6. “A Draft Proposal for an Adventist Institute of Biblical Studies”, August 31, 1966

Item — Box: 1, Folder: 6, Call No.: 024005

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 Nearly all of the papers are unpublished meaning they were designed for limited circulation.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

August 31, 1966

Extent

30 Pages

Language of Materials

From the Sub-Group: English

Additional Description

Materials Specific Details

All GC committees are reconstituted following each GC session. This proved disastrous for the Biblical Research Committee because new members naturally wanted to go over again projects the committee had already completed. Continuity of membership was urgently needed. Following the 1966 GC session I presented this paper to newly elected President Robert H. Pierson. It went into effect in 1975 with BRC becoming BRI — an institute rather than a committee. Inasmuch as Pierson had been out of North America for 30 years I included a brief history of biblical research in the church during those years.