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Federal Council of the Churches of Christ in America Records

 Collection
Identifier: SCPC-DG-048

Abstract

The Federal Council of Churches organized its Committee on the Conscientious Objector under its Department of International Justice and Goodwill in 1941. The Committee was interested in all aspects of conscientious objection, especially religious life in Civilian Public Service camps. Among the Committee's projects was the organizing of a program of visitation to CPS camps.

Dates

  • Creation: 1941-1946

Creator

Language of Materials

Materials are in English.

Conditions Governing Access

None.

Conditions Governing Use

None.

Historical note

The Federal Council of Churches organized its Committee on the Conscientious Objector under its Department of International Justice and Goodwill in 1941 (circa). Bishop Oxnam was Chair of the Committee, and Dr. Walter Van Kirk was Secretary. Members of the Committee were nominated by the member churches of the Federal Council and appointed by the Council's President. The Committee was represented in NSBRO in a consultative capacity from January 17, 1941, to which it gave financial support or organized support from denominations. Grover Hartman, a C.O. who was released from CPS for detached service, came to the office in May 1944 to work with Dr. Van Kirk. His salary was paid from contributions made by the churches represented on the Committee. Hartman had earned an M.A. from American University and had worked as a teacher and a leader in the field of religion. He was working on his PhD. when he was drafted and sent to a CPS camp.

The Committee was interested in all aspects of conscientious objection, especially religious life in CPS camps. Among the Committee's projects was the organizing of a program of visitation to CPS camps.

In 1952, A. Staunton Curry, the Executive Secretary of NSBRO, wrote to the SCPC that he felt that the Committee's files should be deposited in the Peace Collection. The curator visited Dr. Van Kirk's office in Dec. 1952 and selected the records to transfer to the archives. The bulk of the Federal Council of Churches' archives is at the Presbyterian Historical Society in Philadelphia (PA) [they have nothing on the Committee on the Conscientious Objector].

The Committee's archival records were re-processed in April 2001 for the purpose of better preservation measures and to arrange the material in a more comprehensible format. At that time, material regarding the Federal Council of Church that did not relate to the Committee was removed.

Extent

3.75 linear ft. (3.75 linear ft.)

Arrangement

The Committee's archival records were re-processed in April 2001 for the purpose of better preservation measures and to arrange the material in a more comprehensible format. At that time, material regarding the Federal Council of Church that did not relate to the Committee was removed.

Custodial History

The Swarthmore College Peace Collection is the official repository for these records.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Gift of National Service Board for Religious Objectors, 1952.

Related Materials

National Council of Churches/USA Collected Records (CDG-A) includes files from its predecessor organization, the Federal Council of Churches, 1908-1950.

Separated Materials

Items removed: Photographs removed to the Photograph Collection

Bibliographic References

Guide to the Swarthmore College Peace Collection, 2nd ed., p. 26.

Legal Status

Copyright owned by the organization may have been transferred to the Swarthmore College Peace Collection. Copyright to all other materials is retained by the authors of items in these papers, or their descendants, as stipulated by United States copyright law.

Processing Information

Processed by SCPC staff; Checklist revised by Anne Yoder, April 2001; this version of finding aid created by Wendy E. Chmielewski, October 2009.

Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin

Find It at the Library

Most of the materials in this catalog are not digitized and can only be accessed in person. Please see our website for more information about visiting or requesting repoductions from Swarthmore College Peace Collection Library

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