The Role of the Theological Faculty in the Universities of North America and Europe, 1957-58 by John E. McCaw Copyright 2004 John E. McCaw All rights reserved Printed in the United States of America Published by Vinco Publications 4210 S.W. 26th Street, Des Moines, Iowa, USA 50321-2242 Contents Acknowledgements Preface Introduction 1 North American Study Yale University 3 Harvard University 6 Boston University 11 Union Theological Seminary and Columbia 14 Princeton Univ. and Theological Seminary 17 McGill University 19 University of Toronto 20 Texas Christian University 21 Southern Methodist University 22 Northwestern University and Garrett 23 The University of Chicago 24 European Studies The University of Zurich 26 The University of Basel 32 The University of Strasbourg 39 The University of Tubingen 43 The Protestant Theological Faculty and University of Paris 46 London Institutions of Higher Education 54 Oxford University 61 Cambridge University 70 University of Birmingham 80 University of Durham 82 Edinburgh University 86 University of Montpelier 91 Rome and Higher Education Institutions 96 Waldensian Seminary 103 Cambridge Conference 103 The Netherlands 104 University of Utrecht 106 University of Amsterdam 108 Praediger Seminare, Driebergen 109 Scheveningen 111 University of Leiden 112 Catholic Holland 114 Seminaries in Prague 115 Berlin Universities 127 University of Copenhagen 135 Lund University 140 University of Hamburg 146 University of Goettingen 152 University of Bonn 158 University of Heidelberg 167 University of Geneva 174 Questionnaires from Kiel and Muenster 175 Concluding Observations 178 Acknowledgments This survey took place almost a half-century ago and the main reason that this account was eventually completed was the encouragement and persuasive powers of my wife, Maxine. She not only insisted that the report which I had begun and then let other interests distract me leaving it partially completed be finished but also she typed my dictation directly into the computer. She encouraged me to include tales of my travels and encounters with many persons and make the results more than a “bare bones” report. The tedious task of reading proof and checking format she also performed with great concern. It can be said without reservation this report would not exist without her motivation. I am also grateful to a friend and colleague, Betty Grandquist, who has had a long and distinguished career in Elder Affairs for the State of Iowa for her willingness to read the copy and make many important comments. Most of all I want to thank the many university students and campus leaders, professors and administrators, clergy and church officials, civic and political leaders, who gave their time to answer my questions as well as host and guide me across two continents in my quest. Preface This report on the survey of “The Role of the Theological Faculty in the Universities of North America and Europe 1957-58,” as informal and unscientific as it was, may still serve as a benchmark for a contemporary study of that “Role” nearly a half-century later. Each institution studied may look at itself and see what has happened. Denominations may also see whether the university setting for at least part of ministerial training is pertinent. The difference between the study of religions and the training of clergy within a specific confession may be noticed in the contrast between yesterday and today. Now, such a study could be conducted electronically and would not require much, if any, travel. I should note that the study was particularly weak in the fact that there were no Baptist universities included and little of North American Lutheran higher education. Yesterday, there were no Pentecostal, Evangelical, or “religious right” universities that came to my attention. Today, there would be such. Are they beginning to distinguish between the academic study of religions and confessional instruction as well as pastoral formation? My own university was Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa, which was not included in the study. It was founded and run essentially by clergy of the founding denomination. From Drake graduates came missionaries who spread advanced agricultural methods, medical service, translation of Scriptures and education throughout the world. From its portals came professors and administrators of higher education, leaders in interdenominational organizations such as the International Council of Religious Education, the Federal Council of Churches, the National Council and World Councils of Churches, International Missionary Councils, and leaders of suffrage, peace, race, temperance, labor, migrant and many, many other “good cause” movements. Religious journalism was a great tradition. A Drake graduate founded the Christian Century which became the leading interdenominational journal. Today Drake no longer has a Divinity School or a department of religion. Like all private schools divorced from their founding tradition, it must depend upon government and private foundation grants and contributions from secular sources, plus high tuitions. The role of a theological faculty in non-existent nor is the scientific study of religions an area that would breed income the way the professional schools do. This report can also be mined for anecdotes which tell of the personal lives and interests of many who at one time were well known theologians as well as persons in other fields, few of whom yet survive. 1957-58 was also a time when decisions being made still ricochet into the present. As I studied my notes I amazed myself at some of the almost predictive observations I was led to make after visiting with persons who shared unusual and inclusive information. The Role of the Theological Faculty in the Universities of North America and Europe, 1957-58 I was fortunate to be in the first group to receive a grant administered by the American Association of Theological Schools from the Sealantic Fund of the Rockefeller Foundation. This grant along with a grant from Drake University, plus some borrowing enabled me to undertake a study of the role of theological faculties in universities of North America and Europe during the academic year, 1957-58. The first phase was in North America conducted during the late summer and fall. The second phase was in Europe during the following winter, spring, and summer. My family went with me to Europe and made their home in Tannay, a little village not far from Geneva, Switzerland. The family consisted of Janine who had her second birthday the day we landed in France as well as a case of measles; Maxhn, seven; Milva, ten; and Clayle, twelve. How we got to Europe, family activities and adventures are described fully in Maxine's beautifully written diary to which I would direct you. There also is an article which was published in the Christian Century Magazine, entitled "The Role of the Theological Faculty in the Universities of North America and Europe," which summarizes some of the findings of the study. I will attempt in the following to describe the study and to give an account of my pilgrim's progress over North America and Europe. As a side concern I was interested in how Church History was taught in the various universities I visited, since this was my field of teaching. The calendar for the "Study" was as follows: 1. May 1 - July 30, 1957: Preparation including reading and extensive correspondence. 2. August 30 - November 30, 1957: North American visitation. 3. December 1 - July 30, 1958: European visitation including travel. 4. August 1 - September 1, 1958: Study and correspondence. I attended several meetings which gave me contact with professors and students of many universities. In some of the conferences I spoke or participated. The meetings were as follows: 1. Lutheran Pastor's Conference, Augustana Seminary, Rock Island, IL. 2. World Conference of Lutheran Theological Professors, St. Paul, MN 3. The Triennial Conference of the Inter-Seminary Movement, Oberlin,OH 4. Conference of Professors of Ecumenics, Oberlin, Ohio. 5. The North American Conference on Faith and Order, Oberlin, Ohio. 6. The Regional Study Conference of the American Association of Theological Schools, Drake University, Des Moines, Iowa. 7. The Conference of British Theologians on "Theology in the University," Cambridge University, Cambridge, England. Through these conferences I was able to interview students, pastors, and professors from many universities and countries. I was also given access to library sources and excellent files including those of the Carnegie study on ministerial education conducted by Niebuhr, Williams, and Gustafson. The method I used for the study was visitation of universities and interviews with persons from a cross-section of university life such as professors in theology, the humanities, science, law, medicine, as well as students, graduates, and administrators of the university. In North America I visited Yale, Harvard, Boston, and Columbia Universities and associated seminaries; Teachers College and Union Theological Seminary in New York City; Princeton University and Theological Seminary in Princeton, New Jersey; McGill University and related theological faculties in Montreal; the University of Toronto and related theological faculties; Texas Christian, Southern Methodist and Northwestern Universities and their related seminaries; the University of Chicago and the Federated Theological Faculty. In Europe, I visited the Universities of Basel, Geneva, and Zurich in Switzerland; the Universities