1. “The Bible Research Fellowship: A Pioneering Seventh-day Adventist Organization in Retrospect”, 1978

Item — Box: 1, Folder: 1, Call No.: 024000

Staff Only

Content Description

From the Collection: This is a very extensive collection of well over 250 scholarly papers, the vast majority of them written by Cottrell. There are papers covering the topics of hermeneutics, exegesis, church polity, governance, and history, Daniel, Revelation, Ellen White, science, plus many others. Cottrell surely had a wide range of interests and seemingly an input on almost every subject which became current in the second half of the 20th century. Nearly all of the papers are unpublished meaning they were designed for limited circulation. Many of the papers were prepared for distribution to a church sponsored study group or committee such as the Bible Research Fellowship or the Biblical Research Institute.

Perhaps one of Cottrell’s greatest contributions to the Adventist Church was his work on the authoritative Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary series. As mentioned above he served as the associate editor of the series along with editor Francis D. Nichol. Besides editing many thousands of pages of other peoples work he wrote about 2,000 pages. The Commentary articles are not signed. Cottrell provides a list of the various authors and what books of the Bible they contributed to on the project.

A significant work of Cottrell’s which is not well known is his Eschatology of Daniel. It is at number 222 in the inventory. It was never formally published. Cottrell says the manuscript awaits a climate of openness and objectivity in the church, which is essential to a fair examination of the facts.”

Dates

1978

Extent

25 Pages

Language of Materials

From the Sub-Group: English

Additional Description

Materials Specific Details

Requested by Adventist Heritage for its 5:1 summer 1978 issue. Bible Research Fellowship (BRF) was the first professional organization of Adventist college religion teachers (1943-1952). At their 1940 quadrennial meeting in Takoma Park they voted to share the results of their study, and benefit from one another̓s constructive criticism. The Seminary was to take the initiative in forming such an organization, and annual dues of two dollars was collected from those present. The Seminary did nothing for three years, however, and in 1943 the religion teachers at Pacific Union College took the initiative in forming a local organization they called the Bible Research Fellowship, which met one Sabbath afternoon each month to hear and discuss one or more papers prepared by members of the group. Dr. L. L Caviness, teacher of biblical languages, was patter familias of the group and I the secretary. Hearing of BRF, one by one the other college religion faculties asked to participate and conduct their own monthly meetings - considering the same papers. Eventually other church leaders joined the Fellowship, including 17 General Conference personnel,and world membership grew to 250. My complete collection of BRF papers is on file in the Heritage Room of the James E. White Memorial Library on the campus of Andrews University.