Robert T. Ketcham - Personality

Personality

Because of his fearlessness in defending his fundamentalist beliefs, Ketcham was sometimes called "Fighting Bob," a name he "disliked intensely." His personality was actually irenic, and his son later said that when Ketcham believed that he had no choice but to fight, he would literally cry himself to sleep. Although he refused to maintain any connection with religious liberals, whom he believed had deprecated Jesus Christ, Ketcham maintained friendly relations with other evangelicals with whom he had serious differences. For instance, in 1954, Alan Redpath, pastor of Moody Memorial Church, issued a statement declaring that liberals and fundamentalists should unite "in one great army for Christ." Ketcham was horrified, but he conducted a respectful written exchange with Redpath for almost five years, concluding with the statement, "Forget me as a critic Brother Redpath, and think of me only as a brother in Christ pleading with you to pull away from these entangling alliances before you wind up with Jehoshaphat." Although evangelist Percy Crawford generally disliked fundamentalists who directed attacks at other believers, he and Ketcham developed a lifelong "friendship and mutual affection," in part because Ketcham had "an unassuming manner" and a "fun-loving spirit." In the 1960s Ketcham pleaded with his long-time friend Carl McIntire to "be more gracious in his dealings with other Christians," although McIntire instead used his Christian Beacon to attack members of the General Association of Regular Baptist Churches.