Episcopal Divinity School
| Phone Numbers: |
| Main school switchboard | (617) 868-3450 |
| Main administration building: please address fax to Episcopal Divinity | (617) 864-5385 |
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| Email Addresses: |
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| Address: | Episcopal Divinity School
99 Brattle Street
Cambridge, MA 02138 |
| Access Policy: |
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| Extent of Collections: | ca. 270 linear ft. |
| Dates: | 1862-1974 |
| Holdings Description: | The Divinity School of the Protestant Episcopal Church in Philadelphia (ca. 40 linear ft.): Collection includes minutes for the Board of Trustees, Board of Overseers, Joint Boards, and Faculty (1862-1974); school catalogues (1865-1974); audits (1933-1974); journals and ledgers (bulk 1966-1974); some publications, photos and oversized items. Also some records of St. Andrew's Church, Philadelphia, predecessor to St. Andrew's Collegiate Chapel at PDS. The collection is strongest in the records of the governing bodies; the Bursar's office, particularly concerning the 1974 merger; and property records, especially visual records of St. Andrew's Chapel.
Episcopal Theological School (ca. 120 linear ft. of unprocessed records): Collection includes Trustees Minutes, Faculty Minutes and papers, Deans papers, records of St. John's Chapel, school cataloges, publications, photos and other records.
Episcopal Divinity School (ca. 110 linear ft. of unprocessed records): Records of the Faculty and students, the PDS and ETS merger, publications, photos. Records of the Institute of Theological Research. |
| History: | The Divinity School of the Protestant Episcopal Church in Philadelphia (PDS)was founded in 1857 by Bishop Alonzo Potter. The school grew and moved several times in Philadelphia before settling at its final site in the 1920s. The campus and particularly the chapel were noteworthy architectural projects of the period. PDS had the reputation of being a leader in theological education. On June 6, 1974, PDS merged with the Episcopal Theological School of Cambridge, Massachusetts to form the present Episcopal Divinity School. the campus was sold to the University of Pennsylvania, with the contents going in diverse directions.
The Episcopal Theological School (ETS) was founded in 1867 by wealthy Boston businessman Benjamin Tyler Reed. Almost at once, the school secured land on Brattle Street in Cambridge, and gradually grew in size. The ETS was an unusual theological school. One reason was that all the Trustees were layment. They held themselves accountable for the financial and administrative matters while giving the Faculty freedom and responsibility for theological matters. ETS was a leader in theological education and the Ecumenical Movement, with a strong interest in missionary work and social issues. On June 6, 1974, ETS merged with the Divinity School of the Protest Episcopal Church in Philadelphia to form the present Episcopal Divinity School.
The Episcopal Divinty School was formed in June 1974 through the merger of the Divinty School of the Protestant Episcopal Church in Philadelphia (PDS) and the Episcopal Theological School (ETS) in Cmabridge, Massachusetts. The new institution is located on the site of the old ETS. EDS continues to be a leader in theological education, committed to social justice and social change. |
| Printed Guides & Catalogs: | For PDS records: inventory with box list. For ETS and EDS: some general lists. |
| Contact for permission to publish requests: | David Siegenthaler: (617) 868-3450, ext. 328 |
| Reproduction services: |
| Photocopying by staff only. |
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| Items allowed in Reading Room: |
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Please address comments and updates to archinfo@hulmail.harvard.edu.
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