Published
Includes records of bishops suffragan and assisting and their offices, which are authorized to engage in such jurisdictional areas as the Pastoral Care and Oversight of Bishops, Chaplaincy Endorsement and Oversight, the charge of Episcopal Churches in Europe, and similar non-geographical Episcopal authorities and jurisdictions.
The Office of the Suffragan Bishop for the Armed Forces grew out of the Army and Navy Commission established by General Convention in 1919 "to press upon the attention of Congress the need for Army and Navy Chaplains." For the next 25 years the Commission raised money to aid churches near military camps, provided portable altars and communion sets to chaplains, distributed A Prayer Book for Soldiers and Sailors, paid the pension premiums of chaplains when needed, and contributed to chaplains' discretionary funds to help them respond to emergencies among service men.
In September 1945, the Commission decided to dissolve the existing body and on January 1, 1946, the Army and Navy Commission became the Army and Navy Division of the National Council, reporting to the Presiding Bishop. Since WWII had ended there was no longer an immediate need for chaplains, allowing the focus of the work to shift from wartime ministrations to reintegrating the soldiers into a peacetime society.
In 1946, General Convention determined that a position of Suffragan Bishop for the Armed Forces was required. However, the call for a bishop was not made until 1964 with the election of Arnold M. Lewis, which was due in part to the Unites States becoming fully involved in the Vietnam War. In 1988, the office expanded its scope, and was renamed under the umbrella of Federal Ministries.
Published
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
The records were filmed onto 5 reels of 16 mm microfilm in 1992 (MIC 156)
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.