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Ms Coll Harpur (Tom) papers 00770 Gift of Tom Harpur, 2016 Dates: [193-]-2017 (predominant 1979-2016) Extent: 25 boxes (3.0 metres) -- textual, graphic and audio-visual records Biographical Sketch: Tom Harpur (1929-2017) was an Anglican minister, educator, journalist and writer. After ordaining in 1956, Harpur served as a parish minister in Ontario from 1957-1964. In 1964, he was hired as a professor of the New Testament at the University of Toronto and he held this posiiton until 1971 when he made the decision to become a journalist. He was the Toronto Star’s religion editor until 1984 and continued to write columns on religion for the Toronto Star and other media outlets. Harpur also wrote several books including Harpur’s Heaven and Hell (1983), Communicating the Good News Today (1987), Always on Sunday (1988), Life After Death (1991), For Christ’s Sake (1993), Harpur vs. Hancock (1994), Finding the Still Point (2002) and The Pagan Christ (2004), which was later adapted into a documentary. The Pagan Christ was a national bestseller and led Harpur to write the sequel, Water into Wine (2007). Several of Harpur’s books became the basis for television series which aired on Vision TV and included Harpur’s Heaven and Hell, Harpur vs. Hancock, Life After Death and the Uncommon Touch. Scope and Content: Papers consist of records created and acquired by Tom Harpur in the course of his career as a journalist and writer. Included are his columns for the Toronto Star and other media outlets; short stories and other writing that he did along with records related to his books; research materials for the Pagan Christ; various television series and documentaries which he hosted and were based on his books; correspondence with his readers, publishers, and colleagues; and interviews and other records relating to publicity. Also included is a small amount of personal material and photographs, pertaining to his education and early career. Some published materials were received as part of the donation but were either not retained or catalogued separately. A list of these books is included as an appendix to this finding aid for reference purposes. Arrangement: Papers have been arranged into 8 series: Series # Page Series 1: Journalism 2 Series 2: Short Stories and Records Relating to Books 4 Series 3: The Pagan Christ Research Materials 5 Series 4: Television Series and Documentaries 10 Series 5: Professional Correspondence 12 Series 6: Interviews, Lectures and Publicity 14 Series 7: Personal records 16 Series 8: Photographs 17 1 Ms Coll Harpur (Tom) papers 00770 Series 1: Journalism Scope and Content: Series consists of records relating to Harpur’s career as a journalist – first as religion editor for the Toronto Star, then as a freelance journalist writing a weekly column for the Toronto Star and for various other newspapers and magazines. Harpur’s columns address a variety of religious and ethical topics. Selections of his columns were published in three collections “Always on Sunday” (1988), “God Help Us” (1992) and “Living Waters” (2006). Reviews of the first two published collections as well as correspondence from readers about the collections are included. The series also includes a recording made by Tom Harpur when he traveled to Calcutta as the Toronto Star’s religion editor to meet Mother Teresa. Note: For correspondence with newspaper editors and from readers in reaction to his columns see correspondence files in Series 5 “Professional Correspondence.” BOX: TITLE Dates ITEM 20:1 Tom Harpur in Calcutta - describing what he sees, his December 3, 1979 interactions with the poor, etc. [1 audiocassette] 1:1 Toronto Telegram column re: prayer December 17, 1960 1:2 Toronto Star columns 1972 1:3 Toronto Star columns December 22-24 1978 1:4 Toronto Star columns 1979 1:5 Toronto Star columns 1980 1:6 Toronto Star columns (including 3 part "Christmas Story" 1981 series) 1:7 Toronto Star columns 1982 1:8 Toronto Star columns 1983 1:9 Toronto Star columns 1984 1:10 Toronto Star columns 1985 1:11 Toronto Star columns 1991-1994 1:12 Scrapbook of Toronto Star columns January-November 1993 1:13 Scrapbook of Toronto Star columns September 1994- September 1995 1:14 Toronto Star columns 1995 1:15 Toronto Star columns 1996 1:16 Toronto Star columns 1997 1:17 Toronto Star columns 1998 1:18 Toronto Star columns 1999 1:19 Toronto Star columns 2000 1:20 Toronto Star columns 2001 1:21 Toronto Star columns 2002 1:22 Toronto Star columns 2003 2 Ms Coll Harpur (Tom) papers 00770 1:23 Toronto Star columns 2004 1:24 Toronto Star columns 2005 1:25 List of Toronto Star columns for the years 2003-2005 accessed 2005 from tomharpur.com 1:26 Toronto Star columns 2007-2008 1:27 Notes for Toronto Star column about Sven Kalisch 2008 1:28 Toronto Star columns n.d. 2:1 Freelance columns - Sun Times and Forum 2011 2:2 Freelance columns - London Free Press, Peterborough 2012 Examiner, Sun Times 2:3 Freelance columns - Sun Times, QMI Agency, London 2013 Free Press 2:4 Freelance columns - Sun Times 2014 2:5 Freelance columns - Sun Times, the Globe and Mail, 2015 London Free Press, Niagara Advance 2:6 Miscellaneous freelance writing - U.S. News, Outdoor 1984-2009 Canada, Globe and Mail, the Observer, Today's Parent 2:7 Miscellaneous typed articles [20--?] 2:8 List of people interviewed for the Toronto Star [20--?] 2:9 Freelance writers class action correspondence and list of 2011 articles written for the Toronto Star 1985-2001 2:10 Book reviews of Always on Sunday 1988 2:11 Book reviews of God Help Us 1992-1993 2:12 Correspondence re: Always on Sunday and God Help Us 1988-2001 Series 2: Short Stories and Records Relating to Books 3 Ms Coll Harpur (Tom) papers 00770 Scope and Content: Series consists of records relating to Tom Harpur’s writing. Included are some early short stories that he wrote as well as files of records relating to his various books including the two children’s books that he wrote. Files contain reviews, research notes, author’s contracts and promotional and publicity materials such as articles about his books. Several files relate to Harpur’s most successful book the Pagan Christ and include reviews, articles and a variety of promotional materials. Also included are a proposal for a book about evolution, research notes and royalty statements. BOX: TITLE Dates ITEM 2:13 Harpur, T.W. The Baby Elephant [poem] [19--] 2:14 Harpur, T.W. It's Never Too Late 'Til Twelve: and After that it’s [19--] Always Early [story about Oxford] 2:15 Harpur, T.W. The Long Man of Ben Macdhui [19--] 2:16 Harpur, T.W. The Gift of Tongues and Interpretation. Canadian 1966 Journal of Theology, Vol. XII, no.3 2:17 The Mouse that Couldn't Squeak author's agreement, reviews and 1988-1990 articles 2:18 The Terrible Finn MacCoul author's agreement, reviews and 1989-1990 articles 2:19 Book contracts and related correspondence 1992-2001 2:20 Harpur's Heaven and Hell [book review and article] 1983 2:21 Life After Death [articles and reviews] 1992 2:22 The Uncommon Touch : An Investigation of Spiritual Healing 1994-1996 [reviews, articles and promotional material] 2:23 Would you Believe? [articles and reviews] 1996 2:24 Prayer : The Hidden Fire [articles, reviews and promotional 1997-1998 material] 2:25 The Thinking Person's Guide to God : Overcoming the Obstacles to 1999 Belief [article] 2:26 Finding the Still Point [reviews, articles and promotional materials] 2002-2003 3:1 Articles and other writings by Harpur re: The Pagan Christ 2004-2008 3:2 Pagan Christ promo pieces, advertisements and event flyers 2004-2006 3:3 The Christ Within: A Hymn Inspired by the Message of the Pagan 2006 Christ from Tom Harpur and the Writings of St. Paul 3:4 Newspaper articles re: The Pagan Christ 2004-2012 3:5 Reviews of the Pagan Christ 2004-2005 3:6 Spirituality of Wine [author contract, articles, reviews and 2004-2007, promotional materials] 2010 3:7 Water into Wine [articles, reviews, correspondence and 2007-2008 promotional materials] 3:8 There is Life After Death [correspondence and research materials] 1994-2014 3:9 Born Again [correspondence, promotional materials, reviews] 2010-2014 4 Ms Coll Harpur (Tom) papers 00770 3:10 Conscious Evolution book proposal [201-?] 3:11 Miscellaneous notes and research materials 2010-2014 3:12 Royalty statements 1983-2007 Series 3: The Pagan Christ Research Materials Scope and content: Series consists of reference materials consulted by Harpur in the course of writing his book “The Pagan Christ,” as well as subject files relating to his research and notes that he made. Included among the reference materials are essays, journal articles, chapters of books, encyclopedia entries, printouts of websites and other sources that he consulted. A significant amount of the material comes from American theosophist Alvin Boyd Kuhn, a proponent of the Christ-myth theory, who Harpur referenced extensively in his book. Also included are materials from Gerald Massey and others. While most of the material pre-dates the publication of The Pagan Christ, there is also material which Harpur consulted after the publication of the book, reflecting his continued interest in the topic which culminated in the publication of a sequel to The Pagan Christ – Water into Wine. Many of the materials include notes and annotations made by Harpur during his research. Most of the dates recorded in this finding aid reflect original dates of publication and not dates of reproduction as in most cases, dates of reproduction are unknown.
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