Howard A. Addison

Elisabeth Elliot, born Elisabeth Howard in Belgium in 1926, was an American missionary, author, and speaker. Her early life included missionary parents and a move to the United States, where she studied Classical Greek at Wheaton College. It was there she met Jim Elliot, whom she married in 1953. The couple initially worked with the Quichua people in Ecuador.

Tragedy struck in 1956 when her husband and four other missionaries were killed attempting to contact the Huaorani (formerly Auca) tribe. Elliot remained in Ecuador, continuing missionary work, and learned the Huao language from tribal members. She later lived among the Huaorani for a period. After returning to the U.S. in 1963, she married twice more, taught theology, and became a prolific writer, publishing over twenty books. She also served as a stylistic consultant for the New International Version of the Bible and hosted a radio program. Elliot passed away in 2015 after a period of dementia.

Elisabeth Elliot's life was deeply marked by her missionary endeavors and profound personal loss. After marrying Jim Elliot in 1953 and joining him in work among the Quichua people of Ecuador, her life took a dramatic turn in January 1956. Her husband and four companions were killed while attempting to evangelize the Huaorani tribe. Despite this immense tragedy, Elliot chose to remain in Ecuador, continuing her missionary service with the Quichua for two more years. She actively engaged with the Huaorani, learning their language and eventually living among them for a time, facilitated by individuals from the tribe who had previously encountered missionaries.

Following her return to the United States, Elisabeth Elliot established a significant career as an author and speaker. She penned more than twenty books, many focusing on Christian faith, personal experience, and theological reflection. Her writings often drew from her missionary experiences and her understanding of biblical principles. Elliot also became a prominent public speaker, touring extensively well into her seventies to share her insights and personal journey with audiences across the country. Her public ministry extended to radio, with a daily program called 'Gateway to Joy,' which aired for many years.

In her later years, Elisabeth Elliot continued to contribute to religious discourse and education. She served as a stylistic consultant for the New International Version (NIV) of the Bible, lending her expertise to the translation process. She also held academic positions, including writer-in-residence at Gordon College and adjunct professor at Gordon–Conwell Theological Seminary, where she taught courses on Christian expression. Married three times, her final husband was Lars Gren, with whom she traveled and worked. Elliot faced declining health due to dementia in the last decade of her life, ceasing public engagements in 2004 and passing away in 2015 at the age of 88.