28 March, 2024

A Moving Decision

by | 16 December, 2014 | 1 comment

The Disciples of Christ Historical Society is housed in the Thomas W. Phillips Memorial Archives in Nashville, Tennessee, but a move is being planned.

The archive of the Disciples of Christ Historical Society is housed in the Thomas W. Phillips Memorial Archives building in Nashville, Tennessee, but a move is being planned.

By Mark A. Taylor

The Disciples of Christ Historical Society has decided to move its archive from the T.W. Phillips Memorial Archives building in Nashville, Tennessee, to a college or seminary affiliated with the Disciples of Christ. Dr. Todd Adams, interim president, said the Society”s directors plan to choose a place in March; actually preparing the archive to move could take three years, he said.

A press release distributed in November explained the move, saying, “there are insufficient funds to maintain both an archive and the T.W. Phillips Memorial Library building.”

Adams, associate general minister and vice president with the Disciples, based in Indianapolis, Indiana, expects to continue as interim president until at least July. “We don”t have funds to pay a president at this time,” he told me.

Adams explained that building a new, climate-controlled facility to house the Society”s archive will likely cost between $1 million and $1.5 million. He believes the current library building is worth $7 million. Even after an anticipated $100,000 to $150,000 cost for moving the archive, he said the profit on the building sale will create an endowment to guarantee the future of the Society”s archive.

“The challenge of maintaining this building and keeping an adequate staff has been a problem for some time,” he told me. Currently 55 percent of operating receipts go to building maintenance. “And this is not a cheap building to maintain,” he said. “You can”t put a tar patch on a leak in a slate roof,” for example.

He said the Phillips family is “fully aware” of the decision to move. “They are interested in partnering with us,” he said, “depending on where the archive lands.” He added that they are not interested in giving a large enough gift to maintain or repair the existing building.

Adams, in consultation with the Society”s directors (trustees), has determined that the archive can be well kept in a space smaller than the current building, which was constructed in 1958 and placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2006. But in that beautiful building, which includes meeting rooms, offices, and other public areas, the space dedicated to archival storage is currently too small. “Even if you could afford to maintain the building, the stacks would need major renovation to be truly useful,” he said, citing study carrels and shelves filled with boxes full of material waiting to be indexed and properly shelved.

Meanwhile, foot traffic to the site has fallen off in recent years. “Times have changed; research has changed,” Adams explained. Fewer and fewer researchers are asking to come sift through paper archives. More and more are e-mailing requests for digital documents. Adams mentioned that a significant goal of the move is to place the archives with a source that will invest in additional digitizing of the archive”s contents.

During this transition time, the Society remains open to visitors by appointment. The current staff is only one full-time person and a part-time employee.

Some members of independent Christian churches or a cappella churches of Christ may wonder if the Society”s archive will be fully available to them after it moves to the campus of a Disciples school. Adams assured me that it will. “We will maintain our current mission””to be the archive of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and the Stone-Campbell family.”

He justified the decision to place the archive with a Disciples college on the basis of two factors.

First, he asserted that 95 percent of the archived material legally belongs to the Disciples of Christ. (The Disciples claim as theirs all materials created before the three streams divided.)

But Dr. Rick Cherok, professor of church history at Cincinnati (Ohio) Christian University, questions that. (Cherok is the sole Society trustee from the independent Christian churches and churches of Christ.) “To get this number, one must assume that all historical items before the two separations belonged solely to the Disciples,” Cherok told me. “In other words, the materials from the beginning to the 1906 division with the churches of Christ are only Disciple materials.  And, things like the Christian Standard or North American materials before 1971 are only Disciple materials.”

Second, Adams also told me that almost all of the financial support to the Historical Society comes from Disciples sources, including about $100,000 annually from the Disciples Mission Fund and a similar amount from the Christian Church Foundation. Cherok doesn”t dispute this. But he said, in 14 years of association with the Society, “I pushed and challenged the DCHS to pursue funding from the other streams of the movement.”Â Cherok believes the Society could have received greater support from the other two streams if it had worked harder to get it.

The news release listed seven new directors, elected at the board”s October meeting. All of them are members of the Disciples of Christ and, according to Adams, have experience reshaping ministries. In addition to Cherok, David Ayres, preaching minister with North Main Church of Christ, Winters, Texas, remains on the DCHS board, the only member from the a cappella churches.

Adams told me there are false rumors swirling around news of the decision to move. For example, there is no intent to sell off the archives. Nevertheless, the move of the archive to a Disciples-owned site will undoubtedly send a concerning message to some in the other two streams.

This is no time to reduce or remove support of the DCHS. Indeed, now is the time to increase our engagement with the Society.

Adams and the Society”s board need to know that many in the independent churches are concerned about preserving the history kept in the archives. We view much contained there as “our” history, too, regardless of what legal technicalities have supported Adams”s 95 percent figure.

And we can change the fact that almost all of the Society”s support comes from Disciples sources. I”m guessing that, if Adams or his permanent successor would approach Christian churches and churches of Christ as friends and brothers and make the case for greater financial support, that support would come.

Until then, all of us can express our concern for the future of DCHS to Adams at [email protected]. Or better yet, write him a letter at 1101 19th Ave S, Nashville, TN 37212. And enclose a check.

1 Comment

  1. Ray Downen

    Scholars have good reason to want archives preserved and available. If Stone-Campbell historians can locate in one place the documents which reflect the thinking of our predecessors in the movement, that will be good. I believe that was the intention of the donors of the building. That the building reflects an incorrect aim is obvious. That is, it was hoped that it could host groups intent on promoting unity, and the differing views of what unity entails caused many in the Stone-Campbell movement to distrust anything suggested by Disciples who thought the church should reflect current ideas rather than the goals of our pioneers. We feel that the pioneers had high regard for the apostolic writings, which is not reflected in current “Disciple” leaders and has not been now for nearly a century.

Submit a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Latest Articles

Ministry Help Wanted

Recent postings: Impact Christian Church (Moon Township, Pa.) is seeking an executive pastor. The Christian Campus Foundation (CCF) at the University of Illinois is seeking a full-time director of campus ministry. New Brighton (Minn.) Christian Church needs a new senior minister. Summit Christian College (Gering, Neb.) is accepting applications for the position of academic dean. And more . . .

Stories

By taking these symbols of Jesus’ body and blood, we announce we believe there really was a Jesus, and he really did die for us and carried all our sins down to a grave . . .

Documentary Highlights Christian Response to Pandemics

Southeast Christian Church’s “Purpose in Pandemics” is a documentary that follows the response of the church to pandemics throughout history. The “Purpose in Pandemics” website also includes a study guide for small groups and individuals.

Used of God

I soaked up Sam Stone’s wit and wisdom during our lunches together. Afterward, I’d take notes about our conversations. After hearing of his passing, inspired by his wordsmithing, I felt compelled to share just a small part of his story.

Sam E. Stone: ‘He Tried to Speak the Truth in Love’

In memory and appreciation of our former editor, Sam E. Stone, who died early this week, we share this 2011 column from Christian Standard’s archives in which Sam discussed four Scripture verses significant to his life.

Elliott Library ‘Cornerstone’ Laid

Three Bibles of historical significance to Cincinnati Christian University were the first books place on the shelves during relocation of the George Mark Elliott Library.

The Death of Evil

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. saw in minority groups’ struggles for social equality in America a parallel with Israel’s bondage in Egypt. King envisioned God’s goodness would deliver the U.S. from the evil of segregation.

Mark Scott’s Greatest Kingdom Impact

Since I first enrolled at Ozark Christian College, Mark Scott has been my kingdom hero, and I’m not the only young preacher Mark has shaped. Over his 35 years at OCC, Mark has inspired generations of students.

‘Have We Plans for 1921?’

“All the Standard asks is the opportunity to serve, and it yearns to render in 1921 the greatest, finest, and best service of its history. . . .”

News Briefs for Dec. 9

Items from Timber Lake Christian Church (Moberly, Mo.), Choateville Christian Church (Frankfort, Ky.), Johnson University, and more.

My Counsel for Young Preachers

If I were counseling an aspiring young preacher fresh out of Bible college or seminary, champing at the bit to lead in the church, I would offer these three bits of advice.

My Memories of Marshall Leggett

By Ben Merold
As I think about Marshall Leggett, who passed away on March 2 at age 90, two personal experiences keep coming to my mind . . .

Powell Quintuplets Graduating from High School

When the Powell quintuplets were born in 2001, all of Kentucky celebrated, including Southeast Christian Church, where the Powells are longtime members. Now the quints are 18 and are all headed to the same university.

Reentry: It May Be Harder Than We Think

When the COVID-19 crisis eases, I anticipate that reentry is going to be harder than some people think. Churches, especially, need to prepare for this.

The Best Sermon I Never Heard

“Can I tell you about the best sermon I never heard?” Matt Proctor asked the crowd at ICOM last November. “If I could time travel just once . . . I would go back to Luke 24. On that very first Easter Sunday . . . the resurrected Jesus is walking on the road to Emmaus, talking with two travelers. . . .”

KCU Announces Agreements with LBC, NEOBC

Kentucky Christian University has announced separate agreements to enable those who have earned a bachelor’s degree from Louisville Bible College or Northeast Ohio Bible College to seamlessly transition into the graduate programs offered by KCU’s Keeran School of Bible and Ministry. . . .

March 31 Lesson | Edification

What constitutes success in the church? The number of seats occupied on Sunday mornings? The number of baptisms per year? . . . For the apostle Paul, one litmus test for church success surely was edification.

March 31 Application | ‘Hidden Gems’

An inquisitive fellow e-mailed me some probing Bible questions. Fittingly, the doubter’s name was Thomas. I couldn’t tell whether he was sincere or just wanted to argue. I wrote back, “Would you like to meet in person to discuss your questions?” . . .

Follow Us