Church History United Church of Christ 1957 Union Collection

Collection

Identifier: EUCH014

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

This is a collection of materials dating from the 1940s to the 1960s regarding the proposed union between the Congregational Christian Churches and the Evangelical and Reformed Church, which created the United Church of Christ in 1957. Documents are from both the pro-union and anti-union perspectives. Material include newsletters, booklets, pamphlets, leaflets, correspondence, brochures, broadsides, and packets. The majority of the documents in this collection were produced in the mid-1950s, just prior to the union.

Almost all of the documents were produced by these two factions within the Congregational Christian Church. The anti-union literature was produced by two organizations: the Committee for the Continuation of Congregational Christian Churches, based in Chicago, as well as the League to Uphold Congregational Principles, based in Hartford, Connecticut. Pro-union literature was produced by the Special Committee on the Proposed Union, as well as Executive Committee of the General Council of the Congregational Christian Church.

The anti-union faction contended that the merger of these two denominations would mean an end to the Congregational way of church governance, which meant an ecclesiastical authority over individual churches, ministers, and their members. In traditional Congregationalism, no governing body has power over the internal life of any of the individual congregations. This faction claimed that the new united church would adopt a constitution, which would give it governing power over traditionally independent Congregational churches.

Dates

Creation: 1948-1966

Conditions Governing Access

Collection is open for Research.

Conditions Governing Use

The nature of the Archives and Special Collections of Belk Library means that copyright or other information about restrictions may be difficult or even impossible to determine despite reasonable efforts. The Archives and Special Collections of Belk Library claims only physical ownership of most materials. The materials from our collections are made available for use in research, teaching, and private study, pursuant to the U.S. Copyright Law. The user must assume full responsibility for any use of the materials, including but not limited to, infringement of copyright and publication rights of reproduced materials. Any materials used for academic research of otherwise should be fully credited with the source.

Biographical / Historical

The Christian Church which created Elon College, sometimes known as the “O’Kelly Christian Church” for founder James O’Kelly, merged with the Congregational Church of the United States to form the Congregational Christian Churches in 1931. The Congregational Christian Churches merged with the Evangelical and Reformed Church to create the United Church of Christ in 1957.

Extent

1 Linear Feet (1)

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Abstract

This is a collection of materials regarding the proposed union between the Congregational Christian Churches and the Evangelical and Reformed Church, which created the United Church of Christ in 1957. Documents are from both the pro-union and anti-union perspectives. Material include newsletters, booklets, pamphlets, leaflets, correspondence, brochures, broadsides, and packets. This collection is arranged by document type, and then chronologically.

Arrangement

This collection is arranged by document type, and then chronologically.

Physical Location

The collection is located in Belk Library Archives Satellite Shelving at Elon University. Please contact the Archivist and Special Collections Librarian for further details about the location.