Though he would be famous in the second half of his life as a “man of the people” and would deliberately cater to the working class listener, his time at Southern Seminary gave a different impression. Frank Norris began his remarkable climb to fame in the heart of Southern Baptist territory, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Though it can be argued that in fact he had a divisive intent, this article points to the image Norris wished to cultivate.
This will be shown using his self-expression in two phases of his life, first as editor of The Baptist Standard and secondly as editor of The Searchlight. Though he would boldly criticize anything he perceived to be in error, he did so as a defender of true Southern Baptist life. However, this article will show that until his exclusion in 1924 Norris showed himself to be a consistent supporter of the denomination. Frank Norris was the harshest critic of the Southern Baptist Convention for many decades.
