Review: Schizophrenic: A Diagnosis of the Independent Baptist Movement

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Schizophrenic: A Diagnosis of the Independent Baptist Movement
Schizophrenic: A Diagnosis of the Independent Baptist Movement by Tom Brennan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book is written about the IFB movement by a self-proclaimed IFB pastor. The first part of the book summarizes what the author perceives as strengths in IFB churches and the second part calls out the sins of IFB churches. There is a small third part that delivers the author’s cure for what ails the IFBs and that cure is mostly repentance.

I was pleasantly surprised with how thoughtful and reasonable this book is. I was also surprised with how plainly the author addressed problems and the fact he addressed some problems that seem to never receive air time, such as pragmatism, bad preaching, americanism, and racism in IFB churches. My own experience in IFB churches confirms many of the problems he pointed out and that same experience makes his strength assessment look a little optimistic. IFBs are not known for the ability or willingness to self-examine and self-correct.

I recommend reading this book. If you take out a few particular IFB references here and there along the way, much of what he writes applies to most churches or groups. If nothing else, he has done us a great service in forewarning of numerous dangers.

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