Special Committee on Theological Education in the Episcopal Church. Records

GC-02-R0124

The Archives of the Episcopal Church

Fonds

Special Committee on Theological Education in the Episcopal Church. Records

• 1939, 1957-1970 (Creation)

2 cu.ft. (2 boxes)

The Special Committee on Theological Education in the Episcopal Church was formed in 1965 in response to a perceived crisis in recruitment, retention, and education of candidates for the ministry. Inadequate salaries, a lack of vitality in parish life, and a seemingly institutional indifference to urban problems and inequalities were cited as factors causing the best candidates to reject the ministry. The Committee saw the need for “an agency with power” to overhaul the Church’s entire system of theological education. It recommended the creation of a Board for Theological Education to find strategies for expanding lay and ordained education. The recommendation was adopted by the 1967 General Convention.

This collection consists of the Committee’s records as kept by Dr. Charles Taylor, the director of the study, and includes official minutes and reports, correspondence, data on seminaries, and planning and working documents of the Committee. Of note are copies of Nathan M. Pusey’s 1966 Report of the Special Committee titled “Ministry for Tomorrow,” which helped inform the study of theological education undertaken by the Committee and directed by Charles Taylor. Taylor’s work from 1957 to 1967 is well documented and there is correspondence from his time as the director of the American Association of Theological Schools from 1957. Correspondence and reports were generated and collected before, during, and after visits to a number of seminary and theological schools, including Berkeley Divinity School, Episcopal Theological Seminary, and Sewanee.

Minutes, Agendas, Mailings, Reports,1966-1967
Subject files, 1961-1967
Committee correspondence, 1965-1968
Charles Taylor correspondence and related documents, 1957-1967
Seminary Studies, 1939, 1958-1970

Access to Episcopal Church records is governed by the Archives Public Access Policy. Research requests must be submitted in writing.

The Archives is able to respond to limited requests for reproductions subject to copyright restrictions, internal policy, and the condition of the source documents.

• English

• Board for Theological Education
• Clergy education
• Seminaries
• Theological education

• Pusey, Nathan M. (Subject)
• Taylor, Charles (Subject)
• General Convention (Subject)