John T. McNeill papers, circa 1904 -- 2000

Summary Information

Abstract

John Thomas McNeill was a theological historian and Calvin scholar, Professor of History of European Christianity at the University of Chicago, and later Professor of Church History and Auburn Professor Emeritus at Union Theological Seminary. The collection contains material related to McNeill's career, including teaching materials, research notes, sermons, correspondence, and an unpublished autobiography.

Description

Scope and Contents

This collection consists of material related to John Thomas McNeill's scholarly work, including research, teaching and publishing. It contains material related to seminars, courses, conferences, lectures, and presentations on topics ranging from Calvinist studies and theology, to church history in Europe. The collection is especially rich in material related to McNeill's teaching career, and includes seminar notes, schedules, class plans, assignments and booklists. Additionally, this collection includes correspondence related to McNeill's numerous publications, a substantial amount of it in exchange with individual publishing houses such as the Westminster Press, Liberal Arts Press, The Library of Christian Classics, Oxford University Press and their editors. Finally, the collection also contains the autobiography of John T. McNeill, completed by his son William H. McNeill, titled "Grandfather Stories." This book was not published but was circulated amongst the McNeill family, and contains the fullest account of McNeill's life and family history, including assessments of his scholarly purpose and achievements.

• Series 1: Correspondence, 1922 -- 1975

  This series contains correspondence, including correspondence related to McNeill's numerous publications, a substantial amount of it in exchange with individual publishing houses such as the Westminster Press, Liberal Arts Press, The Library of Christian Classics, Oxford University Press and their editors.

• Series 2: Sermons, circa 1930 -- 1959

  This series contains sermons, prayers, and chapel addresses.

• Series 3: Research, circa 1904 -- 2000

  This series contains research materials, including material related to seminars, courses, conferences, lectures, and presentations on topics ranging from Calvinist studies and theology, to church history in Europe. This series also contains the autobiography of John T. McNeill, completed by his son William H. McNeill, titled "Grandfather Stories." This book was not published but was circulated amongst the McNeill family, and contains the fullest account of McNeill's life and family history, including assessments of his scholarly purpose and achievements.

• Series 4: Teaching, circa 1920 -- 1970

  This series contains material related to McNeill's teaching career, and includes seminar notes, schedules, class plans, assignments and booklists.

Burke Library record group:

Union Theological Seminary Archives: UTS 1, papers of faculty and students

Arrangement

This collection is arranged in four roughly chronological series: Series 1: Correspondence; Series 2: Sermons; Series 3: Research; and Series 4: Teaching.

• Series 1: Correspondence, 1922 -- 1975
• Series 2: Sermons, circa 1930 -- 1959
• Series 3: Research, circa 1904 -- 2000
• Series 4: Teaching, circa 1920 -- 1970

Using the Collection

Conditions Governing Access

This collection is open for research.

Conditions Governing Use

Some material in this collection may be protected by copyright and other rights. Information concerning copyright, fair use, and reproduction requests can be consulted at Columbia's Copyright Advisory Office.

Preferred Citation

Item description, John T. McNeill papers, series #, box #, folder #, The Burke Library at Union Theological Seminary, Columbia University in the City of New York.

Custodial History

The John McNeill Papers were among a large group of unprocessed materials that were organized in 2018 with the support of the Henry Luce Foundation and the E. Rhodes and Leona B. Carpenter Foundation.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

The exact provenance of this collection is unknown. McNeill's autobiography was donated by John R. McNeill, grandson of John T. McNeill, in December 2022, accession UTS-2023-005.

About the Finding Aid / Processing Information

Columbia University Libraries, Burke Library at Union Theological Seminary

Processing Information

Metal clips and staples were removed from materials and folded items were flattened. Materials were placed in new acid-free folders and boxes. Files wrapped in brown paper were transferred to folders and one of the folders was separated into several smaller-sized ones. The finding aid was created by Daniella Cádiz Bedini in 2018 with the support of the Henry Luce Foundation and the E. Rhodes and Leona B. Carpenter Foundation, and edited by Leah Edelman in 2022.

Revision Description

2022-10-25 PDF converted to EAD and description updated by Leah Edelman.

Biographical / Historical

John Thomas McNeill was born in Elmsdale, Prince Edward Island, Canada, on July 28, 1885. In 1906 he began his studies at McGill University, where he completed his B.A. degree in 1909 and then his M.A. in 1910. He also studied at Presbyterian College in Montreal and at Westminster Hall, Vancouver, from 1910-1912, where he gained his B.D. From 1912-1913 he studied at New College, Edinburgh, and from 1913 at Halle University in Germany. From 1916-1920 he attended Divinity School at the University of Chicago, where he completed his Ph.D. He was ordained on November 13, 1914, at the Presbytery of St. John in Canada and was pastor in Chipman, New Brunswick, from 1913-1914. In 1915 McNeill started his academic career, first as Lecturer in Church History in Westminster Hall until 1920, and as instructor in Church History at the University of Chicago from 1919-1920. He also served as Assistant Professor of History at Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, from 1920-1921 and then as Associate Professor from 1921-1922. From 1922 to 1927 McNeill was Professor of Church History at Knox College, Toronto, Canada. Starting in 1927, he became Professor of History of European Christianity at the University of Chicago, a position he would hold until 1944. From there he joined Union Theological Seminary in New York City, becoming Auburn Professor of Church History until 1953. That same year he became Auburn Professor emeritus. His numerous published works include The Presbyterian Church in Canada, 1875-1925 (1925), Books of Faith and Power (1947), A History of the Cure of Souls (1951), The History and Character of Calvinism (1954), Modern Christian Movements (1954), Unitive Protestantism: the Ecumenical Spirit and its Persistent Expression (1964), and The Celtic Churches: A History A.D. 200 to 1200 (1974). He died in Chicago on February 2, 1975, at the age of 89 years.

Subject Headings

The subject headings listed below are found in this collection. Links below allow searches for other collections at Columbia University, through CLIO, the catalog for Columbia University Libraries, and through ArchiveGRID, a catalog that allows users to search the holdings of multiple research libraries and archives.

All links open new windows.

Name
McNeill, John T (John Thomas), 1885-1975 -- : Archives	CLIO Catalog	ArchiveGRID
Subject
College teachers	CLIO Catalog	ArchiveGRID
Theologians	CLIO Catalog	ArchiveGRID