Elias Andrews was born on January 29, 1906, at Winterton (formerly Scilly Cove), Newfoundland. In 1922 he entered Methodist College, St. John's (later Prince of Wales College), where he played the organ at the "Young Men's Bible Class" at Gower St. Church.. He received a teaching certificate in 1924 and returned to Winterton as the upper school teacher. During this time he was associated with with the work of the church, particularly the musical aspects of worship.
In 1927 he became a candidate for the Ministry of the United Church and was received by the Carbonear Presbytery. He received a parish with three charges - St. George's, Heatherton, and Boswarlos - on the west coast of Newfoundland. After two years he decided to attend Pine Hill Divinity College in Halifax. He graduated in theology in 1935, was ordained by the Newfoundland Conference and appointed to Deer Lake.
In 1938 he became Professor in Philosophy and Psychology of Religion at Pine Hill and in 1939 entered the graduate school of Drew University in New Jersey. During his second year at Drew, he returned to Pine Hill in acceptance of a permanent teaching position, after completing his Ph.D qualifying examination.
In 1948 he acted as director of the School of Lay Studies at Emanuel College, Toronto and he continued in this position for three summers. In 1955 he was appointed Principal of Queen's Theological College, a position he held until 1970..
Dr. Andrews has been Chairman of the Kingston Presbytery, President of the Bay of Quinte Conference, was twice nominated for the Moderatorship of the United Church of Canada, and holds two honorary degrees - Doctor of Literature (Mount Allison University) and Doctor of Divinity (Pine Hill). In 1974 he retired as Professor at the Queen's Theological College.
In 1941 Dr Andrews married Flora Shannon Green and they had one son. Following the death of Mrs. Andrews, Dr. Andrews married Mildred Jean Caughey of Kingston in 1969.
Andrews is the author of "Modern Humanism and Christian Theism" (1939), "The Meaning of Christ for Paul" (1949), and "Apostle of Grace" (1972).