Roger R. Nicole (December 10, 1915 – December 11, 2010
[Roger Nicole (1915-2010) http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/justintaylor/2010/12/11/roger-nicole-1915-2010/]) was a native Swiss
Reformed Baptist
Reformed Baptists, also called Particular Baptists, or Calvinist Baptists, are Baptists that hold to a Calvinism, Calvinist soteriology (salvation belief teached by John Calvin). The name "Reformed Baptist" dates from the latter part of the 20 ...
theologian and proponent of
Christian egalitarianism
Christian egalitarianism, also known as biblical equality, is egalitarianism based in Christianity. Christian egalitarians believe that the Bible advocates for gender equality and equal responsibilities for the family unit and the ability for wom ...
and
biblical inerrancy
Biblical inerrancy is the belief that the Bible, in its original form, is entirely free from error.
The belief in biblical inerrancy is of particular significance within parts of evangelicalism
Evangelicalism (), also called evangelic ...
.
He was an associate editor for the ''New Geneva Study Bible'', assisted in the translation 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 ...
, and was a founding member of both the International Council on Biblical Inerrancy and the
Evangelical Theological Society
The Evangelical Theological Society (ETS) is a professional society of Biblical scholars, educators, pastors, and students "devoted to the inerrancy and inspiration of the Scriptures and the gospel of Jesus Christ" and "dedicated to the oral ex ...
, serving as president of the latter in 1956.
Early life and education
Nicole was born to Swiss parents December 10, 1915, in
Charlottenburg
Charlottenburg () is a Boroughs and localities of Berlin, locality of Berlin within the borough of Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf. Established as a German town law, town in 1705 and named after Sophia Charlotte of Hanover, Queen consort of Kingdom ...
,
Germany
Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...
. During his childhood, the family moved back to Switzerland, where he lived until 1935. He earned his
M.A. from
Sorbonne,
France
France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...
, and then emigrated to the
United States
The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
to continue his studies. He received a
B.D. (1939),
S.T.M. (1940), and
Th.D.
Doctor of Theology (, abbreviated DTh, ThD, DTheol, or Dr. theol.) is a terminal degree in the academic discipline of theology. The ThD, like the ecclesiastical Doctor of Sacred Theology, is an advanced research degree equivalent to the Doctor of ...
(1943) from
Gordon Divinity School, his
Ph.D. (1967) 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 ...
, and his
D.D. (1978) from
Wheaton College. In 1946, Nicole married Annette Cyr (1917 - 2008).
Career
In 1944, Nicole joined the faculty at what was then called Gordon Divinity School, now known as Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary. He was appointed professor of theology in 1949, where he remained until retiring in 1986. He continued to teach theology during his retirement at
Reformed Theological Seminary
Reformed Theological Seminary (RTS) is a theological seminary in the Reformed theological tradition with campuses in multiple locations in the United States. Founded by conservatives in the Southern Presbyterian Church, the Presbyterian Churc ...
,
Orlando, Florida
Orlando ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Orange County, Florida, United States. The city proper had a population of 307,573 at the 2020 census, making it the fourth-most populous city in Florida behind Jacksonville, Florida, Jacksonville ...
.
[Institute of Theological Studies, Grand Rapids, Michigan. ] A devotee of mathematics and prolific writer, he produced some 100 articles and contributed to fifty books and reference works. A
bibliophile
A bookworm or bibliophile is an individual who loves and frequently reads or collects books. Bibliophilia or bibliophilism is the love of books.
Bibliophiles may have large, specialized book collections. They may highly value old editions, aut ...
and distinguished librarian with a massive collection, he owned Calvin's ''Commentaries on the Gospels and Acts'' and other volumes from the 16th and 17th centuries.
[''Reformed Theological Seminary Quarterly.'' Footnote to Roger Nicole, ''Sanctification: Growing toward God.'' Online: ] The library of Reformed Theological Seminary in Orlando contains over twenty thousand of his personal books. They take up one half of the current library.
Legacy
Respected internationally for his Christian statesmanship and scholarship, he was an acknowledged expert in the thought of
Reformation
The Reformation, also known as the Protestant Reformation or the European Reformation, was a time of major Theology, theological movement in Western Christianity in 16th-century Europe that posed a religious and political challenge to the p ...
leader
John Calvin
John Calvin (; ; ; 10 July 150927 May 1564) was a French Christian theology, theologian, pastor and Protestant Reformers, reformer in Geneva during the Protestant Reformation. He was a principal figure in the development of the system of C ...
.
[Bailey, David W. ''Speaking the Truth in Love: Life & Legacy of Roger Nicole''. Solid Ground Christian Books, 2006. ] Evangelical commentator
David F. Wells dedicated his 1985 release, ''Reformed Theology in America'', simply “to Roger Nicole, a man of God.”
[Bailey, David W. "Do You Know Roger Nicole?" Columbia Evangelical Seminary "Coffee Talk." Online: ] J. I. Packer wrote this tribute to Nicole: "Awesome for brain power, learning and wisdom, endlessly patient and courteous in his gentle geniality, and beloved by a multitude as pastor, mentor and friend."
[
]
Other interests
An avid philatelist
Philately (; ) is the study of postage stamps and postal history. It also refers to the collection and appreciation of stamps and other philatelic products. While closely associated with stamp collecting and the study of postage, it is possible ...
, Nicole had a personal collection of approximately one million stamps. He also had a collection of six thousand mystery novels.
Death
Nicole died on December 11, 2010 from pneumonia in Longwood, Florida
Longwood is a city in Seminole County, Florida, United States. It is part of the Orlando–Kissimmee–Sanford, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 15,087 at the 2020 census.
History
With the advent of World War II, grow ...
, at the age of 95.
Selected works
Nicole wrote more than 100 articles and contributed to 50 books and reference works, including[ Reformed Theological Seminary Professor Emeritus]
Thesis
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Books
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* - Nicole writes the forward
* - Nicole was Associate Editor (a name change for the "New Geneva Study Bible")
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Chapters
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Other
* "Christians for Biblical Equality: Statement on Men, Women and Biblical Equality" Contributor. Minneapolis: Christians for Biblical Equality, 1989.
Festschriften
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References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Nicole, Roger R.
American Calvinist and Reformed theologians
Swiss Calvinist and Reformed theologians
1915 births
2010 deaths
Gordon–Conwell Theological Seminary alumni
People from Orlando, Florida
Harvard University alumni
University of Paris alumni
American philatelists
Wheaton College (Illinois) alumni
20th-century Calvinist and Reformed theologians
21st-century Calvinist and Reformed theologians
Reformed Theological Seminary faculty
Presidents of the Evangelical Theological Society