Divinity School records, circa 1920-2021
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Summary
- Creator:
- Duke University. Divinity School
- Abstract:
- Established in 1926, the Divinity School is one of 13 seminaries founded and supported by the United Methodist Church, and attracts students from around the nation and several different countries. The Divinity School has from its beginnings been ecumenical in aspiration, teaching, and practice. This collection contains information and materials documenting the operations of the Divinity School, including the activities of its deans, faculty, students, as well as various councils, committees and organizations within and associated with the school.
- Extent:
- 156 Linear Feet
3.2 Gigabytes - Language:
- Material in English
- Collection ID:
- UA.19.01.0001
- University Archives Record Group:
- 19 -- Divinity School
19 -- Divinity School > 01 -- Divinity School
Background
- Scope and content:
-
This collection contains information and materials documenting the operations of the Divinity School, including the activities of its deans, faculty, students, as well as various councils, committees and organizations within and associated with the school. Types of documents include correspondence, reports, convocations, information about the expansion and renovation of the school, strategic plans, minutes of various council, committee, and faculty meetings, photographs, sermons, bulletins, records of the theological society and other organizations within the school, financial records, lectures, publications, subject files, statistics, deans' files, academic programs, information about field education, alumni affairs, information about faculty members, documents relating to the early history of the Divinity School when it was known as the School of Religion, and other administrative files and records.
- Biographical / historical:
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Established in 1926, the Divinity School is one of 13 seminaries founded and supported by the United Methodist Church, and attracts students from around the nation and several different countries. The Divinity School's distinctive vocation is to equip students for faithful leadership and critical reflection on the church's role in a dramatically changing global culture. The Divinity School has from its beginnings been ecumenical in aspiration, teaching, and practice.
Following its founding, the Divinity School (known then as the School of Religion) achieved recognition rapidly for offering above average training for all types of Christian service. While focusing clearly on the role of the minister in a local church, the school also sought to prepare missionaries, teachers, directors of religious education and social workers. Proud of its Methodist heritage and ties, the school, nevertheless, was conducted on ecumenical and not narrow denominational lines. But above all, it was launched on the strong conviction that the education offered should be based on standards of the highest level.
Chronology List Date Event 1919 Graduate School of Religion established as part of Trinity College1926 School of Religion formally opens with 23 students and 7 faculty. Two degrees were offered, a B.D. and M.A. in Religion.1938 School of Religion accredited1939 First Ph.D awarded in Religion1941 School of Religion renamed as the Duke Divinity School1948 Petition signed by 107 Divinity School students presented to the dean requesting integration of qualified African American students.1954 Major Renovation to the School1961 First African American Student enrolled in the Divinity School - Acquisition information:
- The Divinity School Records were received by the University Archives as a transfer starting in 1971.
- Processing information:
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Processed by Matthew Spangler, May 2010.
Encoded by Molly Bragg, May 2011.
Accession UA2014.0061 processed by Tracy M. Jackson, March 2015.
Finding aid updated to include UA2014.0061 by Tracy M. Jackson and Patrick Dollar, March 2015.
Accession UA2015.0017 processed by Elizabeth Hannigan, June 2015.
Collection level notes updated by Tracy M. Jackson, January 2019.
Accession UA2019.0080 added by Tracy M. Jackson, February 2021.
Accession UA2021.0037 added by [Matthew] Farrell, October 2021.
- Rules or conventions:
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Subjects
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Contents
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- Restrictions:
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Access restricted. Collection contains Duke University administrative materials. For a period of twenty-five years from the origin of the material, permission in writing from the office of origin and the University Archivist is required for use of administrative records. After twenty-five years, records that have been processed may be consulted with the permission of the University Archivist. Contact Research Services for more information.
In accordance with the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 as amended, Duke University permits students to inspect their education records and limits the disclosure of personally identifiable information from education records.
Access note. Some materials in this collection are fragile audiovisual formats that may need to be reformatted before use. Contact Research Services for access.
Some Divinity School interviews may be restricted; for assistance, please consult with the University Archivist.
Access note. Some materials in this collection are electronic records that require special equipment. Contact Research Services with questions.
- Terms of access:
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Copyright for Official University records is held by Duke University; all other copyright is retained by the authors of items in these papers, or their descendants, as stipulated by United States copyright law.
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- Preferred citation:
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[Identification of item], Divinity School Records, Duke University Archives, David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Duke University.
- Permalink:
- https://idn.duke.edu/ark:/87924/m10t3p