Benjamin G. Wilkinson

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Dr. Benjamin George Wilkinson (1872–1968) was a Seventh-day Adventist missionary, educator, theologian[1] and the Dean of Theology at the Seventh-day Adventist Washington Missionary College (now known as Columbia Union College) near Washington, D.C.

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[edit] Biography

Wilkinson is an obscure figure today, and is remembered mainly for a book he wrote in 1930 entitled Our Authorized Bible Vindicated, which was edited to hide Wilkinson's Adventist beliefs, and included in David Otis Fuller's book, Which Bible?,[2] which helped to popularize King James Only beliefs. He was also the first Seventh-day Adventist to earn a PhD.

Wilkinson disliked the English Revised Version of 1881 because he felt it robbed him of several of his favorite Adventist 'proof texts.' For example, in Acts 13:42 a change in the Greek text deprived him of evidence that Gentiles observed the Sabbath. In Hebrews 9:27 a translation more literal than the King James Version (KJV) took away a proof text for the Adventist belief in 'soul sleep.'[3]

Wilkinson was the first person to strongly criticize Westcott and Hort, portraying them as the 'bogey men' in the text and translation debate often by distorting their words. He was also the first person to associate Psalm 12:6-7 as God's promise to preserve the KJV.[4]

Wilkinson was also a participant in the 1919 Bible Conference which was a highly significant event within the Seventh-day Adventist Church. Like other conferences at the time amongst Fundamentalists it discussed the nature of inspiration, both of the Bible and Ellen G. White. Wilkinson was representative of the conservative faction at the conference, arguing that Ellen White's writings are inerrant. Other leaders such as A. G. Daniells argued that White's writings do contain errors, but still supported biblical inerrancy. Mainstream Adventists do not support the King-James-Only movement of the 1930s.

Wilkinson Hall, the main administrative building on Columbia Union College's Campus, is named in his honor.

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[edit] References

  1. ^ One Bible Only? Examining Exclusive Claims for the King James Bible by Roy E Beacham and Kevin T Bauder general editors, Kregel Publications, Grand Rapids, MI, 2001, pg 44.
  2. ^ Which Bible? Grand Rapids: Grand Rapids International Publications, 1970. 3rd ed. 1972. ISBN 0-944355-24-2
  3. ^ Ibid, pg 44.
  4. ^ Ibid, pg 44.