5ĭuring Dake’s ministry in Zion, he was the center of a raging controversy.

4 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. 3 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, a union that lasted until 1937. 2ĭake first preached in 1925 and was ordained by the Assemblies of God denomination two years later at the age of 24. The Dictionary of Pentecostal and Charismatic Movements states, Dake’s “impact on conservative Pentecostalism cannot be overstated.” 1įollowing his conversion to Christianity at the age of 17 in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Dake allegedly received a “special anointing” that enabled him to quote hundreds of Scripture verses without having previously memorized them, earning him the nickname “the Walking Bible.” He studied the Bible diligently and claimed to have spent nearly 100,000 hours over the course of his ministry digging into its teachings. One such prominent figure in Pentecostal and charismatic circles is Finis Jennings Dake (1902–87), author of The Dake Annotated Reference Bible. Dake’s study materials emphasize the authority of the Bible, but they contain many unbiblical and dangerous doctrines that sometimes have as much in common with the cults as with historic Christian theology.Įach Christian denomination can point to certain preachers and teachers who have helped shape and propagate its theology and practice.

His aberrant teachings also include a salvation by grace plus works and a gospel of health and prosperity. He rejected the theology of “denominationalism” and instead adopted a hyperliteral interpretation of Scripture that resulted in erroneous doctrines, such as the view that each person in the Trinity has a body, soul, and spirit, and that Jesus’ resurrected body was not physical. Dake’s views range from orthodox to outlandish, to decidedly unorthodox. The teachings of Finis Jennings Dake, author of The Dake Annotated Reference Bible, have had a profound impact on conservative Pentecostalism and have been embraced by charismatic Word-Faith preachers such as Kenneth Copeland and Benny Hinn. For further information or to subscribe to the Christian Research Journal go to: This article first appeared in the Christian Research Journal, volume 27, number 5 (2004). Article ID: JAD100 | By: Jeff Spencer and Steve Bright

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