The Elmer George Homrighausen Manuscript Collection

Collection

Identifier: SCM 227

Staff Only

Scope and Content

This collection consists of materials related to the World Council of Churches, National Council of Churches and other international ecumenical organizations. It includes printed materials related to Homrighausen's tenure at Princeton Theological Seminary as Thomas Synnott Professor of Christian Education and his travels on behalf of the Seminary. It also contains correspondence, news articles, and manuscript copies of his written works.

Dates

1948-1977

Language of Materials

English, German, French

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 Elmer George Homrighausen Manuscript Collection. Special Collections, Princeton Theological Seminary Library.

Biographical Information

Dr. Homrighausen was a pioneer in 20th century international ecumenical movements and a leading scholar in the field of Christian Education. His influence spanned the globe as he preached and served as ambassador and lecturer to conferences in Europe, East and Southeast Asia, Indonesia, New Zealand, the Middle East, Africa, Latin America, South America, and the Caribbean. Dr. Homrighausen was honored many times over with honorary doctoral degrees and awards including the Distinguished Alumnus Awards from Princeton Theological Seminary in 1970 and Lakeland College in 1976. He was also named an Honorary Citizen of Seoul, Korea. Homrighausen served on several boards, including the Board of Founders of the Christian University of Tokyo and the Board of Trustees of Lakeland College.

A beloved and active member of his community, Dr. Homrighausen served on the Princeton Board of Education for 22 years. In addition to his teaching, preaching, traveling, and administrative duties, he authored dozens of articles and books and raised six children.

Extent

7.6 Linear Feet (21 boxes)

Additional Description

Arrangement

Series I (Boxes 1-8): World Council of Churches, and other international ecumenical enterprises

This series contains materials from the first and second Assemblies of the World Council of Churches, as well as reports from the World Conference on Faith and Order lectures. It includes papers by Reinhold Niebuhr, Martin Niemoller, Karl Barth, Joseph L. Hromadka, Paul Tillich and others. Topics include ecumenicity, the relation of the Church to the East and the West, the reconstruction of Europe and post World War II Germany.

Series II (Boxes 9-11): Papers from Homrighausen's tenure as Dean of Princeton Seminary

This series includes correspondence, reports, articles, and course material from Christian Education courses taught by Dr. Homrighausen. It includes material on the inauguration of Reverend James I. McCord as President of Princeton Theological Seminary, and memorial services for Charles R. Erdman, James Reeb and Edward H. Roberts. Some volumes of PTS student publications, The Wineskin and Viewpoints are also included.

Series III: (Boxes 12-14): Christian Education

This series is comprised of a collection of pamphlets, journals, and bibliographies about Christian education.

Series IV: (Boxes 15-16): 180th General Assembly of the United Presbyterian Church in the USA (1968)

This series includes papers and pamphlets from the Assembly and correspondence regarding it.

Series V: (Boxes 17-20) Correspondence and personal writing

This series includes letters from Karl Barth, Eduard Thurneysen, and Albert Einstein. It includes slides from the World Council of Churches, reports from Homrighausen's travels around the world, and photocopies of sermons, correspondence and newspaper clippings about Homrighausen. Box 20 holds an annotated, unpublished book manuscript by Homrighausen about evangelistic efforts of the 1940s in North and South America. The box also contains research materials and articles for the book.

Series VI: (Box 21) Other Material

Box 21 contains information on several international organizations and ecumenical enterprises. It has materials from the International Committee of the YMCA, of which Homrighausen was a member. Other items include articles about ecumenical meetings and the meeting packet from the 23rd General Assembly of the New Jersey Council of Churches.

Processing Information:

This collection was given to the Seminary Libraries by Dr. Homrighausen. Photocopies of sermons and correspondence were made in June 2002. The original materials were returned to John Homrighausen March 2, 2004. At that time John Homrighausen gave Special Collections the original Barth letters and the original letters from Eduard Thurneysen) [Accession 2004.9]. John Homrighausen kept the original Einstein letter.

The finding aid was originally compiled by Stephen M. Berry in August, 1982. It was updated and reorganized in February 2002, March 2004, July 2009, and again most recently in April 2010.