Inventory to the Richard Land Papers AR
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1 Inventory to the Richard Land Papers AR 933 Dr. Richard Land commencing his work at the SBC Christian Life Commission, 1988 Southern Baptist Historical Library and Archives November, 2014 2 Inventory to the Richard Land Papers AR 933 Summary Main Entry: Richard D. Land Papers Date Span: 1953 – 2014 Abstract: Materials documenting the work and ministry of Dr. Richard Land, president of the Southern Baptist Convention Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission, 1988-2013. Includes administrative files, correspondence, news stories (including blog archives, Commission press releases, Land interviews, and news clippings), photographs, subject files, United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) files, writings and addresses, and recordings. Size: 104 linear ft. (208 document boxes) Collection #: AR 933 Biographical Sketch A sixth-generation Texan, Richard Dale Land was born November 6, 1946 in Houston, Texas. He spent his childhood and teenage years in Houston and was baptized in 1953 at South Park Baptist Church and was licensed to preach (1965) and later ordained (1969) at Townwood Baptist Church, both in Houston. Land graduated from Princeton University (A.B., 1969), New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary (Th.M., 1972), and Oxford University (D.Phil., 1980). Upon completing his doctoral studies Land served as vice president for academic affairs at Criswell College in Dallas (1980-1988) and as administrative assistant to Governor Bill Clements of Texas (1987-1988). He served as president of the SBC Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission from 1988 to 2013. Dr. Land moved the Commission to more conservative positions on social issues such as sanctity of life and homosexuality. Land was deeply involved in the Racial Reconciliation Resolution adopted by the Southern Baptist Convention in 1995 which apologized to African Americans for Southern Baptists support of slavery and segregation. He was appointed by President George W. Bush to serve on the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom from 2005 to 2007 and served as a Senatorial appointment on the Commission from 2007 to 2011. He retired from the ERLC in 2013 after 25 years of service as President. Additional biographical information is found in the collection. The ERLC (formerly Christian Life Commission) is an agency of the Southern Baptist Convention assigned with the task of speaking to the denomination on social and moral concerns and issues. Scope and Content Note The Richard Land Papers (104 linear ft.) consists of administrative files, correspondence, news 3 stories, subject files, photographs, and writings and addresses documenting the work and ministry of Dr. Richard Land, president of the SBC Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission, 1988-2013. The major topics and issues included in the papers are: abortion, AIDS, alcohol, civil rights, drugs, faith-based initiatives, family values, gambling, homosexuality, hunger, immigration, marriage, pornography, race relations, and religious liberty, religious persecution, war and peace. The collection also contains sizeable materials on the Baptist Faith and Message committee (2000), Baptist Joint Committee on Public Affairs, Baptist World Alliance, Christian Film and Television Commission, Council on Foreign Relations, Council for National Policy, For Faith and Family radio program, Great Commission Council, I Vote Values campaign, Inter- Agency Council, National Association of Evangelicals, SBC Executive Committee, and Walt Disney Company. Arrangement The collection is divided into eight series, arranged in alphabetical order by series title. Materials within each series are also arranged in alphabetical order by folder title. Provenance Donated by Richard Land and the SBC Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission, 2013. Preferred Citation Richard D. Land Papers, Southern Baptist Historical Library and Archives, Nashville, Tennessee. Access Restrictions Access to material requires approval ERLC administration and Richard Land, or his designated executor, until January 1, 2025. After that time the collection will be open to researchers without restrictions. Subject Terms Abortion – Religious aspects. AIDS (Disease) – Religious aspects. Alcohol. Baptist Joint Committee on Public Affairs. Baptist World Alliance. Baptists – Doctrines. Baptists – Education. Capital punishment – Religious aspects. Child abuse. Christian ethics. Church and State – Catholic Church. Citizenship – Religious aspects – Christianity. Delivery of Health Care – United States. Drug abuse. Ecology – Religious aspects. Ethics, Medical. Family – Religious life. 4 Gambling. Homosexuality – Religious aspects. Hunger. Marriage – Religious aspects – Christianity. National Association of Evangelicals. Peace – Religious aspects – Christianity. Pornography – Religious aspects. Prayer in the public schools. Race relations. Religion and law. Religious liberty. Southern Baptist Convention. Christian Life Commission. Southern Baptist Convention. Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission. Southern Baptist Convention. Executive Committee. Southern Baptist Convention. Great Commission Council. Southern Baptist Convention. Inter-Agency Council. Substance abuse – Religious aspects – Christianity. Television in religion. United States Commission on International Religious Freedom . Walt Disney Company. War – Moral and ethical aspects. Women in church work. Related Materials Southern Baptist Convention. Christian Life Commission, Administrative Files. SBHLA # AR 138. Southern Baptist Convention. CLC / ERLC, Minutes. SBHLA # AR 138-1. Southern Baptist Convention. CLC / ERLC, Resource Files. SBHLA # AR 138-2. Southern Baptist Convention. CLC / ERLC, Audio-Visual Collection. SBHLA # AR 138-3. Southern Baptist Convention. CLC / ERLC, Publications and Promotional Material. SBHLA # 140. Series Description Series I. Administrative Files (Boxes 1 – 47). Includes materials related to the work and operation of the ERLC and its role within the Southern Baptist Convention. Includes ERLC audits, budgets, and financial information; bylaws; board of trustee materials; materials on the For Faith and Family and I Vote Values programs; ministry reports; staff memos; and materials from the ELRC Washington, D.C. office. Also includes working files on the Baptist Faith and Message (2000) committee; Baptist World Alliance; SBC Executive Committee, Great Commission Council, and Inter-Agency Council; and materials about the SBC annual meetings (1989-2001) and the SBC Controversy (1987-2002). Series II. Correspondence (Boxes 48 – 88). Major correspondence included in this series include: George Walker Bush, Morris Chapman, Mark Coppenger, David Dockery, Jimmy Draper, Barrett Duke, Tom Elliff, Jerry Falwell, Freddie Gage, Steve Gaines, Timothy George, 5 Billy Graham, Jack Graham, David Hankins, O.S. Hawkins, James Hefley, Daniel R. Heimbach, Carl F.H. Henry, Jim Henry, Larry Holly, Roy Honeycutt, Mike Huckabee, Fisher Humphreys, Gary Ledbetter, Steve Lemke, Trent Lott, John McCain, Ben Mitchell, Peggy Newton, Dorothy Patterson, Paige Patterson, Paul Pressler, Thom Rainer, Jerry Rankin, Ralph Reed, Phil Roberts, Pat Robertson, Adrian Rogers, Nancy Shaefer, Bailey Smith, Jay Strack, William Tanner, Jerry Vines, Bobby Welch, and Ed Young. Series III. News Stories (Boxes 89 – 113). Divided into four sub-series, arranged in chronological order within each series. Sub-series A contains blog archives from April 2007- August 2008 and includes printed entries from a variety of religious and secular blogs in which Richard Land’s name appears. Sub-series B contains CLC/ERLC generated press releases from 1989-2005. Sub-series C contains printed transcripts of television and radio interviews Richard Land gave to various media outlets from 2001-2008. Sub-series D contains news stories about the CLC/ERLC from 1988-2012; the sub-series includes newspaper and magazine clippings and printed news stories from Internet news agency websites. Series IV. Photographs (Boxes 114 – 117). Includes photographs of Richard Land with politicians and policy makers, with Southern Baptist leaders, and at speaking engagements. Series V. Subject Files (Boxes 118 – 187). Includes materials on a broad variety of moral and ethical subjects related to the work of the ERLC. Files include research materials, reports, position statements, articles by ethicists, Congressional testimonies, and amicus briefs. Series VI. United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) Files (Boxes 188 – 195). Includes annual reports, correspondence, and Congressional hearings and testimonies Land collected from 1997-2012 during his services as part of the USCIRF. Also includes files on the status of religious freedom in several world countries Series VII. Writings and Addresses (Boxes 196 – 202). Includes printed copies of various writings and speeches Land generated as president of the ERLC. Major topics covered in this series include abortion, bio-medical ethics/cloning, Christian citizenship, evangelicals and Catholics, family values, homosexuality, pornography, prayer in public schools, racism, religious liberty, U.S. president Bill Clinton, and the war in Iraq. Series VIII. Recordings (Boxes 203 – 208). Includes audio and video recordings in cassette, VHS, CD, and DVD formats of Richard Land sermons generated during his tenure as interim pastor at churches in Tennessee; addresses Land gave at conferences and events; and radio and television interviews. Also includes recordings Land used in teaching