Finding Aids

Religion and Theology

American Baptist Education Society. Records

Founded in 1888 for "the promotion of Christian education, under Baptist auspices, in North America," it was under the Society's supervision that the University of Chicago was founded in 1890. Frederick Taylor Gates served as first corresponding secretary of the Society, 1888-1892. Succeeded by the Board of Education of the Northern Baptist Convention, 1911. Minutes of the "Provisional Committee" (1888); printed proceedings of the National Baptist Educational Convention and organization of the Society (1888); printed annual meeting reports (1889-1902); financial records (1889-1890); clippings concerning the Society (1887-1902).

American Institute of Sacred Literature. Records

The American Institute of Sacred Literature, which offered courses in the study of the Bible, was organized in 1889. The Institute grew out of the Correspondence School of Hebrew (established in 1880 by William Rainey Harper) which was renamed the American Institute of Hebrew in 1883. The AISL records contain primarily correspondence. Topics include Chautauqua summer schools, the Institute's relationship with the University of Chicago and William Rainey Harper, and the Modernist-Fundamentalist controversy. Also includes material on the founding of the Institute and courses taught.

American Journal of Theology. Records

The American Journal of Theology was established in January 1897 and was edited by the faculty of the Divinity School of the University of Chicago. The collection consists of outgoing business correspondence of the American Journal of Theology, and of a book of minutes of the editorial board, which was transferred to this collection from the Divinity School Correspondence.

American Standard Bible Committee. Records

The American Standard Bible Committee was established by the ecumenical Protestant International Council of Religious Education in 1937 to create a revision of the American Standard Bible, taking account of contemporary scholarship. A Revised Standard New Testament was published in 1946, and an Old Testament in 1952. The collection consists primarily of manuscripts and notes compiled by Professor William A. Irwin of the Oriental Institute, who served on the Committee. The materials illustrate the various stages of the revision and the work of different members of the Committee on assigned portions of the Old Testament. The remaining papers include American Standard Bible Committee meeting minutes, correspondence, and public relations material.

Ames, Edward Scribner. Papers

Edward Scribner Ames (1870-1958) Professor of Philosophy. The collection contains correspondence, manuscripts, photographs, scrapbooks, and newspaper clippings. Includes correspondence with Vachel Lindsay (1904-1927).

Ames, Van Meter. Papers

Van Meter Ames, author and Professor of philosophy. The Van Meter Ames Papers consist of articles, manuscripts, paper abstracts, and other items related to Van Meter Ames.

Archicofradía del Santísimo Sacramento y Caridad. Records

Mexico (City). Archicofradía del Santísimo Sacramento y Caridad. Records of the Archconfraternity of the Blessed Sacrament of the metropolitan cathedral of Mexico City, from 1555 to 1858. Contains legal, financial, and other documents relating to the activities of the confraternity.

Artistic Circles. Records

Artistic Circles was founded by Ann Feldman in 1989 with a mission to create "collaborative media for the common good." It has produced media projects that have been broadcast worldwide, with a notable focus on women in religion and the arts.

Augustine, Saint, Bishop of Hippo, Theological treatises. Manuscript (Ms 110)

Collection of works by Saint Augustine, from the Benedictine Abbey of Saint John in Liege. Text in Latin. Codex Ms 110.

Baptist Divinity House. Records

The Baptist Divinity House assisted with funding, housing, career placement and other means of support for students pursing Baptist ministry at the University of Chicago Divinity School. The collection contains correspondence, student directories, ledger books, financial statements, reports, minutes, and publications.

Baptist Ministers' Conference, Chicago. Records

The Baptist Ministers’ Conference was instrumental in the founding of the University of Chicago in response to John D. Rockefeller's pledge to support the founding of a new of higher education in Chicago. The Records consist of conference minutes from 1889-1909 as well as reports on committee work and social issues.

Baptist Theological Faculties Union. Records

The Baptist Theological Faculties Union Records consist of one bound volume of correspondence ca. 1914-1924 between members of the Union and its secretary during that period, Gerald Birney Smith of the University of Chicago.

Baptist Theological Union. Records

The collection contains records of the Baptist Theological Union, including minutes and administrative records, correspondence, financial information, and news clippings, documenting the early history of the B.T.U. and the activities of its governing board and committees.

Baptist Union Theological Seminary. Records

Baptist Union Theological Seminary was founded in 1865 by the Baptist Theolological Union. The Seminary eventually became the Divinity School of the present-day University of Chicago in 1892.

Basil, Saint, Bishop of Caesarea, De legendis gentilium libris. Manuscript (Ms 45)

Also includes Vita Sancti Antonii Eremitae of St. Athanasius, Patriarch of Alexandria. Text in Ancient Greek. Codex Ms 45.

Beaver, R. Pierce. Papers

R. Pierce Beaver, Professor and Minster. The papers contain letters, course notes, missions reports, business documents, bibliographies, manuscripts, associated work by colleagues and students, and general missions literature. Though there is small collection of personal correspondence, the collection is mainly made up of institutional and academic treatments of missions and missions work. Most of this collection was compiled by Beaver during his time at the Missionary Research Library in New York and during his first few years as a professor of Missions at the University of Chicago’s Federated Theological Faculty.

Bekanttnus oder Symbolum S. Athanasij: von der heÿligen drÿfelttigkeit, wider die Arrianer. Manuscript (Ms 150)

Manuscript of the the Athanasian Creed translated into German from the original Latin. Text in German. Codex Ms 150.

Bernard of Clairvaux, De consideratione. Manuscript (Ms 9)

Saint Bernard of Clairvaux's advice to Pope Eugene III on ecclesiastical government, composed during 1149-1152. Text in Latin. Codex Ms 9.

Bibfeldt, Franz. Papers

Contains correspondence, newspaper articles, lectures by Martin Marty and others, biographical material, lists, photographs, memorabilia, academic attire, and a cassette tape. Material relates to fictional scholar Franz Bibfeldt.

Bickham, Martin Hayes. Papers

Martin Hayes Bickham, sociologist (University of Chicago, A.M. 1919, Ph.D. 1922). The Martin Hayes Bickham Papers consist of materials from coursework in the Sociology Department and Divinity School (1912-1922), correspondence relating to his appointment as secretary of the University of Chicago Christian Association (1911), materials related to his dissertation research (1922), correspondence with Amos Alonzo Stagg (1950s-1960s), and 1938-1939 correspondence related to his dissertation research. The collection also contains photographs and memorabilia from Bickham’s work with the Y.M.C.A. during the First World War in France.

Blakemore, William Barnett. Papers

Reverend Dr. William Barnett Blakemore (1912-1975) was a minister in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), a professor in the Divinity School of the University of Chicago, a Dean of the University's Disciples Divinity House, an Associate Dean of the Rockefeller Memorial Chapel, and a leader in the ecumenical movement of the mid-twentieth century. The collection contains biographical material and documents pertaining to Blakemore's education; appointment books, notebooks, and journals; a scrapbook and other collected ephemera; correspondence; administrative material such as memoranda, agendas, and minutes; syllabi and other course materials; drafts of published and unpublished essays and articles, sermons and lectures, and books; photographs, audiotapes, and film. The papers primarily document Blakemore's ministry and deanships at the University of Chicago, his numerous ecumenical activities, and his writing and public speaking.

Book of hours (use of Châlons-sur-Marne.) Manuscript (Ms 26)

French Book of Hours made for use at Châlons-sur-Marne. The text includes a calendar of Châlons-sur-Marne in French, Hours of the Virgin, Seven penitenial Psalms, Litany, Office of the Dead, Prayers and Antiphons in Latin and French. Text in French and Latin. Codex Ms 26.

Bradford, Amory H. Papers

Amory Howe Bradford, minister. The Amory H. Bradford Papers consist of a sermon titled "The Unity of the World" (1897).

Brauer, Jerald. Papers

Jerald Brauer, historian, minister, professor, and dean. The Jerald Brauer Papers consist of ninety-three and a half linear feet and include correspondence, memos, minutes, reports, manuscripts, notes, speeches, published materials, and audio recordings. The papers document Brauer's career as a historian, professor of the history of Christianity in the Divinity School of the University of Chicago, Dean of the Federated Theological Faculties and the Divinity School, and author and editor of many scholarly books.

Buitenen, J. A. B. van. Papers

J. A. B. van Buitenen was a professor of Sanskrit and Indic Studies at the University of Chicago from 1957 to 1979. The collection contains personal ephemera, professional correspondence, notebooks, notes and typescripts for articles and books, photographs, and materials relating to van Buitenen's time as a professor at the University. Most of the materials date between 1955 and 1973, with some undated material.

Bulstrode, Edward, Meditations on passages from the Bible. Manuscript (Ms 118)

Collection of Bible passages with commentary by Edward Bulstrode, a senior member of the Inns of Court and a justice of North Wales. The work is dedicated and presented to his son, Richard Bulstrode, an army officer and diplomat. Text in English. Codex Ms 118.

Burchardus de Monte Sion. Descrioptio seu declaratio terrae sanctae. Manuscript (Ms 707)

An abridgement of Burchardus' description of the Holy Land, by an unknown author. Possibly a fragment of a larger manuscript held by the University of Ghent. Text in Latin. Codex Ms 707.

Burnet, Gilbert, History of the Reformation of the Church of England. Manuscript (Ms 114)

Abridged version of Burnet's work. Text in English. Codex Ms 114.

Burton, Ernest DeWitt. Papers

The papers of Ernest DeWitt Burton comprise 45 linear feet of personal and professional material. The papers document his career as a New Testament scholar at Newton Theological Institute and the University of Chicago as well as his interest in missionary work and religious education in east Asia. The collection consists primarily of correspondence as well as publications, addresses, and a small amount of course materials from the New Testament Department. From his involvement in missionary organizations and commissions, such as the Oriental Investigation Commission and the American Baptist Foreign Mission Society, there are minutes, correspondence, financial records, photographs, and reports. The collection also includes personal materials including family history, a large number of memorials and some journals and notebooks.

Church History Documents. Collection

Primarily transcripts and photocopies of record books, journals, minutes, and other documents from early frontier churches. Also includes diaries, correspondence, notebooks, sermons, and miscellaneous notes of individuals important in frontier religious history. Original material includes papers relating to Benjamin Lakin and Edwin Clark's correspondence. Most of the material relates to activity in Ohio, Kentucky, Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin, and several of the original thirteen colonies. Well-known names represented include Stephen Peet, Joshua Lacy Wilson, Wilhelm Loehe, and George Whitefield. The documents were collected under the auspices of the Church History Research Fund and in conjunction with the writing of William Warren Sweet's four-volume Religion on the American Frontier.

Confalonieri, Giovanni Aloisio De Fide, Spe et Charitate Manuscript (Ms 148)

Notes of student Jakob Lang of Fribourg of the theological lectures by Confalonieri on faith, hope and charity given at Milan in 1647. Includes a table of contents. Text in Latin. Codex Ms 148.

Culianu, Ioan P. Papers

Ioan Petru Culianu (1950-1991), Romanian-born historian of religions, essayist and fiction writer, served on the faculty of the University of Chicago's Divinity School. Mentored by Mircea Eliade, Culianu specialized in the history of Renaissance magic and mysticism. Culianu was murdered in the University of Chicago's Swift Hall, a crime that remains unsolved. While material in this collection spans the years 1883-1991, the bulk of material dates from 1974-1991, and includes correspondence, notes, manuscripts and reprints of published writings.

De mirac[u]lis S[an]c[ta]e Mari[a]e Virg[inis]. Prognosticon futuri seculi. Amphilochei Episcopi Ichonii. In vita et miraculis beati Iohannis elemosinarii. De xv signis xv dierum precedentium diem iudicii. De penetentia Regis Solomonis. [Exposition on the Mass and its meaning]. Hec sunt presepta legis. Expositio brevis Remigii autissioderensis episcopi de ordine misse.

Collection of religious, hagiographical, and liturgical writings written in the Low Countries or the very north of northwest France in the second or third quarter of the 12th century.

Devotional book. Manuscript (Ms 66)

A collection of medieval devotional literature, including meditations, rules, stories, exhortations. Text in German. Codex Ms 66.

Devotional book. Manuscript (Ms 79)

34 "vigils and exhortations" for the salvation of the soul. Text in German. Codex Ms 79.

Eliade, Mircea. Papers

Mircea Eliade (1907-1986), Romanian historian of religions and author, and professor in the University of Chicago Divinity School and Committee on Social Thought, 1957-1986. The papers include correspondence, manuscripts, photographs, publications, audio and video recordings, and personal materials and artifacts.

Elshtain, Jean Bethke. Papers

Jean Bethke Elshtain (1941-2013) was a political theorist, ethicist, author, and public intellectual. She was the Laura Spelman Rockefeller Professor of Social and Political Ethics with joint appointments at the Divinity School, the Department of Political Science, and the Committee on International Relations at the University of Chicago. The collection includes personal ephemera; correspondence; subject files; materials related to her writings and speaking engagements; university administrative and teaching materials; records documenting Elshtain's activities in professional, nonprofit, and governmental organizations; awards; photographs; audio and video recordings; and posters. Materials date between 1935 and 2017, with the bulk of the material dating between 1950 and 2013. The papers primarily document Elshtain's career in academia as a political theorist, and her activities as a public intellectual called upon to address issues related to feminism, war, and political ethics.

Eusebius, of Caesarea Historia Ecclesiastica. Manuscript (Ms 18)

Eusebius, Ecclesiastical History, eleven books, in the Latin version of Rufinus. Text in Latin. Codex Ms 18.

Fishacre, Richard, [Sentences-Commentary.] Manuscript (Ms 156)

A fragment of Fishacre's work. Includes red and blue initials and numerals throughout. The work was newly identified by James Long and Margaret Jewett. Text in Latin. Codex Ms 156.

Fuessli, Heinrich Lebens Beschreibung Hrn. Joh. Jac. Breitingers. Manuscript (Ms 332)

Biography and writings of Breitinger. The frontispiece is an etching of Breitinger by C. Meyer. Text in German. Codex Ms 332.

Gates, Frederick Taylor. Papers

Baptist minister, businessman. Corresponding secretary, American Baptist Education Society, 1888-1902. Philanthropic adviser to John D. Rockefeller; president, General Education Board. Trustee, University of Chicago, 1896-1910. Summary: Correspondence to and from Gates relating to the American Baptist Education Society and founding of the University of Chicago (1888-1892). Major correspondents include Thomas Wakefield Goodspeed, William Rainey Harper, Henry L. Morehouse, and Augustus Hopkins Strong. Carbon copies of letters primarily to Gates from William Rainey Harper (1893-1906) concerning affairs relating to the university.

Gerardus Senensi Distinctiones. Manuscript (Ms 22)

The principal work is Gerard of Siena's commentary on book 1 of Peter Lombard's Sentences. Text in Latin. Codex Ms 22.

Gilkey, Charles Whitney. Papers

The Charles Whitney Gilkey papers contain correspondence primarily concerning the University Chapel, and the Committee on the Presidency of the University (1928-1929). The collection also contains the minutes of the Commission for the Study of Moral and Religious Influence and Agencies in Higher Education, as well as several published articles by Gilkey.

Gilkey, Langdon. Papers

Langdon Brown Gilkey taught at the Divinity School of the University of Chicago from 1963 until his retirement in 1989. He was a prominent protestant theologian, an expert on the relation between science and religion, and a key respondent to the rise of intelligent design as a way of teaching creationism. During 1940-1945 he taught at Yenching University (now part of Peking University) in Beijing, China, then occupied by the Japanese, and from 1943 to 1945 he was interned along with other Allied civilians at the Weihsien Internment Camp (or Weihsien Civilian Assembly Center). The collection contains official and personal correspondence, notes, manuscripts and typescripts, newspaper clippings, postcards, periodicals and other publications, photographs, and administrative documents dating between 1934 and 2004. The bulk of the material dates between 1940-1945 and 1954-2004. The papers primarily document Langdon Gilkey’s life in China during the Second World War and his professional career as theologian, academician, and professor at the Divinity School of the University of Chicago and other institutions.

Goldsmith, Joel. Papers

The Goldsmith, Joel. Papers consist of 1.5 linear feet and contain materials that date from 1949 to 1964. Goldsmith, a one time Christian Science healer, was an independent mystic who founded a movement called the Infinite Way. The collection includes letters written by Goldsmith to Lorraine Sinkler and Ann Darling Kuys, both of whom were followers of the movement. The collection also contains copies of a few Masonic talks given by Goldsmith in 1958 and 1959.

Goodman, Edward. Papers

Edward Goodman was a Baptist minister and an early University of Chicago trustee. The Edward Goodman papers consist of notebooks of newspaper clippings and handwritten notes, as well as loose notes for The History of the First Baptist Church of Chicago, 1833-1910, which was published in 1910 by the United Religious Press. The clippings contain accounts of church business, poetry, minutes, and speeches. The papers also include material such as scrapbooks, programs, and memorabilia from Baptist Anniversaries and events, and from the early history of the University of Chicago.

Goodspeed, Edgar J. Papers

Edgar Johnson Goodspeed, New Testament scholar, writer, and Ernest DeWitt Burton Distinguished Service Professor at the University of Chicago. The Goodspeed papers consist of correspondence, notes, manuscripts, diaries, notebooks, clippings, reviews, and items of a miscellaneous nature. The primary focus of the collection is on Goodspeed’s literary and professional work.

Gregory I, Pope, Morali. Manuscript (Ms 59)

Moral teaching. Text in Italian. Codex Ms 59.

Gregory of Nyssa, Saint, Of the framing of man. Manuscript (Ms 111)

Theological treatise concerning man's creation and nature. Seven leaves at the end are inverted and in a different hand: commentary on the Ten Commandments. Text in English. Codex Ms 111.

Guido de Monte Rocherii Manipulus Curatorium. Manuscript (Ms 23)

Manual for priests; Preliminary leaves of codex contain notes on the Confession attributed to Nicholas of Osimo. Text in Italian and Latin. Codex Ms 23.

Harper, William Rainey. Papers

William Rainey Harper (1856 -1906) was the first president of the University of Chicago, from 1891 to 1906. The collection is comprised primarily of correspondence, and papers not included in the Harper-Judson-Burton section of the Presidents Papers, and is of a somewhat more personal nature that the Presidents Papers. The collection also contains speeches and manuscripts, including Harper's first convocation address; personal correspondence concerning his illness, funeral and memorial services; and clippings, memorials, reprints of articles by Harper and bibliography of his works. It also contains books from the library of William Rainey Harper, including Prophetae Posteriores; notebooks of both Harper and his secretary; and scrapbooks.

Harrison, Samuel, Sermon Notes on the Apostles’ Creed. Manuscript (Ms 149)

Notes for sermons by Samuel Harrison, the rector of Oving, Buckinghamshire, from 1672-1682. Text in English. Codex Ms 149.

Hebrew Tracts on Domestic and Ceremonial Matters. Manuscript (Ms 74)

Sha'arim, a series of 40 provisions as to meats, with special reference to weights and measures. A tract on slaughtering. Also included, 45 rules governing conjugal relations. Text in Hebrew. Codex Ms 74.

Henderson, Charles Richmond. Papers

Charles Richmond Henderson (1848-1915), Baptist Minister, sociologist. The Charles Richmond Henderson Papers contain correspondence, lectures notes, student term papers, and research materials relating to prisons in Europe and Mexico, including International Prison Commission Congress (1910) and prison reform.

Historical Manuscripts. Collection

The Historical Manuscripts Collections contains correspondence and other brief manuscripts documenting personal, scholarly, business, government, and religious affairs, written by an array of authors, primarily from North America and Western Europe. The manuscripts date from the fifteenth to the twentieth centuries.

Homilies and Religious Treatises. Manuscript (Ms 155)

A compilation of miscellaneous sermons and religious treatises, written in a single hand on Italian paper. Includes: Commendatio de vita solitaria by St. Pietro Damiani; 51 homilies of St. Augustine; several short sermons by St. Ephraim of Syria; anonymous essays on the virtues and seven mortal sins; a life of St. Hieronymus by St. Cyril; a treatise entitled Meditatione; and a fragment of De institutione novitiorum by Hugo of St. Victor. Text in Latin. Codex Ms 155.

Hutton, William Ralph, Papers

William Ralph Hutton received his A.B. from Southwestern University in 1912, and was a graduate of the University of Chicago Divinity School, where he wrote works on the development of Islam and Buddhism. He served as a Christian missionary in Assam, in northeast India, where he wrote a Mikir.English dictionary, and appears to have translated both the Bible and Pilgrims Progress into Mikir. The collection consists primarily of bound materials, which have been heavily annotated.

Hyde Park and Kenwood Interfaith Council. Records

This collection contains the records of the Hyde Park and Kenwood Interfaith Council, from 1911-1993. Included are administrative records such as minutes, correspondence, budgets and directories of membership. This collection also contains general subject files covering Council projects and affiliated institutions.

Isidorus, Saint, Contra Idudaeos. Manuscript (Ms 28)

Treatise on the place of Christ in Christian theology; with remarks on the theological significance of Christ for both Jews and Christians. Text in Latin. Codex Ms 28.

Jerome, Saint Explanationes in Ysayam, excerpta. Manuscript (Ms 25)

Excerpts from Saint Jerome's commentary on Isaiah, probably written at Erfurt, in the Carthusian convent. Text in Latin. Codex Ms 25.

Jones, Jenkin Lloyd. Papers

Jenkin Lloyd Jones, minister, social reformer. The Jenkin Lloyd Jones papers contain correspondence, diaries, lecture notes, newspaper clippings, scrapbooks, and photographs. Papers relate to All Souls Church and the Abraham Lincoln Centre. Other topics include the Unitarian Church, the Henry Ford Peace Expedition, the Western Unitarian Conference, the weekly publication Unity, the World's Parliament of Religion, Tower Hill Summer Camp in Wisconsin, and other aspects of Jones' ministry. Correspondents include William C. Gannett, Jane Addams, Susan B. Anthony, Francis W. Parker, Frank Lloyd Wright, and Booker T. Washington. Also contains papers of Edith Lackersteen Lloyd Jones, Jones's second wife; her daughter, Mary Lackersteen; and the Lackersteen family.

Journal of Religion. Records

The Journal of Religion Records consist of correspondence from the editorial offices of the Journal of Religion and its two predecessors, The Biblical World and the American Journal of Theology. The correspondence concerns articles and book reviews submitted, subscriptions, budgets and financial matters, and printing arrangements with the University of Chicago Press.

Juxon, William. Collection

William Juxon (1582 –1663) Archbishop of Canterbury (1660-1663) and Lord High Treasurer of England. Collection includes two letters written by Juxon and one legal document, all dating from 1637 to 1639, during Juxon’s service as Bishop of London.

Kitagawa, Joseph M.

Joseph M. Kitagawa (b. March 8, 1915, d. October 7, 1992) was a prominent Japanese-American scholar of religion, professor, priest, and author of numerous books and articles. Kitagawa taught at the University of Chicago Divinity School for over thirty years and served the same institution as Dean from 1970-1980. He obtained academic degrees in Japan and in the U.S. Upon his arrival in the U.S., which coincided with the Second World War, he was taken to internment camps for three and a half years in New Mexico and Idaho. The collection documents his academic production and administrative activities, especially in the later stages of his career, and includes manuscript and offprint copies of his articles, chapters, book reviews, and books, the documents related to conferences he led or participated in, and other administrative materials.

Latin Bible, scattered leaves. Manuscript (Ms 122)

Fragments on vellum with red and blue headings. Text in Latin. Codex Ms 122.

Leo I, Pope, Sermones. Manuscript (Ms 30)

A collection of 93 sermons attributed to Pope Leo the Great. Text in Latin. Codex Ms 30.

Lincoln Collection. Barton Codex Manuscripts

Bound materials collected and compiled by William E. Barton, a pastor in Oak Park, Illinois, who published and lectured on Abraham Lincoln. The collection includes books, booklets, scrapbooks, pamphlets, published addresses, and periodicals. Of particular interest is the volume titled Lincoln and His Cabinet. These codex manuscripts form part of the William E. Barton Collection of Lincolniana.

Mathesius, Johann, Joachimsthaler Chronica. Manuscript (Ms 68)

On church and school reforms. Text in German. Codex Ms 68.

Mathews, Shailer. Papers

Shailer Mathews (1863-1941) Professor, 1894-1933, Dean of the Divinity School, 1908-1933. Contains correspondence, minutes, articles, reports, and teaching materials. Subjects relate to the history of the University of Chicago and the Divinity School, the development of the religious and social ideas known as Modernism, and the Chautauqua Institute.

Nicetas, Archbishop of Heraclea, Commentaria in Orationes Gregorii Nazianzeni. Manuscript (Ms 52)

Commentaries on sermons of Gregory Nazianzus. There are brief introductory paragraphs on the time, place occasion and context of each sermon. Text in Greek. Codex Ms 52.

Nicetas, Archbishop of Heraclea, Commentaria in Orationes Gregorii Nazianzeni. Manuscript (Ms 53)

Fragments of commentaries on sermons of Gregory Nazianzus by Nicetas of Heraclea and Abbot Nonnus. Text in Greek. Codex Ms 53.

Northrup, George W. Papers

George W. Northup, educator, preacher and theologian, 1826-1900. Primarily outlines and notes for lectures on theology.

Northwestern Baptist Education Society of Chicago. Records

The Northwest Baptist Education Society was incorporated in 1876 with the purpose of providing financial aid to deserving students studying for the ministry while attending a Baptist college or seminary in the West. The administration of the Society was taken over by the University of Chicago Divinity School in 1912. The records contain reports, minutes and account books.

Otway, Samuel, Syntagmatis disputationum. Manuscript (Ms 119)

Summaries of Protestant Christian doctrine. Text in Latin. Codex Ms 119.

Perrin, Norman. Papers

Norman Horace Perrin (1920-1976) associate professor of New Testament Studies at the University of Chicago. The collection contains notes, manuscripts and publications, university records, clippings, correspondence, journals, a recorded lecture, and personal items like photographs and books. Materials date between 1964 and 1977, with the bulk of the material dating between 1975 and 1976.

Peter Lombard, Bishop of Paris, Collectanea in epistolas Pauli. Manuscript (Ms 112)

Commentary on Romans and Corinthians. Text in Latin. Codex Ms 112.

Petrus, Comestor, Historia scholastica. Manuscript (Ms 120)

Chronicle of Biblical history. Text in Latin. Codex Ms 120.

Petrus, Comestor, Historia scholastica. Manuscript (Ms 121)

Chronicle of Biblical history organized in accordance with the order of the Biblical books, omitting books with no obvious significance for the reconstruction of the history. This work has been rebound and leather fragments retained. See Special Collections circulation desk for additional information. Text in Latin. Codex Ms 121.

Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life Records

The Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life, founded in 2001 and merged into Pew Research Center in 2004, was an initiative seeking to promote a deeper understanding of how religion shapes the ideas and institutions of American society. Although based in Washington, D.C., the forum had a chapter at the University of Chicago Divinity School and was co-chaired by Jean Bethke Elshtain, Laura Spelman Rockefeller Professor of Social and Political Ethics at the University of Chicago. The records document the administrative processes, events, and publications by the Forum before its merger into Pew Research Center.

Pickering, George. Papers

George W. Pickering (1938 – May 11, 2002) was a professor of Religious Studies at the University of Detroit Mercy, teaching social ethics, Christian social thought, American Religion and theories and issues of justice, religion, and science. His research and teaching focused on questions of ethics and civil rights in American society. Along with Alan B. Anderson, he co-authored Confronting the Color Line: The Broken Promise of the Civil Rights Movement in Chicago, which received the Myers Award from the University of Arkansas’ Gustavus Myers Center for Human Rights. At the time of his death, he was working on an intellectual biography of James Luther Adams, a Unitarian Universalist theologian. This collection contains essays and notes from Pickering’s undergraduate and graduate studies; journal entries; lecture notes and syllabi from his teaching career; materials and manuscripts from his major published and unpublished book projects; published articles and essay drafts; handwritten and typescript research notes; speeches and sermons; annotated essays and articles by other academics used in Pickering’s research; and photographs.

Pietro da Verona, Rubricae super quartum et quintum decretalium. Manuscript (Ms 34)

Commentary on Books IV and V of the Decretals of Pope Gregory IX. Text in Latin. Codex Ms 34.

Pitcher, W. Alvin. Papers

W. Alvin Pitcher (1913-1996), professor, minister, community and social justice activist. The Pitcher Papers include manuscripts, correspondence, press clippings, and extensive records from numerous political and civic organizations. The papers document Pitcher's scholarly career at Denison University and the University of Chicago, his ministerial work, and his participation in the civil rights movement and in various community organizations.

Price, Ira M. Papers

Ira Maurice Price (1856-1939) was a founding faculty member of the University of Chicago, serving as a professor of ancient languages and literatures from 1892 until 1925. Price was committed to religious education in the wider community as an active member of the Baptist Church and an author of popular histories of the Old Testament. The Ira M. Price Papers include personal and professional correspondence, family papers, photographs, scrapbooks, teaching and research notes, and drafts of his scholarly and popular writings

Proclus, Elementa theologica. Manuscript (Ms 54)

Theological treatise. Text in Greek. Codex Ms 54.

Procopius of Gaza, Epitome Eclogarum in Heptateuchum et Canticum Canticorum. Manuscript (Ms 55)

Commentaries on Heptateuch and Song of Songs. Text in Greek and Latin. Codex Ms 55.

Razzi, Serafino, Costumi e morte di Papa Alexxandro VI contrario Al P. F : Girolamo Savonarola da Ferrara del ordine de Predicatori. Manuscript (Ms 58)

A copy of Razzi's holograph original biographies. The original is in Biblioteca statale, Lucca, Italy. Text in Italian. Codex Ms 58.

Richard, of Saint Victor, Religious Treatises. With: Hugo, Argentinensis, Compendium Theologicae Veritatis Manuscript (Ms 102)

Two works by Richard of St. Victor: De contemplatione and De exterminatione mali et promotione boni, preceded by a table of Rubrics. With: Compendium theologicae veritatis / Hugo Argentinensis. Text in Latin. Codex Ms 102.

Rubricae de accusationibus, etc. Manuscript (Ms 39)

Commentary on Book V of decretals of Pope Gregory IX, the subject of which is crimes committed by clerics. Text in Latin. Codex Ms 39.

Scott, Hugh M. Papers

The Reverend Hugh MacDonald Scott (1848-1909) was professor of Church History at the Chicago Theological Seminary. The collection contains lecture notes written by Scott from 1894 to1909.

Sermones Domicales. Manuscript (Ms 158)

Sermons. Includes vermilion initials throughout and blue tracework. Work is rubicated. Text in Latin. Codex Ms 158.

Sermones de Adventu Domini. Manuscript (Ms 157)

Sermons by the Dominican theologian. Includes vermilion and blue initials throughout. Text in Latin. Codex Ms 157.

Smith, J. M. Powis. Papers

J. M. Powis Smith was the Professor of Old Testament and Literature, at the University of Chicago and also served as literary secretary to William Rainey Harper. The papers contain lecture notebooks and other notes. Material relates to the teaching and study of the Old Testament.

Sokei-An (Sasaki Shigetsu) and First Zen Institute of America in Japan, Archive of

Ruth Fuller Sasaki (nee Everett, 1892-1967) was the first Westerner — and woman — to be made a priest of a Daitoku–ji Zen temple in Japan. She is credited with creating a research institute (the First Zen Institute of America in Japan), which worked towards translating various primary Zen Buddhist works into English, and a Zen training center (at the Ryôsen-an, a sub-temple in the Daitokuji), which provided instruction in Zen Buddhism to international students. In addition to early translation notes, drafts, and worksheets, correspondence related to the Ryôsen-an, and her personal notebooks, this collection also contains extensive lecture notes made by RFS, and her students related to talks given by her husband-to-be, Zen Master Sasaki Shigetsu (1882-1945, monk's name, Sokei-an). Sokei-an's lectures number in the hundreds. Also included are early translations of various Zen-related materials made by Sokei-an, as well as many materials related to the translation projects of the First Zen Institute. Further, numerous essays, translations, commentaries, research papers, and technical essays are also included.

Sondheim, Harry B. and Branka J. Jewish Heritage Collection

Images, publications, reproductions and artifacts documenting and illustrating aspects of the Jewish religious year, synagogue inaugurations and monuments and aspects of Jewish daily life, and ceremonies in Europe and North America from the 15th to early 20th centuries. Collected by University of Chicago alumnus Harry Sondheim (A.B. 1954; J.D. 1957.)

Sweet, William Warren. Papers

William Warren Sweet, Professor of American Church History at the University of Chicago, 1927 to 1946. Among his many books on church history are Story of Religion in America, Religion on the American Frontier, and American Culture and Religion. The papers include professional and personal correspondence, manuscripts, reports and other administrative documents.

Thomas, Roger, Reply to accusations made by Puritan ministers. Manuscript (Ms 109)

Six miscellaneous manuscripts in six hands. Text in English and Latin. Codex Ms 109.

University of Chicago. New Testament Club. Records

The New Testament Club was founded during the 1892-93 academic year at the University of Chicago Divinity School. The Records contain correspondence, manuscripts, programs, membership lists, minutes, announcements, and letters of tribute. Also include are writings on the founding and history of the Club.

University of Chicago. Religion on Campus. Collection

This collection contains newspaper clippings, program flyers, religious service, prayer schedule, and religious program pamphlets, and informational booklets pertaining to various religious organizations at the University of Chicago. The religious organizations represented in this collection are the Board of Social Service and Religion, Calvert Club, Canterbury Club, Christian Union, Episcopal Church Council, Hillel Foundation, Interchurch Council, Lutheran Council, Pastors’ Institute, and Porter Foundation.

Usuard, Martirologium. Manuscript (Ms 116)

Martyr book. Text in Latin. Codex Ms 116.

Vom Greulichen Laster des Volsauffens. Manuscript (Ms 67)

Text and music of a hymn, "Vom greulichen Laster des Volsauffens" concerning the vice of drinking. Text in German. Codex Ms 67.

Wach, Joachim. Papers

Joachim Wach (1898-1958) taught at the Divinity School of the University of Chicago. The papers contain correspondence, manuscripts of published and unpublished works, notes and research files, course materials, and manuscripts and correspondence relating to posthumous publications.

Walden, John Morgan. Papers

John Morgan Walden, Bishop of the Methodist Episcopal Church and editor of the Quindaro Chindowan (Kansas Territory). Contains correspondence, a diary, manuscripts, sermons, clippings, speeches, articles, and biographical material. Some material relates to Walden's experiences as a newspaperman in the Kansas Territory and his involvement with the Methodist Episcopal Church, its polity, missions, and attempts at federation.

Wandel Collection of Manuscript Fragments (Ms 686)

Fragments of Latin Medieval and Renaissance Manuscripts. Codex Ms 686.

World Conference on Faith and Order. Collection

This collection consists of publications and other materials related to the first World Conference on Faith and Order, proposed by the Episcopal Church in 1911 in the name of ecumenical consensus and Christian unity, and finally held in 1927 in Lausanne, Switzerland. The collection documents the lengthy process of planning and promoting the first conference, which launched the ecumenical Faith and Order Movement