Frank Ely Gaebelein (March 31, 1899 – January 19, 1983) was an American

evangelical Evangelicalism (), also called evangelical Christianity or evangelical Protestantism, is a worldwide, interdenominational movement within Protestantism, Protestant Christianity that emphasizes evangelism, or the preaching and spreading of th ...

educator, author, and editor who was the founding headmaster of

The Stony Brook School The Stony Brook School is a private, Christian, co-educational, college-preparatory boarding and day school for grades 7–12 in Stony Brook, New York, United States. It was established in 1922 by John Fleming Carson and fellow members of ...

Long Island, New York Long Island is a densely populated continental island in southeastern New York (state), New York state, extending into the Atlantic Ocean. It constitutes a significant share of the New York metropolitan area in both population and land are ...

. He is the author of more than twenty books, and also served as editor for ''Our Hope'' (which later merged with Eternity), ''

Christianity Today ''Christianity Today'' is an evangelical Christian media magazine founded in 1956 by Billy Graham. It is published by Christianity Today International based in Carol Stream, Illinois. ''The Washington Post'' calls ''Christianity Today'' "eva ...

'', and ''

Eternity Eternity, in common parlance, is an Infinity, infinite amount of time that never ends or the quality, condition or fact of being everlasting or eternal. Classical philosophy, however, defines eternity as what is timeless or exists outside tim ...

'' magazines, style editor for the translation committee of the

New International Version The New International Version (NIV) is a translation of the Bible into contemporary English. Published by Biblica, the complete NIV was released on October 27, 1978, with a minor revision in 1984 and a major revision in 2011. The NIV relies ...

of the Bible, and general editor for the 12-volume ''Expositor's Bible Commentary''.

Early life and education

Gaebelein was born in

Mount Vernon, New York Mount Vernon is a city in Westchester County, New York, United States. It is an inner suburb of New York City, immediately to the north of the Borough (New York City), borough of the Bronx. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, Moun ...

, the youngest of three sons, to German immigrants Arno Clemens Gaebelein and Emma Fredericka (née Grimm) Gaebelein. His father was a noted preacher and outspoken early leader of the

dispensationalist Dispensationalism is a theological framework for interpreting the Bible which maintains that history is divided into multiple ages called "dispensations" in which God interacts with his chosen people in different ways. It is often distinguish ...

and

fundamentalist Fundamentalism is a tendency among certain groups and individuals that are characterized by the application of a strict literal interpretation to scriptures, dogmas, or ideologies, along with a strong belief in the importance of distinguishin ...

movements. Frank graduated from Mount Vernon High School, where he was editor of the yearbook with

E. B. White Elwyn Brooks White (July 11, 1899 – October 1, 1985) was an American writer. He was the author of several highly popular books for children, including ''Stuart Little'' (1945), ''Charlotte's Web'' (1952), and '' The Trumpet of the Swan'' ...

(later contributor to ''

The New Yorker ''The New Yorker'' is an American magazine featuring journalism, commentary, criticism, essays, fiction, satire, cartoons, and poetry. It was founded on February 21, 1925, by Harold Ross and his wife Jane Grant, a reporter for ''The New York T ...

'' magazine and author of ''

Charlotte's Web ''Charlotte's Web'' is a book of children's literature by American author E. B. White and illustrated by Garth Williams. It was published on October 15, 1952, by Harper & Brothers. It tells the story of a livestock pig named Wilbur and his frie ...

'' and ''

Stuart Little ''Stuart Little'' is a 1945 American children's novel by E. B. White. It was White's first children's book, and became recognized as a classic in children's literature. ''Stuart Little'' was illustrated by the artist Garth Williams, also his f ...

''). He earned his

B.A. A Bachelor of Arts (abbreviated B.A., BA, A.B. or AB; from the Latin ', ', or ') is the holder of a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate program in the liberal arts, or, in some cases, other disciplines. A Bachelor of Arts degree ...

from

New York University New York University (NYU) is a private university, private research university in New York City, New York, United States. Chartered in 1831 by the New York State Legislature, NYU was founded in 1832 by Albert Gallatin as a Nondenominational ...

(1920), where he was the piano soloist performing with the University Glee Club. Gaebelein's studies were interrupted briefly in 1918 to serve in the

U.S. Army The United States Army (USA) is the primary land service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is designated as the Army of the United States in the United States Constitution.Article II, section 2, clause 1 of the United Stat ...

, where he was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant. He earned his A.M. from

Harvard University Harvard University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States. Founded in 1636 and named for its first benefactor, the History of the Puritans in North America, Puritan clergyma ...

(1921), where he studied English and comparative literature. In 1923, Gaebelein married Dorothy Laura (née Medd), with whom he had three children: Dorothy Laura G. Hampton, Donn Medd, and Gretchen Elizabeth Gaebelein Hull (who later gave birth to artist Jeff Hull (1955), Dr. Rev. Sanford Hull (1956), and Meredyth Hull Smith (1957)).

Career

Shortly after graduating from Harvard in the spring of 1921, Gaebelein was approached by John F. Carson and Ford C. Ottman to be the headmaster of

, which was an outgrowth of the

Stony Brook Assembly The Stony Brook Assembly was an evangelical organization that held a series of annual summer Bible Academic conference, Conferences and camp meetings in Stony Brook, New York, Stony Brook, New York (state), NY on Long Island from 1909 to 1958. N ...

. Frank Gaebelein began organizing The Stony Brook School, which opened in the fall of 1922. He held the position of headmaster for more than four decades. During this time, he also served as an ordained deacon and presbyter at the

Reformed Episcopal Church The Reformed Episcopal Church (REC) is an Anglican Church. It was founded in 1873 in New York City by George David Cummins, a former bishop of the Episcopal Church (United States), Protestant Episcopal Church. The REC is a founding member of the ...

. In 1954 he served as vice-chairman for

Oxford University Press Oxford University Press (OUP) is the publishing house of the University of Oxford. It is the largest university press in the world. Its first book was printed in Oxford in 1478, with the Press officially granted the legal right to print books ...

's preparation of the ''New

Scofield Reference Bible The Scofield Reference Bible is a widely circulated study Bible. Edited and annotated by the American Bible student Cyrus I. Scofield, it popularized dispensationalism at the beginning of the 20th century. Published by Oxford University Pres ...

''. Toward the end of his tenure at Stony Brook, Gaebelein and the school came under pressure from

fundamentalists Fundamentalism is a tendency among certain groups and individuals that are characterized by the application of a strict literal interpretation to scriptures, dogmas, or ideologies, along with a strong belief in the importance of distinguishin ...

because of their embracing "new evangelicalism". One of the leaders of this movement,

Harold Ockenga Harold John Ockenga (June 6, 1905 – February 8, 1985) was a leading figure of mid-20th-century American Evangelicalism, part of the reform movement known as "Neo-Evangelicalism". A Congregational minister, Ockenga served for many years as ...

, invited Gaebelein to be the dean of the newly founded

Fuller Theological Seminary Fuller Theological Seminary is an Evangelical seminary in Pasadena, California, with regional campuses in the western United States. It is egalitarian in nature. Fuller has a student body of approximately 2,300 students from 90 countries and ...

, an offer he considered but ultimately declined. Gaebelein served on the executive committee of evangelist Billy Graham's famous sixteen-week crusade at

Madison Square Garden Madison Square Garden, colloquially known as the Garden or by its initials MSG, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in New York City. It is located in Midtown Manhattan between Seventh Avenue (Manhattan), Seventh and Eighth Avenue (Manhattan), Eig ...

in 1957. Following the close of the crusade in September, Graham visited Stony Brook and spoke to a crowd of 6,000 on the campus. It was due to this that the Stony Brook Assembly ceased its summer conferences, which had been conducted on the campus since 1909. After retiring from Stony Brook in 1963, Gaebelein joined Carl F. H. Henry as co-editor of ''

''. While covering the 1965

Selma to Montgomery marches The Selma to Montgomery marches were three Demonstration (protest), protest marches, held in 1965, along the highway from Selma, Alabama, to the state capital of Montgomery, Alabama, Montgomery. The marches were organized by Nonviolence, nonvi ...

during the Civil Rights Movement, he was criticized for abandoning his role as a reporter and joining as a protester. In 1968 he served as style committee chairman for the

of the Bible. From 1969 to 1972, Gaebelein was director of the faculty summer seminar on faith and learning at Wheaton College of Illinois. In 1971, he took on the role as general editor for the ''Expositor's Bible Commentary'', an endeavor he continued until his death (supervising, in order of publication, volumes 10, 11, 1, 9, and 12).

Death and legacy

In October 1982, Gaebelein attended the dedication of the Frank E. Gaebelein Hall at The Stony Brook School. In November 1982, he underwent a double bypass surgery, and never fully recovered. Gaebelein died two months later at the

Mayo Clinic Mayo Clinic () is a Nonprofit organization, private American Academic health science centre, academic Medical centers in the United States, medical center focused on integrated health care, healthcare, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science ...

Rochester, Minnesota Rochester is a city in Olmsted County, Minnesota, United States, and its county seat. It is located along rolling bluffs on the Zumbro River's south fork in Southeast Minnesota. At the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the city had a popul ...

Published works

*''Down Through the Ages: The Story of the King James Bible'' (1924) *''A Brief Survey of Scripture'' (1929) *''Exploring the Bible: a study of background and principles'' (1929) *''The Hollow Queen'' (1933) *''Facing the Fact of Inspiration'' (1933) *''From a Headmaster's Study'' (1935) *''Philemon: The gospel of Emancipation: A Narrative and Devotional Commentary'' (1939) *''Looking Unto Him: A Message for Each Day'' (1941) *''The Christian Use of the Bible'' (1946) *''The Servant and the Dove: Obadiah and Jonah, Their Messages and Their Work'' (1946) *''The Meaning of Inspiration'' (1950) *''The Story of the King James Bible'' (1950) *"Rutherford Today" in ''Samuel Rutherford, 1600-1661'' (1950) *''Christian Education in a Democracy'' (1951) *''The Pattern of God's Truth'' (1954) *''The Practical Epistle of James: Studies in Applied Christianity'' (1955) *"The Bible College in American Education" ''School and Society'', 87, 223 (1959) *''The Story of the Scofield Reference Bible, 1909-1959'' (1959) *''Commitment and the School Community'' (Ed.) (1960) *''Toward a Philosophy of Christian Education: An Introduction to Evangelical Christian Education'' (Ed.) (1964) *''A Christianity Today Reader'' (1966) *''A Varied Harvest: Out of a Teacher's Life and Thought: A collection of Essays'' (1967) *''The New Scofield Reference Bible: Its Background and Making'' (1967) *''Christianity Today'' (Ed.) (1968) *''The Pattern of God's Truth: Problems of Integration in Christian Education'' (1968) *''Faith That Lives: From the Practical Epistle of James'' (1969) *''Four Minor Prophets, Obadiah, Jonah, Habakkuk, and Haggai: Their Message for Today'' (1970) *''From Day to Day: A Message from the Bible for Each Day of the Year'' (1975) *''The Expositor's Bible Commentary'' (1976–1992) *''The Christian, the Arts, and Truth: Regaining the Vision of Greatness'' (1985) *"What is Truth in Art?" in ''The Christian Imagination: Essays on Literature and the Arts'' (1986)

References

* * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Gaebelein, Frank E. 1899 births 1983 deaths 20th-century American male writers 20th-century American non-fiction writers 20th-century Christian biblical scholars 20th-century evangelicals 20th-century American translators American biblical scholars American Evangelical writers American male non-fiction writers American people of German descent American Reformed Episcopalians American religious writers American school administrators Anglican writers Educators from New York (state) Evangelical Anglican biblical scholars Harvard Graduate School of Arts and Sciences alumni New York University alumni People from Stony Brook, New York Translators of the Bible into English Writers from Mount Vernon, New York