Is the RVG a "Ruckmanite" Bible?

by Pastor Emanuel Rodriguez

The short answer is NO.  The RVG is not a Ruckmanite Bible (whatever that is).  The RVG is no more a Ruckmanite Bible than the KJV is. 

The Reina Valera Gómez (RVG) is simply a version of the Reina Valera Spanish Bible that is 100% based in the Received Texts and verbally equivalent to the KJV. 

I believe it is also good to note that the RVG is not a Jack Hyles Bible either, although good people from Hyles-Anderson use it, support it, and some even participated in the RVG revision.  The RVG is not a Bob Jones Bible even though some who graduated from Bob Jones University have assisted.  The RVG is not a Harold Sightler Bible even though some who were trained in Dr. Sightler’s Bible college in Greenville, SC participated in it.  It is not a Dallas Theological Seminary Bible even though the late Dr. D. A. Waite was one of our foremost Greek and Hebrew consultants.  It is not a Tom Malone Bible even though a graduate of the late Dr. Malone’s college in Pontiac, MI, named Dr. Rex Cobb, participated in the revision.

I could go on and on.  Here is a list of academic institutions represented by people who have something to do with the RVG.  I’m referring to schools which have graduates who either participated in the revision, or have aided in some way, have distributed it, support it, or simply use it in their ministries.

• Hyles Anderson College

• Midwestern Baptist College

• Tabernacle Baptist College

• Dallas Theological Seminary

• Providence Baptist College

• Pacific Christian College

• Summer Institute of Linguistics of Wycliffe Bible Translators

• Fuller Theological Seminary

• Bob Jones University

• Massillon Baptist College

• Maranatha Baptist Bible College

• Great Plains Baptist Divinity School

• Baptist Bible Translators Institute

• Antioch Baptist Bible College & Seminary

• Oklahoma Baptist College

• Landmark Baptist College

• Rio Grande Bible College

• West Coast Baptist College

• Dayspring Bible College

• Bethany Divinity College & Seminary

• Shawnee Baptist College

• Pensacola Christian College

• Pensacola Bible Institute

I’m sure there are other schools that are missing from this list.  I’m also sure that there are schools on the list that would probably not want to be associated with the RVG yet the fact remains that we have folks from each of these schools that assisted us in one way or the other. 

The fact of the matter is that we have had the contribution and participation of good people from every circle and camp you can think of in the Independent Fundamental Baptist world (and some outside of it).  So it really is ridiculous that some would try to zero in on one particular group and use any type of association with them as some sort of argument against the RVG.

Despite any appeal to fairness and reasonableness, some are determined to label us no matter the variety of groups that are represented among those who support the RVG.  The last school mentioned on the list is the one that some of our critics want to zero in on.  That anyone who ever had anything to do with the controversial Dr. Peter S. Ruckman had anything to do with the RVG is enough for some to discredit the RVG forever.  Let me explain why this is imbecilic. 

AD HOMINEMS

What is really going on here is that in their desperation to find something wrong with the Reina Valera Gomez Bible some critics are forced to resort to ad homonem arguments. The Latin words ad homonem mean “to the man”.  It refers to an argument against the person rather than their position. Since they cannot handle the message, they try to kill the messenger.   It is recognized in the academic world as inferior argumentation.  Opponents will usually resort to ad hominems as an act of desperation after their arguments have been refuted.

Of all the different attempts to provide a pure Spanish Bible, the RVG has proven itself superior to the rest as it continues to grow and multiply in the Spanish-speaking world.  Rather than swallowing their pride and rallying around the best Spanish Bible for the good of God’s people, some have desperately resorted to attacking those who are associated with the RVG.  They cannot successfully demonstrate that the RVG text is inferior to the Spanish Bible that they have committed themselves to.  Therefore they are left with no other choice but to resort to inferior tactics rather than admit that they are wrong.  They believe that if they can somehow discredit Dr. Humberto Gomez or some of his collaborators, they can discourage others from using the RVG.

This is nothing new.  Critics have done this for many years against the King James Bible.  Some have even gone so far as to accuse King James of being a homosexual.  This has been refuted many times yet this false rumor persists in some circles because dishonest people will believe whatever they want to believe despite the truth.  So it is with the Spanish Bible controversy.

Of course, any reasonable person understands that even if there was something wrong with the king of whom the KJV is named after, it has nothing to do with the superior text that the KJV translators produced.  Many people are not reasonable, however.  Too many Christians make decisions based on emotionalism and peer-pressure rather than intellectualism and rationale.  Therefore, some fall for such shallow-minded logic.

One of the favorite ad hominem tactics of the shallow-minded who oppose KJV advocates is to call their opponent a “Ruckmanite”. 

Who was Dr. Peter S. Ruckman?

Dr. Peter S. Ruckman went home to be with the Lord almost a decade ago.  (He was born in 1921 and died in 2016).  He was one of the most outspoken defenders of the King James Bible.  Lester Roloff once referred to Dr. Ruckman as the greatest expert on the KJV. 

The amount of writing he did, especially in defense of the KJV, was prolific.  That Dr. Ruckman possessed high intellectual capability, few questioned.  He claimed to have read the Bible over 200 times.  Dr. Ruckman possessed an earned PhD from Bob Jones University.  He also had legitimate skill in Hebrew and Greek, which made him a menace to those that promoted the Critical Texts and CT-based Bibles.  Even some of Dr. Ruckman’s opponents have recognized his abilities.  For example, James White said:

“There is no doubt that Peter S. Ruckman is brilliant, in a strange sort of way.  His mental powers are plainly demonstrated in his books, though most people do not bother to read far enough to recognize this due to the constant stream of invective that is to be found on nearly every page.” P. 109, The King James Only Controversy, by James White

In his earlier ministry Dr. Ruckman was once a high-in-demand evangelist who shared the platforms of such fundamentalist leaders as Dr. John R. Rice, Dr. Lee Robertson, Lester Roloff, Dr. Harold Sightler, Beachamp Vick, John Rawlings, and Hugh Pyle.  Dr. Ruckman eventually settled down to pastor a church in Pensacola, FL.  There he started the Pensacola Bible Institute where he trained many pastors and missionaries. 

Dr. Ruckman eventually became perhaps the most controversial preacher in the IFB world when he started to publicly chastise in writing anyone who questioned the inerrancy of the KJV, especially those of his own alma-mater, Bob Jones University. 

Many, however, felt that Dr. Ruckman’s brutal approach of taking to task those of the opposing viewpoint was over the top.  Some of his doctrinal positions, such as the Gap theory and the way of salvation during different dispensational ages, were scrutinized and seen as fringe.  Some even considered his teachings on certain things heretical.  Some of his views were exaggerated to appear even more extreme than they really were, such as Double Inspiration.  (You can see a video I did on Double Inspiration here.) 

What really hurt his reputation, though, was his multiple marriages.  Many called for Dr. Ruckman to step down from the pastorate, which he never did.  This, combined with the controversy that developed through other aspects of his teachings and approach, created a stigma for anyone associated with him.  For this reason, some work hard to distance themselves from anything “Ruckmanite”. 

Since so many Christians today are superficial and do not possess the fortitude to withstand labels nor any form of opposition, the Ruckmanite label has proven to be an effective weapon for anyone wanting an easy and quick way to dismiss someone despite however independent of Ruckman that individual might be.  The problem for some, however, is that this nonsense doesn’t work on everyone.  Some of us could care less what people call us. 

Dr. Peter Ruckman’s Position on the Spanish Bible

In a letter rebuking a former student of his, named Robert Breaker (more on him later), Dr. Ruckman revealed that his position on the Spanish Bible was very general and non-specific.  Dr. Ruckman wrote:

“I have never posed as an authority on any foreign translations. The interpreter uses Luther when I preach in Germany; the interpreter uses Valera when I preach in Mexico; the interpreter uses the version by Song Lee when I preach in Korea. I DON’T TELL ANY FOREIGN INTERPRETER WHAT BOOK HE USES.” (emphasis his)

“I’ve never wasted half a sheet of paper, buddy, trying to prove that Diodoti, Valera, Luther, Visoiy of Michaelis were in error; nor that Olivetan or Erdosi or Song Lee should be corrected.”

Dr. Ruckman’s support of the Reina Valera Bible was ambiguous.  He always spoke favorably in his writings of the Reina Valera Bible but he never specified which edition. 

Dr. Ruckman never participated in the RVG revision.  When he was alive, not one time did he ever offer any input or suggestions for changes in the RVG text.  To call the RVG a Ruckmanite Bible when he had no involvement in it whatsoever is a stretch.  Only someone with an agenda would try to build a case to claim Ruckman influence in the RVG.

What exactly is it that is supposed to make a Bible a “Ruckmanite Bible”?  What are the criteria? 

Calvin George’s Attempts to Prove Ruckman Influence in the RVG

IFB folks in the Spanish-speaking world, who use the 1960, have been taught by people like Calvin George to use the Ruckmanite label against anyone who calls for purity in the Spanish Bible even though many of them have no clue who Ruckman was nor what the issues are concerning the controversy surrounding the Bible in English.  Calvin George has emerged as the most outspoken defender of the Critical Text corruption in the 1960 edition of the Reina Valera Bible.  No one is more responsible for misleading the 1960 crowd as many 1960-using Hispanic pastors (and some American ones) allow him to do their thinking for them.

For example, Calvin George said:

"As documented, the Spanish RVG Bible is a product of the influence of Ruckmanism. The acceptance of this Bible is a step towards legitimizing Ruckmanism. Ruckmanism has been dividing American Fundamentalism for over 40 years. We must not allow Ruckmanism to penetrate and divide Spanish-speaking fundamentalism!" 20 Reasons Why I Don't Endorse the RVG by Calvin George

This is a strange statement.  What exactly is it that makes the RVG the “product of the influence of Ruckmanism”?  Is there anything in the RVG text itself that reflects “Ruckmanism”?  Take a look at one humorous attempt by Calvin George to prove Ruckmanism within the RVG text:

“In correspondence with Humberto Gómez on February 9, 2005, he mentioned to me that his revision would have amor (love) instead of caridad (charity) in 1 Corinthians 13. He further stated that even though both terms were correct, in the Hispanic world the term caridad represented "Catholic culture." He added that someone whom I would label a Ruckmanite bitterly attacked him over this in a letter. However, in the most recent RVG edition I have in my possession, it was changed to caridad, which has been confirmed by Gómez. I think a group with a lot of influence blackmailed him by threatening not to endorse or print his translation if he didn't remove amor and replace it with the exact word the English Bible used. What else could explain his inclusion of a term he admitted represented Catholic culture? In my opinion, his decision to change to a term in his Bible that he himself confessed was "closely related to Catholicism" in Hispanic culture was an act of betrayal against his Hispanic brethren in order to please those who lean towards a Ruckmanite philosophy regarding foreign language Bibles and are funding his project." 20 Reasons Why I Don't Endorse the RVG by Calvin George

The word in question is “caridad” which is the Spanish word for “charity”.  Calvin George surmises that Dr. Gomez’s choice to change the word “amor” (love) for “caridad” (charity) in 1st Corinthians 13 was the result of Ruckmanism.  I love how he creates a conspiracy theory about some evil gringos in the shadows of the night threatening Dr. Gomez like the Mafia to force him to commit the horrible sin of making the Spanish Bible better.  I think Calvin George watches too much TV.

It never seemed to occur to Calvin George, however, that Dr. Gomez didn’t get the word “charity” from a bunch of scary Ruckmanites.  The word “charity” so happens to be found in the original Reina Valera Bibles back in 1569 and again in 1602.  In fact it was also used by Juan Perez de Pineda in 1556 and Francisco de Enzinas in 1543.  I guess Reina, Valera, Pineda, and Enzinas were all Ruckmanites before the KJV showed up and over 370 years before Ruckman was born.  Wow! Incredible.

By the way, in regard to Calvin George’s concern about the word “charity” in Spanish being a Catholic word, Reina, Valera, Pineda, and Enzinas were all Protestants who were persecuted by the Catholic church.  The monastery in Spain where they were all saved (except Enzinas), after reading the Bible in Latin for themselves, was burnt down to the ground by the Catholic church.  The Catholic church labeled these men as heretics and criminals and their Bibles were confiscated and destroyed by fire.  Reina and Valera did most of their work on the run and in hiding as the Catholic church hunted them down.  If these men were trying to please “Catholic culture” by using the word “charity” in their Bibles, they miserably failed.

Dr. Humberto Gomez has explained publicly on numerous occasions that the RVG was compared with the 1569 translation of Casiodoro de Reina and the 1602 revision of Cipriano de Valera.  As a fellow collaborator in the RVG project I can confirm this because I also use 1569 and 1602 facsimiles all the time in my research and work concerning the RVG as does the rest of the RVG Bible Society.  The word “charity” was not the result of “Ruckman influence”.  It was the result of the influence of Reina, Valera, Enzinas, Pineda, and the King James Bible.

Since Calvin George’s attempt to demonstrate Ruckmanism in the RVG text utterly failed, he resorts to ad hominem attempts to prove that the RVG is a Ruckmanite Bible.

In his article entitled Over 20 Reasons Why I Cannot Endorse the Reina Valera Gomez (as if the Spanish-speaking world really needed his endorsement), Calvin George tried to prove that the RVG is the result of Ruckmanism because a preacher that he calls a Ruckmanite named Jack Wood showed Dr. Gomez many years ago that his Spanish Bible was wrong in Daniel 3:25.  

Many people, not just Ruckmanites, have complained for years concerning the way Daniel 3:25 is rendered in corrupt Bibles.  Other Bibles say  “a son of the gods” instead of “the Son of God” like the KJV.  That’s not a Ruckmanite issue.  It’s a truth issue.  Both renderings cannot be right no matter how much Calvin George wants to pretend that things that are different are the same.  It should not say “a son of the gods”.  It was the preincarnate Son of God that delivered the 3 Hebrew men from the fiery furnace.  (For more information on Daniel 3:25 click here.)

Calvin George further complains that a church that Dr. Gomez used to be a member of once had Dr. Ruckman in as a speaker many years ago. 

First of all, he’s not a member of that church anymore so it kind of doesn’t matter.  Secondly, that English-speaking church in the U.S. didn’t revise the RVG.  Dr. Gomez and his collaborators in the Spanish-speaking world did.  Dr. Gomez did his work in his home in Matamoros, Mexico.  Ohio is a long way from Mexico.  Dr. Gomez’s former home church was not sending Ruckmanite henchmen from Ohio down to Mexico to breathe over his shoulder as he worked on a Spanish Bible text that they couldn’t read anyways. 

This is why many conspiracy theorists are not taken seriously.  Their wild, fantastic theories are oftentimes silly.

Dr. Gomez has said publicly on several occasions that he is not a Ruckmanite and that he doesn't believe in Double Inspiration. He is his own man who has friends from all kinds of circles. Yet, no matter what he says, the critics will never be satisfied because they have an agenda.

Dr. Gomez was also a member of the Dean Burgon Society and spoke many times in their conferences while he was a part of the church in question. Everyone knows how outspoken Dr. Waite and the DBS was against Ruckman. Ruckman and Waite both have rebuked each other in writing. Due to Dr. Gomez's association with Dr. Waite and the DBS one could just as easily build a case of anti-Ruckmanism if we are going to play the guilt-by-association game. You can build a case for just about anything with this type of logic.

Calvin George also complained that this church used a textbook written by Ruckman in their Bible Institute.  He doesn’t mention, however, that the same school used books by all kinds of authors, even ones who were opposed to Ruckman such as John R. Rice.  John R. Rice promoted the ASV.  Why is Calvin George more upset about that church using material by Ruckman than someone who supported the Critical Text?

I find humorous what one individual said on an Internet forum in mockery of Calvin George's guilt-by-association logic:

"The Spanish RVG Gomez Bible has connections to "Hylesism". The home church of Humberto Gomez has been Charity Baptist Church of Beavercreak (formerly Dayton), OH for over twenty years. This Church has a Bible institute that uses, as textbooks, works by Jack Hyles (Church Manual) and John R. Rice (The Home) and Jeff Owens (Character). These are all men who would have nothing whatsoever to do with Ruckman or Ruckmanism, but have all been associated with Elmer Fernandez at some time. Calvin George has been associated with Elmer Fernandez, particularly with regard to the Spanish Bible issue. Therefore there is an unmistakable connection between Calvin George and the RV Gomez."

Now that this irrefutable connection between Calvin George and the RVG has been established by the writer we just quoted, I guess this makes him a Ruckmanite! 

The point is that you can take Calvin's guilt-by-association logic just about anywhere you want to in order to "prove" whatever point you want to make. This is flawed logic.

Who Influenced the 1960 Reina Valera Bible?

If Calvin George and the 1960 crowd are so concerned about bad influences, why aren’t they upset about the bad influences of Westcott, Hort, and Eugene Nida in their corrupt 1960 edition of the Reina Valera Bible?  All this talk about Ruckman influence, yet why isn’t Calvin George complaining about what influenced his Spanish Bible?

Eugene Nida, the man who led the revision team of the RV1960, said:

"Nevertheless in some instances where a critical text is so much preferred over the traditional Textus Receptus the committee did make some slight changes..."   The Bible Translator, Vol. 12, No. 3, 1961, p. 113

Dr. Jose Flores, who was one of the 1960 revisers, revealed:

"One principle added to the first list of the RV 1960 revision committee was that wherever the RV (1909) Version has departed from the Textus Receptus to follow a better text we did not return to the Receptus. Point 12 of the working principles states: in cases where there is a doubt over the correct translation of the original, we consulted preferentially The English Revised Version of 1885, The American Standard Version of 1901, The Revised Standard Version of 1946, and the International Critical Commentary."  El Texto del Nuevo Testamento, by Jose Flores, p. 323

In fact, Calvin George knows this as even he has been forced to have to admit the following:

"I believe Westcott & Hort texts can be consulted in the process of translating (such was the case in the Reina-Valera 1909 & 1960)”  The Battle for the Spanish Bible, by Calvin George, p.115

“There are a few translations in the 1909 and 1960 that may not be able to be traced to differences in TR editions, or semantics.  A few departures come from a critical text.”  The Battle for the Spanish Bible, by Calvin George, p. 42

“There were some departures from the Textus Receptus in the 1960, as Eugene Nida testifies”  The History of the Reina-Valera 1960 Spanish Bible, by Calvin George, p. 120

Since Calvin George is so concerned about bad influences in the Spanish Bible, shouldn’t he be the one calling for revision of his Spanish Bible more than anyone else?  He should be thanking us for getting rid of the bad influence of Westcott, Hort, Nida, and the Critical Text from the Reina Valera Bible.

I agree with something Dr. Phil Stringer, Vice President of the King James Bible Research Council, said in his article Why I Support the RVG:

“The critics who attack the RVG have unknowingly given a great reason to support it. They constantly claim that the RVG matches the readings of the King James Bible. They claim that this is because the gringos pressured Dr. Gomez to bring the English into the Spanish.

Actually, all of the Spanish readings they defend also match English Bibles. These men are comfortable when their Spanish Bible is identical to the Revised Standard Version, the New English Version or even the Jehovah’s Witness New World Translation. But they literally get hysterical when a Spanish reading matches the King James Bible. This tells me everything that I need to know about these men and also everything I need to know about the RVG.”

Calvin George's Real Problem with Men Like Dr. Humberto Gomez

Calvin George's real problem is that he is weak on the King James Bible. Plain and simple. It is impossible for him to take a stronger stand on the KJV and continue to defend the Critical Text corruption in his Spanish Bible. That is why it infuriates him when native Spanish-speakers take a stronger and truer stand on the KJV than he does. It makes him look bad.

For example, Dr. Gomez boldly proclaimed in a Dean Burgon Society meeting:

"In the King James Bible we have the preservation of the inspired, perfect, infallible, inerrant Word of God."

"But the Standard to follow has to be the King James. This I say in public and I am not ashamed of this: 100%."

It bothers Calvin George that a native Spanish-speaker, who doesn't even speak English as his first language, has the guts to stand for the KJV. So to cover up for his weak position on the KJV he has to make good men like Dr. Gomez the bad guys. That's why he is obsessed with calling everyone who is stronger than him on the KJV a Ruckmanite.

Calvin George has even accused the late Dr. D. A. Waite, who supported the RVG, of "Ruckmanism". To Calvin George anyone who dares to recognize the reality of the Critical Text in his Spanish Bible is a Ruckmanite.

Attempts by 1602P Supporters to Prove Ruckman Influence in the RVG

Recently some who support the 1602 Valera Purified or “Purificada” (1602P) have also tried to dismiss the RVG as a Ruckmanite Bible.  One pastor asked me if anyone on the RVG Bible Society was a graduate of PBI (Pensacola Bible Institute).  When I showed him that no one in our Society was trained by Ruckman he then began to resort to some of the same exact arguments of the Critical Text defender Calvin George to insist that we were influenced by Ruckman regardless, even though the Society members don’t have anything to do with Ruckman.  I believe he wants an alibi to justify his fear of standing for the RVG over the 1602P so he decided to hide behind the Ruckman card.  (Proverbs 29:25 “The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the LORD shall be safe.”)

The problem for him, however, is that an actual Ruckmanite just so happens to be the #1 most outspoken advocate of the 1602P.  Robert Breaker is a PBI graduate.  Breaker’s material promoting the 1602P is displayed on the official website which promotes the 1602P.  Robert Breaker has been heavily involved with the 1602P.

Robert Breaker is a member of the church that produced the 1602P; Grace Bible Baptist Church in Monterrey, Mexico, where Raul Reyes is the pastor.  Breaker is ordained and sent out by his home church in Mexico as a “missionary evangelist”.  I can only assume that Breaker’s home church approves of his non-denominational Internet church that he “pastors” on the Internet.  He calls this make-believe church “the Cloud”.  Reminds me of the following verses. 

Proverbs 25:14  “Whoso boasteth himself of a false gift is like clouds and wind without rain.”

Jude 1:12 "These are spots in your feasts of charity, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear: clouds they are without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots"

If the RVG is to be dismissed because of guilt-by-association, then the 1602P supporters are shooting themselves in their own foot when their most outspoken advocate is not just a PBI graduate but a disgraced one. 

Robert Breaker was kicked out of Dr. Ruckman’s church and dismissed from the mission board of the same church due to what Dr. Ruckman believed was unethical behavior.  (See the letter that Dr. Ruckman wrote to rebuke Breaker in Appendix A below.  This letter was displayed in public by Breaker himself on his website and a copy was mailed to churches including mine.)

Furthermore, Robert Breaker reveals on his website that Dr. Ruckman sent a love offering to assist the 1602P to be printed (https://www.rrb3.com/bibles/spnbibl/ruckman_letters.htm). 

So if the 1602P crowd insists that we should distance ourselves from anything that resembles what they think is Ruckmanism or Ruckman influence, when will they distance themselves from Robert Breaker?  When will they quit promoting the 1602P with the material written by Breaker?  When will they remove Breaker for unethical behavior (see Ruckman's letter below) from the membership of the church that the 1602P is based out of? When will they stop allowing him to share the platform with them in their Bible conferences?  Just check out the videos that they have available on their YouTube channel and on their website to see how heavily involved this “Ruckmanite” is with their Bible.

At the end of the day, I really don’t care about Breaker’s involvement with the 1602P.  I don’t care that he was trained by Dr. Ruckman and went to PBI.  The 1602P crowd is entitled to work with whoever they wish.  I just want to point out the hypocrisy in their arguments.

I don’t dismiss the 1602P because of any association with anyone I might disagree with about anything.  I dismiss the 1602P simply because it is an inferior text.  The RVG is better.  Period.

By the Same Logic, Should We Dismiss the King James Bible?

If our critics are going to play this ad hominem, guilt-by-association game, then they should stop using the King James Bible.  How much would you like to bet that those who are so concerned about distancing themselves from Ruckman actually have more in common with Ruckman than they do the KJV translators?  Considering that the KJV translators were Calvinistic Anglicans and Puritans, with all due respect, I’m sure it wouldn’t be long for an Independent Fundamental Baptist to find things that they wouldn’t agree with.  Yet for some reason that doesn’t deter them at all when it comes to using and LOVING the KJV.  If they are going to condemn us and dismiss our Spanish Bible for the involvement of some folks that they don’t agree with, then they are guilty of inconsistency, hypocrisy, and a double standard.

In Closing

Dr. Gomez told me one time, “One thing I like about you Brother Manny is that you are your own man.”  In closing, let me speak for myself.  I am an INDEPENDENT Baptist.  I don’t have a particular camp or circle that I exclusively run with.  I am camp-less.  Even if I wanted to belong to any particular group I wouldn’t qualify because I don’t know of anyone that my personal set of convictions and preferences line up with 100%.  I have friends from every camp and circle in the IFB world.  If the only people that I can support and fellowship with are people that I see eye to eye on about everything all the time, then I can’t even be married, and neither can you. 

This obsession that too many have in the IFB world to label everyone and associate them with this group or that one is juvenile.  The carnal church of Corinth was rebuked by Paul for this same thing in 1st Corinthians 1:10-13 as one group boasted “I am of Paul” and another said “I am of Apollos” and the other said “I am of Peter”.  Shouldn’t we all be in one camp?  Which camp is Jesus in?  That’s the one I want to be in.  Label me with whatever label associates me with my Lord and Saviour who saved my soul and delivered me from Hell back in 1988. 

In regard to the Ruckmanite camp, some of our biggest critics have been PBI graduates like Robert Breaker and Jeff McArdle.  On the other hand, yes we have had support and assistance from those of that same circle.  I am thankful for PBI graduates who use the RVG.  In fact, the bookstore of Dr. Ruckman's church sells the RVG. Anyone who loves the KJV should support the RVG if they are concerned with using the Spanish Bible that agrees the most with the KJV.  The RVG is supported by folks who are fond of Ruckman as well as folks who don't want to have anything to do with Ruckman, and everything in between, JUST LIKE THE KJV.

I am not trying to defend nor disparage anyone who may have been influenced by Dr. Ruckman. I prefer to reserve that kind of judgement until I have actually met the individual and have spent enough time to know what that person is about. (Proverbs 18:13 "He that answereth a matter before he heareth it, it is folly and shame unto him.")  I know some wonderful Christians from the Ruckman camp, who sincerely love Jesus and His word, who are a tremendous blessing.  I can say the same thing about folks from every camp, including the Hyles camp, the Harold Sightler camp, Sammy Allen camp, and circles associated with every IFB alma-mater you can think of.  I both agree and disagree with them all on a variety of things.   I believe in chewing the meat and spitting out the bones.  While I do believe there are lines that must be drawn on some things, I also believe in fellowshipping on common ground.  I don’t judge folks according to their camp or alma-mater.  I try to discern their character as an individual and build a friendship based on that.

The RVG is not the result of any camp.  It is the result of a desire that good people have from ALL the camps.  What we all share in common is a desire for a pure Bible, not just in English but also in Spanish.  That’s a good cause that anyone from any circle ought to support.

The whole “You’re a Ruckmanite” thing is lame.  It is shallow.  I agree with my good friend Dr. Phil Stringer who said, “A Ruckmanite is what they call you when they are losing the argument.”

APPENDIX A

(Below is a photocopy of the letter Dr. Ruckman wrote to rebuke Robert Breaker, which he went public with. He left out Dr. Ruckman's signature.)