Christian Theological Seminary collection
Collection
Identifier: L260
Scope and Contents
This collection includes sermons, survey responses, an obituary, a minister's biography and last words, and miscellaneous items from Christian Theological Seminary in Indiana and particularly, Rev. James and Anna Havens in Rushville, Indiana, ranging from 1864 to 1935 and undated, regarding Protestant theology, clergy, and religious courses in colleges and universities. The sermons were most likely those of Rev. James Havens and the obituary and minister's biography and last words concerned the Havens.
Dates
- 1864-1935, undated
Creator
- Christian Theological Seminary (Organization)
Conditions Governing Access
This collection is open for research.
Conditions Governing Use
Legal title, copyright, and literary rights reside with Rare Books and Manuscripts, Indiana State Library, Indianapolis, IN. All requests to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted to Rare Books and Manuscripts.
Administrative History
"Christian Theological Seminary traces its origins to 1855 and the founding of North Western Christian University [now Butler University] in downtown Indianapolis, Indiana. The new school’s primary mission was to train ministers for the Disciples, a frontier movement emphasizing Christian unity and lay leadership. But one thing distinguished NWCU from other Disciples schools at the time, most of which were in slaveholding states: its commitment to abolitionism. By 1877, the school had been renamed Butler University in honor of its most celebrated leader and most generous financial supporter, Indianapolis lawyer and abolitionist Ovid Butler.
Through the early years of the 20th century, Butler began offering a more diverse undergraduate curriculum, and the Butler School of [Religion] became one of many programs of study in the increasingly secular institution. As the growing university moved to its present location on Indianapolis’ near northside, the School of Religion grew as well, adding a graduate program in 1924 thanks to the generous financial support of Disciples businessmen William G. Irwin and Hugh Th. Miller, as well as Disciples minister Z. T. Sweeney.
The founding dean of the Butler School of Religion, Frederick Doyle Kershner, charted a unique course. At a time when American Christianity was sharply divided between liberalism and fundamentalism, he sought a middle ground. He opened the School of Religion to persons of all denominations, persons of color, and women, and welcomed a Jewish rabbi to serve on the faculty for more than two decades -- a remarkable move in early twentieth century America. Living out the historic Disciples commitment to Christian unity, Kershner insisted that the school prepare excellent, broad-minded leaders to serve the churches of his day. By the late 1950s, it was clear that the Butler School of Religion would serve the theologically progressive sector of American Protestantism, and especially of the Disciples, a commitment embodied in Dean Orman Shelton.
...The school severed its institutional ties to Butler University and became a free-standing seminary in 1958, reorganized and incorporated as Christian Theological Seminary. Almost immediately, the administration and faculty recast its vision of theological education: the school would at once maintain its commitment to ecumenism and preserve its ties to the emerging Christian Church (Disciples of Christ); it would offer graduate degrees to prepare women and men for congregational leadership; and its curriculum would demand the highest standards of scholarship from students, focusing intentionally on developing their lives of faith. In 1966, under the leadership of President Beauford Norris, CTS settled into its present location, just south of the Butler University campus.
Since its establishment as a free-standing institution, Christian Theological Seminary has adapted to meet the changing needs of both church and society. In the 1970s and 1980s, Veteran Disciples missionary and ecumenist T. J. Liggett led the school as it developed a truly global perspective on Christian faith. A new faculty began to emphasize the role of social science in the study of religion and to promote active engagement with pressing social concerns of the day. An innovative field education program was introduced as the seminary's understanding of “ministry” expanded to include work in social service agencies, government, and other non-congregational settings.
In the early 1990s, the seminary launched several degree programs in psychotherapy, and began operating a counseling center that serves both as a training center for students in those programs and as a much-needed resource for the Indianapolis community.
Under the leadership of Presidents Richard Dickinson and Edward Wheeler, the last twenty-five years have witnessed the intentional diversification of the seminary community, and now enjoys one of the most diverse communities of any seminary in the nation. While nurturing strong, formal ties to the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), the seminary strives to live out the denomination’s historic commitments to Christian unity, inclusiveness, and reconciliation.
The latest chapter in the CTS story began in 2011 with the installation of the seminary’s sixth president, Matthew Myer Boulton. An ordained minister in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and a scholar with degrees from both Harvard and the University of Chicago, Boulton joins the more than thirty denominations and religious traditions represented among the administration, faculty, staff and student body of today’s CTS, a vibrant, growing community of faith and learning."
Excerpt from: Christian Theological Seminary. "History + Mission." Accessed July 18, 2016. http://www.cts.edu/about-cts/history-mission.aspx.
Through the early years of the 20th century, Butler began offering a more diverse undergraduate curriculum, and the Butler School of [Religion] became one of many programs of study in the increasingly secular institution. As the growing university moved to its present location on Indianapolis’ near northside, the School of Religion grew as well, adding a graduate program in 1924 thanks to the generous financial support of Disciples businessmen William G. Irwin and Hugh Th. Miller, as well as Disciples minister Z. T. Sweeney.
The founding dean of the Butler School of Religion, Frederick Doyle Kershner, charted a unique course. At a time when American Christianity was sharply divided between liberalism and fundamentalism, he sought a middle ground. He opened the School of Religion to persons of all denominations, persons of color, and women, and welcomed a Jewish rabbi to serve on the faculty for more than two decades -- a remarkable move in early twentieth century America. Living out the historic Disciples commitment to Christian unity, Kershner insisted that the school prepare excellent, broad-minded leaders to serve the churches of his day. By the late 1950s, it was clear that the Butler School of Religion would serve the theologically progressive sector of American Protestantism, and especially of the Disciples, a commitment embodied in Dean Orman Shelton.
...The school severed its institutional ties to Butler University and became a free-standing seminary in 1958, reorganized and incorporated as Christian Theological Seminary. Almost immediately, the administration and faculty recast its vision of theological education: the school would at once maintain its commitment to ecumenism and preserve its ties to the emerging Christian Church (Disciples of Christ); it would offer graduate degrees to prepare women and men for congregational leadership; and its curriculum would demand the highest standards of scholarship from students, focusing intentionally on developing their lives of faith. In 1966, under the leadership of President Beauford Norris, CTS settled into its present location, just south of the Butler University campus.
Since its establishment as a free-standing institution, Christian Theological Seminary has adapted to meet the changing needs of both church and society. In the 1970s and 1980s, Veteran Disciples missionary and ecumenist T. J. Liggett led the school as it developed a truly global perspective on Christian faith. A new faculty began to emphasize the role of social science in the study of religion and to promote active engagement with pressing social concerns of the day. An innovative field education program was introduced as the seminary's understanding of “ministry” expanded to include work in social service agencies, government, and other non-congregational settings.
In the early 1990s, the seminary launched several degree programs in psychotherapy, and began operating a counseling center that serves both as a training center for students in those programs and as a much-needed resource for the Indianapolis community.
Under the leadership of Presidents Richard Dickinson and Edward Wheeler, the last twenty-five years have witnessed the intentional diversification of the seminary community, and now enjoys one of the most diverse communities of any seminary in the nation. While nurturing strong, formal ties to the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), the seminary strives to live out the denomination’s historic commitments to Christian unity, inclusiveness, and reconciliation.
The latest chapter in the CTS story began in 2011 with the installation of the seminary’s sixth president, Matthew Myer Boulton. An ordained minister in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and a scholar with degrees from both Harvard and the University of Chicago, Boulton joins the more than thirty denominations and religious traditions represented among the administration, faculty, staff and student body of today’s CTS, a vibrant, growing community of faith and learning."
Excerpt from: Christian Theological Seminary. "History + Mission." Accessed July 18, 2016. http://www.cts.edu/about-cts/history-mission.aspx.
Biographical Note
James Havens was born on December 25, 1791 to in Mason County, Kentucky. He married Anna Higginbotham in Fleming County, Kentucky in 1809 and they had at fifteen children: John Parker (1810-1884), Landy (1815-1879), Thompson (1818-1890), William (1820-1898), George, Henry Bascom, Daniel M., James Conwell, David J., Mathilda S., Rachel, Sarah B., Martha, Emily, and Mahala (1830-1907). The Havens moved to Highland County, Ohio between 1812 and 1815, then to Rush County, Indiana between 1821 and 1825. James Havens was a farmer and a Methodist minister for 53 years, riding a circuit in the early yearsn James Havens died on November 4, 1864 in Rushville, Indiana and is buried with his wife.
Anna Higginbotham was born on February 10, 1791 to John and Nancy Higginbotham in Fayette County, Pennsylvania. She married Rev. James Havens in Fleming County, Kentucky in 1809 and they had fifteen children. She was known as "Mother Havens" in the Rushville community. Anna Havens died on March 23, 1864 in Rushville, Indiana and is buried in East Hill Cemetery there.
Sources:
Items in the collection.
Ancestry.com. "James Havens." 1850 United States Federal Census. Accessed December 6, 2024. http://www.ancestrylibrary.com.
Ancestry.com. "James Havens." 1860 United States Federal Census. Accessed December 6, 2024. http://www.ancestrylibrary.com.
Findagrave.com. "Rev. James Havens." Find a Grave Memorial. Accessed December 6, 2024. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/36042744/james-havens.
Joyce, John P. "Reminiscenses." Rushville Republican (IN), July 16, 1932. Accessed December 6, 2024. Newspapers.com.
Anna Higginbotham was born on February 10, 1791 to John and Nancy Higginbotham in Fayette County, Pennsylvania. She married Rev. James Havens in Fleming County, Kentucky in 1809 and they had fifteen children. She was known as "Mother Havens" in the Rushville community. Anna Havens died on March 23, 1864 in Rushville, Indiana and is buried in East Hill Cemetery there.
Sources:
Items in the collection.
Ancestry.com. "James Havens." 1850 United States Federal Census. Accessed December 6, 2024. http://www.ancestrylibrary.com.
Ancestry.com. "James Havens." 1860 United States Federal Census. Accessed December 6, 2024. http://www.ancestrylibrary.com.
Findagrave.com. "Rev. James Havens." Find a Grave Memorial. Accessed December 6, 2024. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/36042744/james-havens.
Joyce, John P. "Reminiscenses." Rushville Republican (IN), July 16, 1932. Accessed December 6, 2024. Newspapers.com.
Extent
0.3 Cubic Feet (1 manuscript box)
Language of Materials
English
Arrangement
This collection is arranged by subject.
Custodial History
This collection was received by Rare Books and Manuscripts as a donation from Christian Theological Seminary on 1967/07/26.
Accruals
No further additions are expected.
Processing Information
Collection processing completed 2016/07/18 by Edythe Huffman. EAD finding aid created 2016/07/18 by Edythe Huffman. Collection reprocessing completed 2024/12/06 by Brittany Kropf. EAD finding aid revised 2024/12/06 by Brittany Kropf.
Creator
- Christian Theological Seminary (Organization)
- Title
- Christian Theological Seminary collection
- Status
- Completed
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the Rare Books and Manuscripts Repository
Contact:
140 North Senate Avenue
Indianapolis, Indiana 46204 U.S.A.
317-232-3671
140 North Senate Avenue
Indianapolis, Indiana 46204 U.S.A.
317-232-3671
