William McElwee Miller

William McElwee Miller (December 12, 1892 – July 7, 1993) was an American missionary to Persia, and author of several books.[1]

Born in Middlesboro, Kentucky, Miller received a M.A. in 1913 from Washington and Lee University, and a B.D. in 1919 from Princeton Theological Seminary. He went to Persia (Iran) as a missionary of the Presbyterian Church and, except for a short period around 1932, he remained in Persia until 1962.

As a part of his missionary work, he learned Persian and studied Islam, particularly Shi'a Islam, Persia and Persian culture. During his missionary work in Persia, he also encountered the Bahá'ís, a large religious minority there. Much of his ministerial work involved developing Christian apologetic responses to these religions.

With respect to the Bahá'í Faith, his Baha'ism, Its Origin, History and Teachings,[2] published in 1931, was the first of two books, and several apologetics articles on the subject. Along with Earl E. Elder he translated Bahá'u'lláh's Kitáb-i-Aqdas, one of the central books of the religion; this translation was published by the Royal Asiatic Society in 1961. In 1974, a new follow-up, The Baha'i Faith: Its History and Teachings[3] added additional material not available previously.

After 1962, he retired with his wife to Mount Airy, Pennsylvania, where he lived until she died, and then went to live in a retirement home until his own death in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1993.

Works

  • 'Translation of Al-Babu'l-Hadi' Ashar by Al-Hilli, a treatise on the theological doctrine of Shi'ite Muslims'; London, Royal Asiatic Society, 1928.
  • Baha'ism, Its Origin, History and Teachings. New York: Fleming H. Revell Co., 1931.
  • Earl E. Elder and William McElwee Miller (Trs.) (1961). AL-KITĀB AL-AQDAS. London: Royal Asiatic Society. ISBN 0-947593-20-9.
  • William McElwee Miller (1974). The Bahá'í Faith: Its History and Teachings. Pasadena, CA: William Carey Library. ISBN 0-87808-137-2.
  • A Christian's Response to Islam; Phillipsburg, NJ: Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing Co., 1976
  • Ten Muslims Meet Christ. Grand Rapids, Michigan; Cambridge, UK: Eerdmans. 1969.
  • My Persian Pilgrimage, ISBN 0-87808-214-X; William Carey Library, 1989
  • Tales of Persia: A Book for Children, ISBN 0-87552-292-0; Presbyterian and Reformed Pub Co, 1988
  • Tales Of Persia: Missionary Stories From Islamic Iran, ISBN 0-87552-615-2, Presbyterian and Reformed Pub Co, 2005

References

  1. ↑ "Interview with William McElwee Miller - Collection 387". Billy Graham Center. 2005-04-08. Retrieved 2008-09-17.
  2. ↑ William McElwee Miller (1931). Baha'ism, Its Origin, History and Teachings (PDF). Fleming H. Revell Company.
  3. ↑ William McElwee Miller (1974). The Baha'i Faith: Its History and Teachings. William Carey Library. ISBN 978-0-87808-137-0.

Sources

  • Miller, William (1974). The Baha'i Faith: Its History and Teachings. Pasadena, CA: William Carey Library. ISBN 0-87808-137-2.
  • Elwell-Sutton, L.P. (1976). "Baha'i Faith: Its History and Teachings, The, by William Miller". Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland. 28 (3): 157–158.
  • Martin, Douglas (1978). "Missionary as Historian: William Miller and the Baha'i Faith, a review of Miller's 'The Baha'i Faith: Its History and Teachings'". Baha'i Studies. 40 (3).
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