appraisal of themselves." (p. 305) According to Hardin, he "took the honors and accolades in stride." However, the hero worship of Goodpasture by so many brings up the question, as to when "giving honor to those to whom honor is due" goes too far and becomes gushing veneration that is incompatible with poverty of spirit taught be Jesus. However, human honor is fleeting. Very few disciples today who are under forty years of age have probably ever heard of B.C. Goodpasture.

3. The Decline of his Influence

From an historical standpoint (not a spiritual one!), Brother Goodpasture was not as effective in halting the inroads of modernism among mainstream churches as he was in isolating the influence of noninstitutional disciples. In the latter 1960’s and 1970’s a growing group of impressive younger leaders began to question denominational concepts among mainstream churches (a good thing), but also the need to seek Bible authority for their practices (a bad thing). Many promoted seeking a "new hermeneutic" and often defended practices such as instrumental music in worship and women in the pulpit.

Goodpasture’s response to the progressives was tepid, compared to his battles with noninstitutional foes. Hardin said,

While many thought of Goodpasture as a bulwark against all dangers confronting the church, in truth he had given little personal attention to the constellation of issues called liberalism. Without question he had set the Advocate against liberalism, but he had not spoken out often or vigorously. Neither had he demonized anyone in particular, in contrast to previous decades. The issue had not defined his career nearly as much as the battle against the "antis," nor would it in the years to come before his death in 1977.

Hardin attributed Goodpasture’s lack of editorial vigor in part to "advancing age (he turned 75 in 1970)" (p. 257). However, the Advocate’s diminishing power could also be attributed in part to the decreasing influence of editor/bishops in general. Younger disciples in the latter part of the twentieth century were less inclined than their parents to be affected by "preacheritis" and the tendency to parrot an official line stated in prominent papers. Perhaps then religious publications began to be seen in a more healthy spiritual light, as sources of information and thought, rather than purveyors of a party line.

B.C. Goodpasture died in 1977. Though probably a good man in many ways, he allowed himself to be caught up in the power plays and Machiavellian maneuvering of brotherhood politics, mistreating good brethren in the process. Hardin’s biography is a fascinating source of information about both the good and the bad in his life.

(Hardin’s work can be found at Auburn Universities theses and dissertation page, http://etd.auburn.edu/etd/handle/10415/1682 )



					Return to home page Return to articles Book Review "Common Cause: B.C. Goodpasture, the Gospel Advocate, and Churches of Christ in the Twentieth Century," by John C. Hardin B.C. Goodpasture was editor of the Gospel Advocate between 1939 and 1977. His editorship coincided with the evolution of mainstream churches of Christ into a denomination. As a prototypical "editor/bishop," he presided over that process as much as any other individual. A fascinating biography of B.C. Goodpasture is now available free online in PDF format. The 354-page heavily footnoted essay is the doctoral dissertation of John C. Hardin at Auburn University. Ed Harrell directed him in the project. Hardin’s work is divided into seven chapters including an introduction and conclusion. They document Goodpasture’s rise to power as editor of the Advocate, his behind the scenes maneuvering during the waning controversy over premillennialism in the 1940’s and his more active involvement in the institutional controversies of the 1950’s. By the late 1960’s and 1970’s when progressives in the mainstream began to push for more ecumenism and a "new hermeneutic," Goodpasture’s influence and that of other editor/bishops was diminishing, though he probably never realized it. The easy-to-read but meaty dissertation leaves several distinct impressions. 1. The Denominational Concepts That Gave Him Power Biblically the church of Christ is simply all the saved individuals in the world known only by God (Acts 20:28). However, through the centuries humans have tended to identify God’s church with their preferred network of congregations. Prominent religious journals have historically had a prominent role in trying to control the networks, whether blatantly as in the case of the Watchtower and the Jehovah’s Witness organization or more subtly as in the case of the Advocate and mainstream churches of Christ in the 1950’s and 1960’s. Whether blatant or subtle, it is power and control! Perhaps Goodpasture’s power as bishop/editor was most evident in 1954 when he endorsed the idea of "quarantine" against all who opposed the idea of church supported institutions. Hardin said, "In November of that year he printed a letter from an unnamed elder suggesting that the Advocate ‘publish a list of the preachers who have been chronic church-busters’" (p.154). "Later in 1957 he began publishing confessions of preachers who had once rejected institutionalism but later embraced it." Hardin continued, The statements indicated that many preachers feared becoming isolated from the mainstream. For a preacher to announce in the Advocate that he had changed his views–or that after much study he had finally settled his convictions on the issues–was to ensure that he would not be excluded from the pulpits of mainstream churches, the lectureships of mainstream colleges, and the columns of mainstream papers" (p. 158, 159). Goodpasture portrayed those who opposed institutionalism as "divisive ‘hobbyists’ and ‘radicals out of line with the Bible and history. In the tragic manner of earlier ‘factionists,’ he argued, they were isolating themselves by imposing their doctrinal quirks on the church as a whole" (p. 154). Hardin acknowledges the denominational concepts that motivated the Gospel Advocate’s networking with various institutions and churches. "The network built between the colleges and the papers provided a surrogate denominational framework for the loose-knit movement, and that sense of denominational identity came through loud and clear during 1955 and 1956 as the colleges helped the Advocate celebrate the centennial of its founding" (p. 135). Reading in Hardin’s work of the avalanche of churches and disciples into acceptance of the denominational machinery of institutionalism creates admiration for men like Yater Tant, Roy Cogdill and others in their attempts to try to halt the landslide. Their efforts, though sometimes flawed, were valiant and reminiscent of those of Old Testament prophets who fought against apostasy in ancient Israel. There are still some old warriors among us who fought institutionalism in the 1950’s and1960’s, often a great personal cost and sacrifice. How I wish more young Christians could appreciate their sacrifices! 2. The Constant Praise Goodpasture was constantly subjected to the praise and admiration of those who felt that his work with the Advocate had saved the church. His latter years must have been filled with appreciation dinners, awards and the collection of various types of honors. Hardin quotes a Goodpasture friend D. Ellis Walker, "In a lifetime it is a rare thing to hear a man receive and deserve the manifold praise that was heaped upon B. C. Goodpasture." Then Hardin states, "By the seventies, supporters had already built a substantial pedestal beneath his feet, but in that decade their acclaim of the editor became more frequent and intentional" (p. 304). Willard Collins said, May we rejoice that B. C. Goodpasture occupies the editor’s chair of the Gospel Advocate, that he serves as president of the entire Gospel Advocate Company, and that he is an elder in one of the largest congregations in the brotherhood, because in these positions he can do so much for Christ and his church (p. 143). Rex Turner said, "Brother Goodpasture has been and is a balance wheel for the church of the Lord" (p. 257). In speaking of those who praised Goodpasture, Hardin wrote, "He embodied their ideals, so they idealized him. Moreover, a high appraisal of the editor of the Gospel Advocate roughly equated with a high appraisal of themselves." (p. 305) According to Hardin, he "took the honors and accolades in stride." However, the hero worship of Goodpasture by so many brings up the question, as to when "giving honor to those to whom honor is due" goes too far and becomes gushing veneration that is incompatible with poverty of spirit taught be Jesus. However, human honor is fleeting. Very few disciples today who are under forty years of age have probably ever heard of B.C. Goodpasture. 3. The Decline of his Influence From an historical standpoint (not a spiritual one!), Brother Goodpasture was not as effective in halting the inroads of modernism among mainstream churches as he was in isolating the influence of noninstitutional disciples. In the latter 1960’s and 1970’s a growing group of impressive younger leaders began to question denominational concepts among mainstream churches (a good thing), but also the need to seek Bible authority for their practices (a bad thing). Many promoted seeking a "new hermeneutic" and often defended practices such as instrumental music in worship and women in the pulpit. Goodpasture’s response to the progressives was tepid, compared to his battles with noninstitutional foes. Hardin said, While many thought of Goodpasture as a bulwark against all dangers confronting the church, in truth he had given little personal attention to the constellation of issues called liberalism. Without question he had set the Advocate against liberalism, but he had not spoken out often or vigorously. Neither had he demonized anyone in particular, in contrast to previous decades. The issue had not defined his career nearly as much as the battle against the "antis," nor would it in the years to come before his death in 1977. Hardin attributed Goodpasture’s lack of editorial vigor in part to "advancing age (he turned 75 in 1970)" (p. 257). However, the Advocate’s diminishing power could also be attributed in part to the decreasing influence of editor/bishops in general. Younger disciples in the latter part of the twentieth century were less inclined than their parents to be affected by "preacheritis" and the tendency to parrot an official line stated in prominent papers. Perhaps then religious publications began to be seen in a more healthy spiritual light, as sources of information and thought, rather than purveyors of a party line. B.C. Goodpasture died in 1977. Though probably a good man in many ways, he allowed himself to be caught up in the power plays and Machiavellian maneuvering of brotherhood politics, mistreating good brethren in the process. Hardin’s biography is a fascinating source of information about both the good and the bad in his life. (Hardin’s work can be found at Auburn Universities theses and dissertation page, http://etd.auburn.edu/etd/handle/10415/1682 )