Battle for the Minds

"Please walk on the grass, but don't make paths," reads an odd but very relevant sign shown in Steven Lipscomb's mesmerizing documentary about the fundamentalist takeover of the Southern Baptist Convention in the late '70s, a move which eventually would lead to the ejection of Dr. Molly Marshall from the faculty of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, KY in 1995. While the line of continuum between these two events may not be immediately self-evident, Lipscomb's cleverly constructed narrative connects the dots by taking viewers backwards from contemporary footage of a student protest concerning Marshall's dismissal to the rise of the fundamentalists, their 1984 resolution that women cannot serve as pastors, and the battle that particular issue set off. Of particular note here is the historical observation that the Baptists were originally a fairly liberal bunch and that fundamentalism, while often confused with religion, is actually a mindset imposed upon religion--a crucial difference. Arguments from both sides of the fence are heard, though the fundamentalists come off rather badly, particularly Rev. David Lee Miller, a member of the Board of Trustees who voted for Marshall's resignation. The Reverend Miller is, perhaps, the most frightening character I've encountered this year in fiction or non-fiction. A powerful film that not only sets the historical record straight but also shines a pretty powerful spotlight on the political underbelly of contemporary Southern Baptists. Highly recommended. Editor's Choice. Aud: H, C, P. (R. Pitman)