Finis Jennings Dake

Finis Jennings Dake (1902–1987) was an American Pentecostal minister and evangelist known primarily for his writings on the subjects of Pentecostal (or Charismatic) Evangelical Christian spirituality and Premillennial Dispensationalism. His most well known work was the Dake Annotated Reference Bible.

Christian conversion and controversy

Dake became a Christian at age 17. Dake claimed that upon his conversion he received a 'special anointing' which allowed him to quote major portions of Scripture from memory. He preached his first sermon in 1925 and was ordained by the Assemblies of God denomination two years later. After working as a pastor and evangelist in Texas and Oklahoma, he moved to Zion, Illinois, in order to become the pastor of the Christian Assembly Church. In Zion, he also founded Shiloh Bible Institute, which ultimately merged with Central Bible Institute and which was located in the home formerly owned by controversial faith healer John Alexander Dowie.

During Dake’s ministry in Zion, he was the center of a controversy. In 1937, he was convicted of violating the Mann Act by willfully transporting 16-year-old Emma Barelli across the Wisconsin state line “for the purpose of debauchery and other immoral practices.” The May 27, 1936, issue of the Chicago Daily Tribune reported that Dake registered at hotels in Waukegan, Bloomington, and East St. Louis with the girl under the name "Christian Anderson and wife". In order to avoid a jury trial and the possibility of being sentenced to a maximum of 10 years in prison and a fine of $10,000, Dake pled guilty. Subsequently, he served six months in the House of Corrections in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.^[1] Though he maintained his innocence of intent, his ordination with the Assemblies of God was revoked and he later joined the Church of God (Cleveland, Tennessee). While it is not known why he later ended his relationship with the Church of God, it is known that he eventually became independent of any denomination.

Writings

The Dake Annotated Reference Bible was the first widely published study bible produced by someone from within Pentecostalism. His annotated King James Version of the Bible took seven years to complete. The 35,000 notes in the Dake Bible are considered by Christian theologians to be personal, rather than Biblically-based, commentary. Along with Dake's annotated Bible, his other writings have been the source of controversy amongst theologians. While a small number of Christian theologians see his viewpoints on the gap theory and adoptionism to be possibilities, his interpretation of the Trinity is largely considered unorthodox and is rejected amongst Trinitarians and non-Trinitarians alike. Aside from the Dake Annotated Reference Bible, his other works include God's Plan for Man, Revelation Expounded, and Bible Truths Unmasked.^[2]

Death

Dake died of complications from Parkinson's disease in 1987.

References

1. ^ Finis Dake and His Six Month Sentence to Federal Prison
2. ^ Amazon Listing of Works

External Sources

• Dake's Federal Trial and Conviction
• All Dake Products with many historic Dake pictures
• Dake Publications: The Official Publishing Arm of Dake Ministries
• "Confused Theology": A critique of Dake's Study Bible
• A response to: "Confused Theology": A critique of Dake's Study Bible
• The Apologetic's Index critique of the Dake Annotated Reference Bible
• Dake Bible Discussion Board
• Finis Dake Life Story Book
• Hear a recording of Finis Dake teaching concerning the Pre-Adamite World
• "30 Reasons for Segregation of Races" by Finis Dake

Persondata
Name	Dake, Finis Jennings
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Date of birth	1902
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Date of death	1987
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