Office of the Suffragan Bishop for the Armed Forces. Records

PB-03-R0089

The Archives of the Episcopal Church

Fonds

Office of the Suffragan Bishop for the Armed Forces. Records

• 1946-1972 (Creation)

4 cu.ft. (4 boxes)

The Office of the Suffragan Bishop for the Armed Forces grew out of the Army and Navy Commission which was first established by General Convention in 1919. In 1946, the Commission became the Army and Navy Division of the National Council, responsible to the presiding bishop. The immediate need for chaplains was at a temporary end, and the focus of the work shifted from wartime ministrations to reintegrating the soldiers into a peace-time society. In 1949, General Convention passed a constitutional amendment to Article II providing for a Suffragan Bishop for the Armed Forces; however, the call for a bishop was not made until 1964 when the United States became fully involved in the Vietnam War.

This archive consists of materials that document the Office of the Suffragan Bishop for the Armed Forces from when General Convention established the Office of the Suffragan Bishop to 1975. Earlier materials collected by the office relate to the history and legislation on military chaplains date back to 1924. Included in the collection are meeting minutes, correspondence, diocesan files, topical files, records of grant applications and conferences, and publicity materials.

Administrative Records, 1957-1972
Correspondence, 1954-1971
Grant Records, 1960-1966
Military Relations, 1956-1971
Subject Files, 1950-1971

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

The records were filmed onto 5 reels of 16 mm microfilm in 1992 (MIC 156)

• Armed Forces Division
• Army and Navy Commission