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Peter Ruckman

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Peter Sturges Ruckman (born November 19, 1921), the son of Col. John Hamilton Ruckman and the grandson of General John Wilson Ruckman. Ruckman is an independent Baptist minister, teacher, writer, and founder of the Pensacola Bible Institute, an unaccredited school in Pensacola, Florida. He is best known for his controversial stance regarding Biblical translation, specifically his assertion that the King James Version constititutes "advanced revelation" and is the only acceptable translation (at least for English speakers).

Biography

Ruckman received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Kansas State University. He obtained his Masters from the University of Alabama and Doctorate from Bob Jones University (an unaccredited institution). He was also a personal friend of the founder of the later institution, Bob Jones Sr. He is now a frequent critic of his alma mater due to its approval of other Bible versions.

Ruckman's early career included serving in the US Army as a combat instructor, and playing as a drummer in a dance band. He began studying for the ministry following his religious conversion on March 14, 1949 at age 27. His ministry has included street preaching, mission hall superintendant, chalk-talk artist, traveling evangelist, church founder, pastor, and author.

Ruckman is the pastor of Bible Baptist Church, Pensacola, and his writings and recorded sermons are published by its own press, Bible Baptist Bookstore. He is known for drawing large Biblical scenes in chalk and pastels, often during his preaching and has also contributed portraits to the "Christian Hall of Fame" in Canton Ohio. His sermons are broadcast by Christian Video Ministries.

A prominent defender of the King-James-Only Movement, Ruckman reportedly believes that the King James Version of the Bible ("KJV") provides "advanced revelation" in English beyond that discernable in the underlying Textus Receptus Greek text. He also claims that the KJV is more authoritative than the modern scholarly opinions as to the true content and meaning of the many variously available Hebrew Old Testament texts and Greek New Testament texts. For Ruckman, the KJV represents the "final authority" and divinely "preserved" word in English that settles the modern disputes and questions as to the meaning and content of the now missing "original autograph" manuscripts.

He has been married three times, the first two marriages ending in divorce.

Pensacola Bible Institute

Ruckman founded Pensacola Bible Institute (PBI) in 1965 citing disagreements with other institutions (including Bob Jones) with regard to Biblical translations. Pensacola Bible Institute is not accredited by any agency recognized by the Council on Higher Education Accreditation or the US Department of Education.[1] Since it is unaccredited by these bodies, it cannot receive any government funding, which includes participating in the student loan program. Graduates of the school reportedly go on to become evangelists, pastors and missionaries. Details are available upon request, but the school has no website.

Controversy and criticism

Ruckman's position is strongly opposed by most supporters of biblical inerrancy, including the Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy and at odds with modern scholarly study of the texts. Some KJV-Only followers do not consider Ruckman to be a representative of their position, and often take great pains to avoid being associated with him.[1].

It is argued that "there is nothing 'Authorized' about either Luther's Bible or the King James" because "Erasmus and the KJV translators had to sit down and decide what would be in and what would be out of their text"[2]. His position has also been criticized as being directly contradicted by the original Preface of the KJV. [2]

Ruckmanism

The pejorative term Ruckmanism has been coined to describe Ruckman's beliefs on the preservation of Scripture, and those with similar beliefs are often labeled Ruckmanites [3]. Some "Ruckmanites" advertise their association with Ruckman by using the terms "Ruckmanite" and "AV 1611" in their church logos.

The Ruckmanite views are variants within the King-James-Only Movement. Of these variants, Ruckman claims the KJV translation itself is "scripture" and is inspired by God in a similar fashion that the original Greek and Hebrew words were inspired. This belief is generally considered among the most extreme viewpoints within the King-James-Only Movement, and is sometimes used to mischaracterise the KJV movement as a whole. The Trinitarian Bible Society, for example, among many others who call themselves "KJV-Only," assert that the KJV is the best English Bible version available, but deny it has the status of "scripture" in its own right. Some of those who claim that one's salvation is dependant on using the KJV have falsely been called "Ruckmanites," although Ruckman rejects this teaching.

  1. ^ For example, Christian author David Cloud is "a King James Bible defender who has warned" Christians about Ruckman's KJV claims and arguments. [4]
  2. ^ see christianseparatist.org
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