The John Gresham Machen Manuscript Collection
Scope and Content
This collection contains materials by and about J. Gresham Machen, as well as published and unpublished materials on the 1929 reorganization of Princeton Theological Seminary.
Dates
- 1915-1936
Language of Materials
English
Access:
There are no special restrictions to 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 John Gresham Machen Manuscript Collection. Special Collections, Princeton Theological Seminary Library.
Chronology
- 1881 July 28
- Born, Baltimore, Maryland
- 1901
- B.A., Johns Hopkins University
- 1904
- M.A., Princeton University
- 1905
- B.D., Princeton Theological Seminary
- 1905-1906
- Student, Gottingen and Marburg Universities
- 1906-1914
- Instructor, New Testament, Princeton Theological Seminary
- 1914-1929
- Assistant Professor, New Testament, Princeton Theological Seminary
- 1918-1919
- Y.M.C.A. war service, French Army
- 1929-1937
- Professor, New Testament, Westminster Theological Seminary
- 1937 January 1
- Died, Bismark, North Dakota
Biographical Information
J. Gresham Machen also received honorary doctorates from Hampden-Sidney College (1921) and Wheaton College (1928). He was the author of several books, including The Origin of Paul's Religion, Christianity and Liberalism, New Testament Greek for Beginners, What is Faith?, The Virgin Birth of Christ, The Christian View of Man, Christian Faith in the Modern World, and Brief Bible History. The majority of these currently remain in print. There are also numerous anthologies of his writings, including God Transcendent, Education, Christianity and the State, Galatians, and New Testament Introduction. Several biographical treatments have been published on Dr. Machen's life. Most noteworthy are works by Ned Stonehouse (1955), Paul Woolley (1977), and D. G. Hart (1994).
Extent
2.1 Linear Feet (5 Boxes)
Arrangement
This collection is arranged in six series: Published Writings, Correspondence, Published References to Machen, Machen's Trial (1934-1935), Reorganization Controversy (1923-1929) Printed Items, and Reorganization Controversy (1923-1929) Unpublished Items. Files have been arranged chronologically.
Processing Information:
The papers currently organized as the Machen Collection were gathered from a number of sources, the origins of which are unknown in many cases. Some items were maintained in "Cabinet C" in the Old Lenox Library of Princeton Seminary. Paul Martin, a protagonist in the reorganization conflict, had also donated his correspondence and papers relative to Dr. Machen. Another set of papers was donated to the Seminary many years ago by Judge Huston Dixon, consisting of his correspondence and documents relating to the legality of reorganizing the Seminary. All of these items were stored in sealed bundles. These and other papers were gathered in 1993 and stored together in a large box designated "Machen Controversy." They remained unorganized and were not made accessible to library patrons. In April of 1996 the collection was organized, with revisions made in July 1997. At that time several photocopies of relevant items from other manuscripts collections and from files in the Archives' office were added to the collection.
- Title
- The John Gresham Machen Manuscript Collection
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Raymond D. Cannata
- Date
- 6/16/08
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- Undetermined
- Script of description
- Code for undetermined script
- Language of description note
- English
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