Department of Christian Education. Records

Identity elements

Reference number

MP-03-R0230

Level of description

Fonds

Title

Department of Christian Education. Records

Date(s)

  • 1929-1971 (Creation)

Extent

1 cu.ft. (1 box)

Abstract

The General Board of Religious Education was canonically established in 1910 by General Convention to effect “the unification and development of the Church’s work of religious instruction”. Over the decades the department went through several organizational and name changes, including in 1938 when it became the Department of Christian Education.

Content and structure elements

Scope and content

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.

Arrangement

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

Conditions of access and use elements

Access conditions

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

Technical access

Rights and permissions

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

Languages of the material

  • English

Scripts of the material

Language and script notes

Descriptive inventories

Acquisition and appraisal elements

Accruals

Related materials elements

Related records and archives

Records of the General Board of Religious Education

Related descriptions

Notes element

Description control element

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Accession area