Lesley Armstrong Northup papers, circa 1987 -- 1994

Summary Information

Abstract

This collection contains the working papers, correspondence, publications, and other related materials of Lesley Northup, a writer, teacher, and Episcopal priest, and Associate Professor of Religion and Culture and Associate Dean of the Honors College, Florida International University, including manuscripts, notes and clippings, correspondence related to Northup's choice to become a single parent by artificial insemination, and responses to the Forms of Address for Episcopal Women Clergy survey.

At a Glance

Arrangement

Arrangement

This collection is arranged in three series: 1. Responses to Northup's motherhood; 2. Research survey for forms of address for Episcopal women clergy; 3. Writings.

• Series 1: Responses to Northup's motherhood, 1987 -- 1994
• Series 2: Research Survey for Forms of Address for Episcopal Women Clergy, 1992
• Series 3: Writings, circa 1987

Description

Scope and Contents

This collection contains the working papers, correspondence, publications, and other related materials of Lesley Northup, including manuscripts, notes and clippings, correspondence related to Northup's choice to become a single parent by artificial insemination, and responses to the Forms of Address for Episcopal Women Clergy survey.

• Series 1: Responses to Northup's motherhood, 1987 -- 1994

  This series contains personal and professional correspondence, editorials, letters to the editor, and requests for appearances based on Northup's choice to become a single parent by artificial insemination.

• Series 2: Research Survey for Forms of Address for Episcopal Women Clergy, 1992

  This series contains responses to the survey from women clergy from many different parts of the country, as well as a blank survey form, and one completed but unsigned.

• Series 3: Writings, circa 1987

  This series contains published articles and essays, and material in manuscript form including a book outline, a book chapter, essays, and a treatment for a screenplay. Subjects include Northup's choice to become a single parent by artificial insemination, and others such as being a military chaplain, inclusive language in liturgy, and being a woman in baseball.

Burke Library record group:

Archives of Women in Theological Scholarship (AWTS)

Using the Collection

Burke Library at Union Theological Seminary

Conditions Governing Access

This collection is open for research.

Onsite storage.

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, AWTS: Lesley Armstrong Northup papers, 1987-1994, box #, folder #, The Burke Library at Union Theological Seminary, Columbia University in the City of New York.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Lesley A. Northup donated her papers to the Archives of Women in Theological Scholarship in March 2001.

About the Finding Aid / Processing Information

Columbia University Libraries, Burke Library at Union Theological Seminary

Processing Information

An attempt was made to maintain the original order, within series, that Northup imposed throughout the course of her career. Folded materials were flattened. Newspaper clippings were photocopied on acid free paper. Staples, rubber bands, and metal clips were removed and replaced with plastic clips. All materials were placed in acid-free folders and boxes. The finding aid was created by Susan Cathcart Ketchin in 2006 and edited by Leah Edelman in 2021.

Revision Description

2021-10-28 PDF converted to EAD and description updated by Leah Edelman.

Subject Headings

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

All links open new windows.

Subject

History / Biographical Note

Biographical / Historical

Lesley A. Northup was born on December 2, 1947 in the Bronx, New York. She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts (Speech) from the University of Wisconsin, Madison, in 1970. Northup received her M.Div in 1980 from the Episcopal Divinity School, Cambridge, MA. She went on to study for the M.A. in Religious Studies/Liturgics (1983) and a Ph.D. in Historical Theology (1991) from The Catholic University of America. Honors include the Florida International University Outstanding Service Award (2004) and Teaching Award (2001, 2002) and the Outstanding Honors Fellow, 2003. Northup was ordained an Episcopal priest at the\ Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York City by the Rt. Rev. Paul Moore in 1981. The first Episcopal woman priest to serve as a chaplain in the Navy Reserve, Northup served for ten years in that capacity from c. 1976, while she was writing, publishing, and teaching. Her daughter, Evan Armstrong Northup, was born August 8, 1986 by artificial insemination. Northup began her teaching career in 1984 at Howard University's Divinity School, Washington, D.C., as a lecturer in Liturgical History. She has taught religion, religion and broadcasting, women's studies, English and professional writing at Howard University (1984), the Virginia Theological Seminary (1987), and the University of Maryland (1988-1993). In 1993, she joined the faculty at Florida International University in the Department of Religious Studies as Associate Professor of Religion and Culture and became Associate Dean of the Honors College at F.I.U. in 1994. Northup is the author of several books including Ritualizing Women: Patterns and Practices (1997), Women and Religious Ritual (1993), and The 1892 Book of Common Prayer (1993). Numerous articles, book reviews, and essays have appeared in both mass market and professional journals.