The Edwin Harold Rian Manuscript Collection
Scope and Content
This collection includes biographical materials, autobiographical materials, news clippings about Dr. Rian's career, and various mementos from his life.
Dates
- 1927 - 1990
Language of Materials
English
Access:
There are no special restrictions to the access of this collection. It may be examined by library patrons under the normal rules and conditions of Special Collections.
Preferred Citation
The following is the acceptable citation for publication: The Edwin Harold Rian Manuscript Collection. Special Collections, Princeton Theological Seminary Library.
Chronology
- 1900 April 27
- Born, Minneapolis, Minnesota
- 1924
- Graduated, University of Minnesota
- 1924-1927
- Student, Bachelor of Theology, Princeton Theological Seminary
- 1927
- Graduated, Master of Arts, Princeton University
- 1927 April 27
- Ordained, Presbytery of New Brunswick
- 1927-1928
- Princeton Fellow, University of Berlin, Germany
- 1928
- Princeton Fellow, University of Marburg, Germany
- 1929-1930
- Assistant pastor, Presbyterian Church, Westfield, New Jersey
- 1931-1946
- President, Westminster Theological Seminary, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- 1948-1950
- Vice-President, Trinity University, San Antonio, Texas
- 1949
- Honorary doctorate, Bob Jones University
- 1950-1954
- Vice-President, Beaver College (now called Arcadia University), Glenside, Pennsylvania
- 1954-1960
- President, Jamestown College, North Dakota
- 1955
- Honorary doctorate, Huron College
- 1960
- Honorary doctorate, Jamestown College
- 1960-1963
- President, Biblical Seminary, New York City
- 1961
- Honorary doctorate, Moravian College
- 1964-1967
- President, Institute for Educational Planning
- 1967-1979
- Assistant President, Princeton Theological Seminary
- 1995 August 22
- Died, San Diego, California
Biographical Information
Dr. Rian was a young leader of that conservative segment of the Presbyterian Church which formed the Orthodox Presbyterian Church denomination and Westminster Theological Seminary. After serving as an assistant pastor of the Presbyterian Church in Westfield, New Jersey, Dr. Rian became field secretary for Westminster Theological Seminary, 1931-36, in charge of raising support. He served as president of that school's board of trustees, 1936-46. In 1940 he wrote The Presbyterian Conflict, a history of the controversies within the Presbyterian Church, which has recently been reprinted.
In 1947, Dr. Rian announced he had come to a new understanding of the unity of the Church and resigned his positions within the Orthodox Presbyterian Church. He was subsequently re-ordained by the PCUSA which had earlier defrocked him. He went on to serve as vice-president or president at several significant educational institutions, including Trinity University (Texas), Beaver College (Pennsylvania, now Arcadia University), Jamestown College (North Dakota), Biblical Seminary (New York), and the Institute for Educational Planning (New York). He became the assistant to the President at Princeton Seminary in 1969, where he served for more than ten years. He also authored and edited several books.
Extent
1.0 Linear Feet (2 boxes)
Processing Information:
This collection of was given to the Seminary Libraries by Dr. Rian in 1994, with additional materials given by his family in February of 1997. This collection was processed, and the original finding aid was written in the September of 1996, by Raymond D. Cannata, under the direction of William O. Harris, Archivist. The finding aid was revised in May of 2002, and edited by Sarah Seraphin and Daved Anthony Schmidt in May of 2009. Additional materials were received in August, 2013 from Abigail Rian Evans, and the additions were processed by Bob Golon, Manuscript Librarian.
- Title
- The Edwin Harold Rian Manuscript Collection
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Raymond D. Cannata
- Date
- 2009
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- Undetermined
- Script of description
- Code for undetermined script
Repository Details
Part of the Princeton Theological Seminary. Library. Special Collections Repository
Princeton Theological Seminary
Wright Library
25 Library Place
Princeton NJ 08540 USA
speccoll@ptsem.edu