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Series 1: History of Union Theological Seminary, 1986

Robert T. Handy papers, circa 1930 -- 1986

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Series 1: History of Union Theological Seminary, 1986

This series is open for research.

0.5 linear feet; 0.5 linear feet; 1 box

This series contains a typescript of Handy's History of Union Theological Seminary. The copy appears to be one from late in the editing process. Handy's tenure at Union as a member of both the faculty and the administration gave him particular insight into the critical issues affecting the Seminary during his time. Handy also illuminated the events of other eras of Union's past, such as the Briggs and McGiffert trials around the turn of the twentieth century. Handy's exhaustive research in the UTS archives provided the basis for a history that built on the work of earlier scholars of the Seminary's history, including the volumes by former UTS president Henry Sloane Coffin and faculty members G.L. Prentiss and Charles R. Gillett.

This series is arranged in received order.


Box 1.1 Manuscript, Chapters 1-10 and Notes, 1986

Series 2: Organizations, circa 1930 -- 1963

This series is open for research.

2.5 linear feet; 2.5 linear feet; 6 boxes

This series contains correspondence and administrative materials of organizations that Handy was involved in: the Fellowship of Socialist Christians (FSC) and Christian Action (CA). One of the outside interests of the UTS faculty was the Fellowship of Socialist Christians (FSC), the brainchild of Handy's UTS colleague Reinhold Niebuhr, who formed the organization in the early 1930's. The FSC would later evolve into Christian Action, with Robert Handy serving as Secretary.

This series is arranged in two subseries: 2A: Fellowship of Socialist Christians (FSC); and 2B: Christian Action (CA).

Subseries 2A: Fellowship of Socialist Christians (FSC), circa 1930 -- 1951, 1 linear feet; 1 linear foot; 2 boxes

This subseries is open for research.

This subseries contains correspondence from the organization, as well as some administrative documents such as minutes and reports, and several files on the Frontier Fellowship (which seems to have been either a later incarnation of the FSC, or an offshoot). These FSC materials were not directly produced by Handy; the FSC files were passed on to the Christian Action administration and to Handy as Secretary of Christian Action.

This subseries is arranged roughly chronologically.


Box 2A.1 Correspondence A-R, 1932 -- 1936


Box 2A.2 Folder 1-4 Correspondence S-Y, 1932 -- 1936

Box 2A.2 Folder 5 Correspondence: Form Letters, 1933 -- 1936

Box 2A.2 Folder 6 Administration: Lists, circa 1930 -- 1939

Box 2A.2 Folder 7 Administration: Minutes, 1933 -- 1935

Box 2A.2 Folder 8 Published Materials, 1935 -- 1936

Box 2A.2 Folder 9 Principles and other Administrative Documents, circa 1930 -- 1939

Box 2A.2 Folder 10 Frontier Fellowship: Correspondence, 1948 -- 1951

Box 2A.2 Folder 11 Frontier Fellowship: Administration, 1948 -- 1951

Subseries 2B: Christian Action (CA), 1951 -- 1963, 1.5 linear feet; 1.5 linear feet; 4 boxes

This subseries is open for research.

This subseries contains correspondence from Christian Action, which was a later incarnation of the FSC. Also included are administrative materials and files specific to the New York Chapter.

This subseries is arranged alphabetically.


Box 2B.1 Folder 1-4 Administration, 1951 -- 1955

Box 2B.1 Folder 5 Conference, Newsletters and Publicity, 1951 -- 1955

Box 2B.1 Folder 6-7 Correspondence: A-G, 1951 -- 1955


Box 2B.2 Correspondence: H-So, 1951 -- 1955


Box 2B.3 Correspondence: Sp-Z, Unidentified and Form Letters, 1951 -- 1955


Box 2B.4 New York Chapter Minutes, Reports, Administrative Information and clippings, 1952 -- 1963