Department of Christian Education. Records

1 cu.ft. (1 box)

Records in this collection reflect the administrative and programmatic oversight activities of the national Episcopal Church entities responsible for education and lay Christian formation between 1920 and 1971. Though the collection is small, it covers a wide array of topics in Christian Education, including: curriculum development; continuing education; the Christian Nurture series; the Seabury series of Sunday school materials; departmental reorganization; and Christian education in various overseas regions. The materials include correspondence, minutes, reports, articles, audio tapes, and printed matter such as publications, articles, and addresses.

The correspondence includes material from the 1920s (when the unit was known as the Department of Religious Education) directed to the first Executive Secretary, the Rev. John Suter; there is then a gap, with the next group of correspondence beginning in the early 1950s. The 1970-1971 correspondence offers a good overview of issues faced in the period when there was no staff officer in charge of religious education.

A 1957 report titled “Review of Activities, Department of Christian Education, Protestant Episcopal Church” presents a comprehensive look at what the Department had accomplished up to that point and what it sought to accomplish in the future.

Correspondence, 1920s, 1950-1971
Minutes, 1947-1970
Reports and Memoranda, 1930-1971
Publications, 1940-1962

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

Records of the General Board of Religious Education