The Opening Year 1972-1973

[Vince Massi]

Sorry, Folks, but not only was the story commmon knowledge at HAC, but the husband told me the story personally. The husband and I were friends. On various forums, I have read solemn denials by Peter Ruckman´s supporters that the story is true. The husband told me the story personally, and it was known at HAC.

Some time later, Ruckman published a picture of him and his new wife, and various people confirmed her identity.

 

[Smellin Coffee]

Dr. Rice was there for an entire week, and during that time a furious student withdrew from the college. He told Dr. Billings that he had thought that HAC was a Godly college, yet they allowed an evil man like John R. Rice to speak. The problem? The student was a Ruckmanite, and Peter Ruckman was a vehement enemy of John R: Rice.

Dr. Billings persuaded him to stay, but the student´s wife deserted him, divorced him, and married Peter Ruckman.

OK.  I have the straight scoop concerning this.  My "source" is the "wife's" brother-in-law.  I just spoke to him.  She and her husband did divorce, but when they lived in Pensacola.  She never lived in Hammond and she was not his wife when he went there.  So Mr. Massi's comment is in partial (huge) error.  The lady did marry Dr. Ruckman.  Not so dramatic when you hear the truth, eh?

Oh, my source says he highly doubts that her ex husband would have been "furious".  I don't like it when someone gets slandered.  Make sure you know what you're talking about before you post.

It has been a while so if I don't recall all the details, pardon my senility. The separation happened in FL, not sure if the divorce was finalized there when the move was made. The husband and son moved to Indiana and lived in our home and the mother and I think there was a daughter but I have never met her if so, stayed in FL. FTR, I don't remember any "fury" involved. No big deal as all parties moved on and it happened well over 40 years ago. Remembering intricate details of someone else's life that long ago cannot always be expected.

 

[IFB X-Files]

Dr. Rice was there for an entire week, and during that time a furious student withdrew from the college. He told Dr. Billings that he had thought that HAC was a Godly college, yet they allowed an evil man like John R. Rice to speak. The problem? The student was a Ruckmanite, and Peter Ruckman was a vehement enemy of John R: Rice.

Dr. Billings persuaded him to stay, but the student´s wife deserted him, divorced him, and married Peter Ruckman.

OK.  I have the straight scoop concerning this.  My "source" is the "wife's" brother-in-law.  I just spoke to him.  She and her husband did divorce, but when they lived in Pensacola.  She never lived in Hammond and she was not his wife when he went there.  So Mr. Massi's comment is in partial (huge) error.  The lady did marry Dr. Ruckman.  Not so dramatic when you hear the truth, eh?

Oh, my source says he highly doubts that her ex husband would have been "furious".  I don't like it when someone gets slandered.  Make sure you know what you're talking about before you post.

It has been a while so if I don't recall all the details, pardon my senility. The separation happened in FL, not sure if the divorce was finalized there when the move was made. The husband and son moved to Indiana and lived in our home and the mother and I think there was a daughter but I have never met her if so, stayed in FL. FTR, I don't remember any "fury" involved. No big deal as all parties moved on and it happened well over 40 years ago. Remembering intricate details of someone else's life that long ago cannot always be expected.

There are 2 daughters.  Mr. Massi must believe in time travel as Ruckman married her PRIOR to HAC opening in the Fall of 72.

 

[Vince Massi]

Early on, Dr. Hyles was speaking to the college. He surprised many of us by telling us that we were not to criticize another Christian, even if what we said was true. I seriously considered walking out. John R. Rice and Bob Jones Jr. were blasting away at each other, and my home church strongly believed that we were to fight the sins of the brethren. Surprisingly, Jack did not use Scripture to prove his point. He told us that he could confidently walk up to any Christian in Hammond without fearing that the Christian had heard Hyles gossiping about him. Later, he told us that this was very useful at preaching conferences, because he hadn´t criticized anyone there.

While I think that Jack took the commands not to criticize farther than God did, he did have some points. There are Christians who diligently spy on the saints, carefully looking for something to attack them with. The fighting between fundamentalist leaders really had gotten out of hand. Jack Hyles was a calming influence in a Satan-stirred storm.

 

[Vince Massi]

It was the very first graduation, and yes, we actually had graduates the first year. And then Jack started handing out honorary doctorates like popcorn. He explained that a person who receives an honorary doctorate has accomplished more than most people with earned doctorates. Yet, at the time, HAC had no doctorate program.

In support of Brother Hyles, most people with earned theology doctorates accomplish little, but he still had the wrong idea. A doctorate is an educational award, not an accomplishment award. A doctorate signifies a high (and sometimes useless) level of education, but it does not signify real life accomplishments. Handing honorary doctorates to young men who built large churches is a statement that it is the men, not God, who built those churches. Some of these men put ¨Dr.¨in front of their names, without explaining that they had not met the requirements of earning a doctorate. It has become a laughing stock even among the saints, and the custom should never have been started.

 

[tobytyler]

I wonder how many faculty doctorates are legitimately earned rather than honorary?  I can quickly think of Billings, Evans, Jorgensen, Rasmussen, Zachary.  Although I've been gone for 23 years, I don't know the staff in the years since.

Who else have earned doctorates.

Thank you.

Dr. Tobytyler

 

[bgwilkinson]

Bro. Hyles used the awarding of meaningless doctorates as a means of paying back pastors who sent students to HAC. This is a  classic Quid pro quo.  He also used it as an event in Pastors' school. Such as when he gave a horse a doctorate. The horse accepted the doctorate in person. (in the flesh, all of it) I can attest to the fact that it was a great crowd pleaser.

Now that gives you an idea of how much it was really worth.

That multiple divorced woman Gail Anne Ludwig Latessa Kaleda Riplinger was also the recipient of a doctorate at a pastors' school. A woman preacher. How about that?

I completely agree that a doctorate is awarded for attaining a certain educational proficiency not for any accomplishments made in your ministry. IFB doctorates are completely and totally bogus as a means of indicating educational accomplishment.