Written by: Matthew Orquia
Jack Blanco, author of The Clear Word paraphrase of the Bible and former dean of Southern Adventist University’s School of Religion, died on Jan. 11. He was 95.
His death was announced on Jan. 21 by the North-American Division (NAD) Office of Communication.
Greg King, dean of Southern’s School of Religion, reflected on Blanco’s passing.
“Though Jack Blanco was short in stature, he was a spiritual giant of a man,” King stated. “His love [for] God, his commitment to Scripture, and his dedication to the church were palpable and contagious. He sought every opportunity to bring encouragement to others and to point them to the Lord as the answer to life’s deepest questions. He will surely be missed!”
Blanco worked in ministry and academia before joining Southern as faculty in 1983. For the Potomac, New Jersey, Georgia-Cumberland and Southeastern California conferences, he served in various roles, including as evangelistic coordinator, pastoral assistant and pastor, according to the NAD.
In addition, he chaired the graduate program at Philippine Union College (now Adventist University of the Philippines) and the theology departments at Solusi College (now Solusi University) in Zimbabwe. Blanco was also an academic dean at Columbia Union College (now Washington Adventist University) in Maryland, where he taught theology.
A Chicago native, Blanco had a tumultuous childhood, with his father leaving his mother before Blanco’s birth in 1929, according to a 2014 interview published in Southern Columns. When he was 9 years old, Blanco visited his grandparents in Germany and had the opportunity to stay there for a year. However, right before his scheduled return home, the inception of World War II forced Blanco to remain in Germany, where he worked on the family farm and continued his education.
Despite successfully concealing his American identity for a time, in 1941, Blanco was sent to a labor camp in Germany, where he faced grueling work and physical abuse. He escaped the labor camp in 1945 during the U.S. invasion of Germany and arrived at his grandparents’ house weighing scarcely more than 80 pounds. At age 16, Blanco finally returned home to the United States.
Although he was raised in a Catholic family, he left his childhood faith after his experiences during World War II. While he served in the U.S. Air Force during the Korean War, Blanco searched for someone to model his life after, and he heard a voice suggesting Jesus. This resulted in Blanco spending time in the base library, reading Bible Readings for the Home Circle, which was labeled as the “Bible.”
After further studying, Blanco was baptized into the Seventh-day Adventist Church while serving with the Air Force in Guam.
He went on to a career in ministry after earning a degree from Union College (now Union Adventist University) and studying at the Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary in Michigan. He also earned a Master of Theology degree from Princeton Theological Seminary and a Doctor of Theology degree from the University of South Africa.
In 1983, Blanco accepted an offer to join Southern as a professor in the School of Religion, where he eventually served as dean until his retirement in 2000. While at Southern, he began the project that would eventually become The Clear Word Bible paraphrase, starting with the book of Mark. Seven years later, although he had not originally intended to publish his writings, The Clear Word was released.
His paraphrase has since been read by thousands. In the Southern Columns article, Blanco said, “When people thank me for what The Clear Word has done for them, I always tell them to give the glory to God. That is my goal in life.”
According to the NAD, Blanco’s son Steve passed away in 2009, and his wife, Marion, passed away in 2012. He is survived by his daughter, Cheri Blanco Jones, and her husband, Geoff, his grandson, Derek, and three great-grandchildren.
A memorial service, hosted at the Collegedale Church of Seventh-day Adventists, is planned for the spring.
