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'''William Bell Riley''' (1861-1947) based in Minneapolis, was one of the leading Fundamentalist theologians and organizers of the 1920s and 1930s.  

'''William Bell Riley''' (1861-1947) based in [[Minneapolis]], was one of the leading [[Fundamentalist]] theologians and organizers of the 1920s and 1930s.  

==Career==

==Career==

He was a Baptist from Kentucky, and was well educated at Hanover College and Southern Baptist Seminary in Louisville, where he took a divinity degree in 1888.  In the 1890s he was pastor at the new Calvary Baptist Church in Chicago. The weekly meetings of the Chicago Baptist Ministers' Society often ended in angry exchanges, with Riley and other fundamentalists on one side and the liberal University of Chicago theologians on the other.  

He was a [[Southern Baptist Convention|Baptist]] from [[Kentucky]], and was well educated at Hanover College and Southern Baptist [[Seminary]] in [[Louisville]], where he took a divinity degree in 1888.  In the 1890s he was pastor at the new Calvary Baptist Church in [[Chicago]]. The weekly meetings of the Chicago Baptist Ministers' Society often ended in angry exchanges, with Riley and other fundamentalists on one side and the [[liberal]] University of Chicago theologians on the other.  

In 1897 he became pastor of the First Baptist Church in Minneapolis, which he made famous.  He was engaged in politics, opposing America's entry into the Spanish–American War in 1898. He denounced corrupt politics, and engaged in several crusades on behalf of prohibition.  In the 1930s he began to attack Communism with the same vehemence he had earlier reserved for theological liberalism. He also bitterly opposed the [[New Deal]] and President [[Franklin D. Roosevelt]].  

In 1897 he became pastor of the First Baptist Church in Minneapolis, which he made famous.  He was engaged in politics, opposing America's entry into the Spanish–American War in 1898. He denounced corrupt politics, and engaged in several crusades on behalf of prohibition.  In the 1930s he began to attack Communism with the same vehemence he had earlier reserved for theological liberalism. He also bitterly opposed the [[New Deal]] and President [[Franklin D. Roosevelt]].  

He was a powerful preacher. Standing over six feet tall, with curly black hair that gradually turned white, Riley made an impressive figure on the podium. He was a persuasive public speaker, gifted with a ready wit and a flair for the dramatic. He castigated sin as he saw it, including divorce, dancing, and all the "isms" of the day—socialism, Unitarianism, Mormonism, spiritualism, Catholicism, and liberalism. The worst of these was Darwinism, and more than anyone he turned Fundamentalism into a crusade against evil scientists.   

He was a powerful preacher. Standing over six feet tall, with curly black hair that gradually turned white, Riley made an impressive figure on the podium. He was a persuasive public speaker, gifted with a ready wit and a flair for the dramatic. He castigated [[sin]] as he saw it, including [[divorce]], dancing, and all the "isms" of the day—[[socialism]], [[Unitarianism]], [[Mormonism]], [[spiritualism]], [[Catholicism]], and liberalism. The worst of these was [[Darwinism]], and more than anyone he turned Fundamentalism into a crusade against evil scientists.   

==Organizing Fundamentalism==

==Organizing Fundamentalism==

He founded the Northwestern Bible and Missionary Training School (1902), Northwestern Evangelical Seminary (1935), and Northwestern College (1944); they produced thousands of graduates.

He founded the Northwestern [[Bible]] and Missionary Training School (1902), Northwestern [[Evangelical]] Seminary (1935), and Northwestern College (1944); they produced thousands of graduates.

Unable to change the Northern Baptist Convention, he persuaded the Minnesota Convention to disown the parent body

Unable to change the Northern Baptist Convention, he persuaded the [[Minnesota]] Convention to disown the parent body

After World War I, Riley became the leading organizer of the movement for [[Fundamentalism]]. He created, at a large conference in Philadelphia in 1919, the World's Christian Fundamentals Association (WCFA). It became the chief interdenominational fundamentalist organization in the 1920s, and Riley was president until 1929. After that the WCFA faded in importance.

After [[World War I]], Riley became the leading organizer of the movement for [[Fundamentalism]]. He created, at a large conference in [[Philadelphia]] in 1919, the World's [[Christian]] Fundamentals Association (WCFA). It became the chief interdenominational fundamentalist organization in the 1920s, and Riley was president until 1929. After that the WCFA faded in importance.

Although the fundamentalist drive of the 1920s to take control of the major Protestant denominations failed at the national level, the network of churches and missions developed and controlled by Riley indicates that fundamentalism had a deep base. Riley's own "empire" was organized around the Northwestern Bible and Missionary Training School in Minneapolis, which expanded to include a seminary, annual bible conference, a monthly magazine, and eventually to control the Minnesota Baptist Convention. Both rural and urban in character, the flourishing movement acted as a denominational surrogate and aimed at a militant orthodoxy of evangelical Christianity. Centralized in the person of Riley, however, it was unable to survive his death in 1947.<ref>William Vance Trollinger, Jr. "Riley's Empire: Northwestern Bible School and Fundamentalism in the Upper Midwest". ''Church History'' 1988 57(2): 197-212. 0009-6407</ref>

Although the fundamentalist drive of the 1920s to take control of the major Protestant denominations failed at the national level, the network of churches and missions developed and controlled by Riley indicates that fundamentalism had a deep base. Riley's own "empire" was organized around the Northwestern Bible and Missionary Training School in Minneapolis, which expanded to include a seminary, annual bible conference, a monthly magazine, and eventually to control the Minnesota Baptist Convention. Both rural and urban in character, the flourishing movement acted as a denominational surrogate and aimed at a militant orthodoxy of evangelical Christianity. Centralized in the person of Riley, however, it was unable to survive his death in 1947.<ref>William Vance Trollinger, Jr. "Riley's Empire: Northwestern Bible School and Fundamentalism in the Upper Midwest". ''Church History'' 1988 57(2): 197-212. 0009-6407</ref>