A Ruckmanite is an Independent Baptist, 1611 King James Only, follower of twice divorced, thrice married Florida Baptist preacher Peter Ruckman. Ruckmanites believe the 1611 King James version of the Bible is the p-e-r-f-e-c-t word of God for English-speaking people. They are generally known for having bombastic, hateful personalities. They think they are the smartest person in any room and consider Bart Ehrman an illiterate hillbilly. Ruckmanism is quite popular in Independent Fundamentalist Baptist (IFB) churches.
You can check out Ruckman’s literary work here.
Over the weekend, Polly and I took a road trip south of here and ended up in Delphos, Ohio. As we were checking out Delphos, we stumbled across a Peter Ruckman follower or at least a person who buys signs and bumper stickers from Ruckman’s bookstore. Here’s some of the photographs I took of the Ruckmanite’s home and automobile. I think the photographs will tell you all you need to know!
Okay, Bruce, maybe you can explain this to me… are fundamentalists or IFB types really aware of the history of how the KJV came to be, who King James was and what he did? I’m puzzled why anyone considering themselves super holy would be believing that a version of the Bible ordered by a King who was pretty openly homosexual. His lovers all ended up with titles and lands from the crown, but the most controversial of all was George Villiers – Duke of Buckingham. Another, Esme Stewart was forcibly removed from court and the King and banned. The Earl of Somerset blackmailed the King over their relationship. So…. thank a homosexual for the KJV Bible. – http://www.libchrist.com/other/homosexual/kingjames.html
Also, love the duct tape on that dude’s homemade sign,, quite an embellishment.
They are aware of the history. They either explain it away or say, see God used the worst of people to do his work. Ain’t God awesome!!
You gotta love those Ruckmanites.
The 1611 KJV – if it’s good enough for Jesus, it’s good enough for me!
Great shots! Especially the one in Jerusalem!!
(Wait, that was Ohio?) Sarcasm. Notice the Israelli flag was the one he was flying the highest. Unreal. Fucking traitor
That last photo is intriguing. Very nice. I really really need to get out that way to photograph. You are pushing me to learn more Bruce, I thank you!
Love the U.S. flag on the outside and the Confederate flag inside shot. Flying the stars and bars tells me more than I really want to know about the person who lives there. Well spotted.
ok … here is a question …..
so the KJV is the perfect version
for English speaking people.
then what other bibles are perfect for
other languages!?? are they saying the
bible is for just English people? what about
Germans? Japanese? Arabic people ?
There is a lot of controversy in King James Version Only circles over other language translations. Many of them believe that the King James is so superior, so perfect that they translate from the English to the new language, bypassing the original languages. I know, crazy, right? 🙂
Some go further and say no translations, you gotta use the KJV in good old Jacobethan English no matter what the language is of the other people.
Having grown up in the deep south, words do not adequately express how offensive the “rebel” flag is to me. Anyone who displays it might as well wear a sign on their back that says, “I am a racist.” However, the internet is doing a lovely job of exposing the lunacy of these people. One day everyone who is normal will run away from them and their belief systems.
And what is the deal with this Ruckman character and his serial marriages? Doesn’t the Bible condemn that???
Dang, it is a wonder you didn’t get shot.
Hilarious. A “sighting” as if a Ruckmanite is a cryptid? Thanks for the laugh.
Just curious….what made you change your mind?
So I came across your post while researching this topic of Ruckmanism. I recently met a man in the northwest that is from Pennsylvania and made claims similar to what you have mentioned here but would not admit to being a Ruckmanite. To answer P’s question, he said that English is the world’s language and anyone that wants to read the Bible should learn English. I was dumbfounded.
My main point in this comment though is to say that I think your post infers that most IFB’s are Ruckmanites. I am from the south originally, have attended several independent Baptist churches across Texas and encountered very few people that are this extreme. The independent baptist Bible colleges I know of require pastors to study Greek so they can better understand and teach the scriptures. I have frequently heard pastors refer to the Greek and Hebrew in sermons. My home church has and is currently translating Bibles into other languages and using the original text, not the KJV. Maybe it is because I have always lived in major metropolitan areas and what you state is true in small country churches, but please do not assume every independent fundamental baptist is a Ruckmanite.
No, I didn’t infer that most IFB churches are Ruckmanite. Since I know the IFB church movement inside and out, I would never make such a claim.
That said, while some IFB preachers use Greek/Hebrew in their study/preaching, all IFB preachers believe the Bible is inerrant. If a preacher completely immerses himself in the original languages and understands how the Biblical text was written, there’s no way he can conclude the Bible is inerrant. (Either on the translational or original languages level)
Thanks for commenting.
My apologies then. Guess I misunderstood your statement, “Ruckmanism is quite popular in Independent Fundamentalist Baptist (IFB) churches.”
Thanks for your speedy response.
No problem.
There is some diversity in the IFB when it comes to translations, but I suspect most IFB churches use the KJV.
Here’s Bob Jones University’s position on the KJV:
Although Bob Jones University does not hold to a King James Only position, we continue to hold the widely-used King James Version (KJV) as the campus standard in the classroom and in the chapel pulpit. The position of the University on the translation issue has not changed since the founding of the school in 1927.
We believe in the verbal, plenary inspiration of the Bible in the original manuscripts, and we believe that God has supernaturally preserved every one of His inspired words for us today. However, from the founder to the present administration, we have never taken the position that there can be only one good translation in the English language.
Pensacola Christian College:
We believe that the Bible is the verbally inspired and infallible, authoritative Word of God and that God gave the words of Scripture by inspiration without error in the original autographs. God promises that He will preserve His Word; Jesus said, “My words shall not pass away” (Matt. 24:35). We believe that God has kept that promise by preserving His infallible Word in the traditional Hebrew and Greek manuscripts and that the Authorized Version (KJV) is an accurate English translation of the preserved Word of God.
Hyles-Anderson College:
We believe the Word of God as found in the sixty-six (66) books from Genesis to Revelation is infallible and inerrant and perfect; it is the plenary and verbally inspired words of God to men. We believe God has also preserved every single word through the ages. God has divinely preserved His words for English-speaking people in the King James Version. The King James Version is the translation used in any and all ministries of First Baptist Church for English-speaking people.
Maranatha Baptist University
The Bible faculty are committed to a position on the text of the Scriptures that honors textual truths, historical discovery and local church leadership. We believe in the verbal, plenary inspiration of the Bible, the sixty-six books of the Old and New Testament canon, which, being inspired and inerrant in the original manuscripts, is the final authority on all matters of faith and practice. We believe that the Bible teaches the complete preservation of the verbal revelation of God, yet no passage of Scripture specifies the manner in which God preserved His Word. Thus, we hold that God has providentially preserved His Word in the many manuscripts, fragments, and copies of the Scriptures. We hold that the reliability of any text, text type, translation, version, or copy of the Scriptures is to be judged by the autographs only. Thus any translation or version of Scripture in any language is the Word of God if it accurately reproduces what is in the original languages. We believe that the translation of the Word of God from the original languages into the language of common people is a necessary activity and essential for the spread of the Gospel.
We are thankful that the KJV of the Bible is an accurate translation of the original languages. This version is the preference of multiple churches within our constituency. We use the King James Version in the Maranatha pulpit and classroom. We reject versions that reflect liberal or cultic bias. We reject preservation positions that elevate any version to the level of the autographs.
The Crown College of the Bible
We believe the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments to be the Bible, “as it is in truth, the Word of God…” (I Thessalonians 2:13). We believe in verbal, plenary inspiration in the original writings, and God’s preservation of His pure words to every generation (II Timothy 3:16, Psalms 12:6-8). We believe that the Scriptures are inerrant, infallible, and God-breathed.
The Masoretic Text of the Old Testament and the Received Text of the New Testament (Textus Receptus) are those texts of the original languages we use; the Authorized King James Version of the Bible is the English version we use in the English-speaking world. The Bible is our sole and final authority for faith and practice.
I live about 2 blocks away from this house. It is so bizarre that I stumbled across this blog. This guy changes up his flags on a daily basis. It is a spectacle for sure.
I worked with this man for 14 years in Delphos. I will say he is definitely different. I also will say he is a very polite, kind and generous man who keeps to himself and never bothers anyone. I have personally saw him witness to people of all races on the job. He shares his lunch, gives rides and and a kind word to anyone who ever needed it at work.