Newspaper Article "The Dethronement of the Bible" (1914-1920)
Description:
A newspaper article titled "The Dethronement of the Bible" written between 1914 and 1920. The article discusses Dr. William Ballantine, a professor at Springfield College, and the conflict going on within the YMCA about how classes on the bible and religion where taught at the school. It focuses mainly on Dr. Ballantine's beliefs as he expresses through a pamphlet on education. William Gay Ballantine was born in Washington D.C. in 1848 but spent his childhood in Cincinnati, Ohio where his father was a Professor of Hebrew at Lane Theological Society. In 1868 Ballantine graduated from Marietta College and in 1872 earned a degree from Union Theological Society and entered post-graduate studies at the University of Leipzeg. Ballantine spent two years as a Professor of Greek at the University of Indiana before heading to Oberlin College as Professor of Greek and Hebrew Exegesis. In 1891 he was elected President of Oberlin, a position he held until 1896 when he resigned. In 1897 he accepted a position as Professor of Bible at the International YMCA Training School in Springfield, Massachusetts, where one of his former students at Oberlin, Laurence Doggett, was President. Ballantine offered a modern view of the Bible which fell under much scrutiny from supporters of the International YMCA Training School who questioned the curriculum of the institution. Ballantine's teachings even caused some to withdraw their financial support of the institution. Doggett stood by and supported Ballantine's teaching against this pressure. Ballantine taught at Springfield College until 1919 at which time he retired to devote himself to writing. He died in Springfield, Massachusetts in 1937.
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