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Dr. John Clement Whitcomb, Jr. (1924—2020) was an American theologian, Old Testament scholar, and leading young earth creationist. He is one of the founders of the modern creationist movement. With Christian apologist and hydraulic engineer Dr. Henry M. Morris, Whitcomb co-wrote The Genesis Flood (1961). The book carefully defended a literal, six-day creation and a worldwide flood. Its profound influence convinced many conservative evangelicals to embrace a “flood geology,” the idea that the story of Noah’s ark and the flood in Genesis 6—9 depicts an actual historical event.
John C. Whitcomb was born in Washington, D.C., the only child of John Clement and Salome Josephine Whitcomb. While growing up in a military family, he lived in China and various U.S. cities before attending McCallie Military Academy in Chattanooga, Tennessee. He excelled academically in high school and was accepted to Princeton University, where he anticipated becoming an American ambassador.
John’s parents were not believers, and neither the church nor the Bible influenced his upbringing. Most people thought he would pursue a military career path like his father. Becoming a minister seemed the last thing on Whitcomb’s mind. However, John’s life changed course during his first year at Princeton. He started attending a Bible study led by the former missionary and faculty member Dr. Donald Fullerton of Princeton Evangelical Fellowship. Soon, John realized he needed to trust Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior.
In 1943, 18-year-old Whitcomb wrote to his parents about his newfound faith and desire to study the Bible and become a missionary in China. But before that could occur, he was drafted into the U.S. Army to serve in Europe during World War II from 1944 to 1946. After returning from the war, Whitcomb resumed his education at Princeton, graduating with honors in 1948. Next, he attended Grace Theological Seminary in Winona Lake, Indiana, earning master’s degrees in divinity and theology and a doctor of theology.
Once again, God redirected John C. Whitcomb’s path by closing the door of opportunity for him to work as a missionary in China. Instead, he was invited to join the faculty of Grace Theological Seminary in 1951. He would teach Old Testament theology and Christian theology at GTS until 1990.
In 1953, John married Edisene Hanson. The couple had four children (David, Donald, Constance, and Robert), but Edisene developed liver disease and died in 1970 at age forty. Around this time, one of John’s doctoral students died suddenly from a heart attack, leaving his wife, Norma Aileen Pritchett, a widow. She had two boys (Daniel and Timothy), who were similar in age to Whitcomb’s children. John and Norma married in 1971.
John C. Whitcomb taught at Grace Theological Seminary for nearly four decades, chairing the Christian theology department, directing the school’s postgraduate studies, and editing Grace Theological Journal. Throughout his career, he wrote numerous books on the Bible and science and published several commentaries on books of the Bible.
Two of Whitcomb’s works stand out from the rest: his master of divinity defense on the historical accuracy of the book of Daniel (published as Darius the Mede, 1959) and his master of theology defense on a literal interpretation of the creation account and a global flood. Whitcomb brought his ideas to Dr. Henry Morris, who provided the science to support the book’s flood geology. The two collaborated and published The Genesis Flood in 1961, a groundbreaking book that rapidly became a bestseller and the cornerstone of the modern-day creationist movement.
John C. Whitcomb also developed a set of chronological charts detailing the history of the Old Testament. The project revolutionized Bible study. The charts are still used by students and scholars today.
In 2009, John C. Whitcomb was honored with the John F. Walvoord Lifetime Achievement Award for Excellence in Prophetic Studies.
After being dismissed from Grace Theological Seminary for diverging theological and doctrinal viewpoints, John and Norma founded Whitcomb Ministries in 1991. The ministry provides lectures, courses, curriculum and other resources for seminaries, missions organizations, and churches worldwide.
Whitcomb continued to speak at conferences and give lectures throughout his retirement years. He also stayed involved in foreign missions as Chairman of the Board for the Spanish World Gospel Mission and Grace Brethren Missions.
On February 5, 2020, John C. Whitcomb, Jr., died at his home in Indianapolis, Indiana. He was 95.
Here are a couple of quotes from Dr. Whitcomb: “Love without obedience is a satanic substitute for God’s plan.”
“While the cross of Christ is foundational and indispensable to the gospel message, we must not neglect the message of the empty tomb.”
