Robert L. Calhoun Papers

Robert L. Calhoun taught philosophy and theology at Yale from 1923 until his retirement in 1965. His papers document nearly a half century of teaching and intellectual work as well as ecumenical and social activism from the 1930s to 1960s—pertaining to labor rights, conscientious objectors, pacifism, and atomic war. The papers provide an exceptional resource for the study of the Protestant ecumenical movement and Christian social activism during the Great Depression, WWII, and the Cold War.

The Robert L. Calhoun papers arrived at Divinity Special Collections in considerable disarray. The collection follows at times Robert Calhoun’s multiple organizational schemas and other times an order decided upon and implemented by the archivist. For assistance navigating the collection, reach out to Yale Divinity Special Collections staff.

Series I, CORRESPONDENCE, is organized chronologically dating from 1922 until 1983. The series contains circulars from advocacy groups, organizational correspondence, invitations to speak at conferences and chapels, and personal correspondence with religious scholars in the United States and abroad, including with Virginia Corwin, Wilhelm Pauck, Henry Pit VanDusen, Edwin Aubrey, Rufus M. Jones, Cornelius Kruse, Emil Brunner, and Louis Finkelstein. Calhoun’s network of correspondents reflects his place in an East Coast theological milieu which included notable theologians like his Theological Discussion Group colleagues Reinhold Niebuhr and Paul Tillich and like-minded Christian activists including A.J. Muste.

Series II, SERMONS, WRITINGS, NOTES, contains three main subseries. The first subseries “Sermons and talks” follows Robert Calhoun’s organization. The folders are organized by creation date, and each sermon is paired with an envelope on which Calhoun marked the multiple locations and dates the sermon was preached. The subseries holds several lectures and talks organized with the sermons. The second subseries “Publications” contains chronologically organized articles and essays written or co-written by Robert Calhoun. The subseries includes Calhoun’s lecture transcripts, which were bound and circulated privately—later organized into the book History of Christian Doctrine. The third subseries “Drafts, talks, and essays” holds material intended for eventual publication along with conference talks and paper presentations. The subseries begins with book drafts in folders labeled by Calhoun. The following materials, prepared for a broad range of events and purposes, are organized by subject.

Series III, TEACHING AND ADMINISTRATIVE ACTIVITIES, is organized into two main subseries: “Teaching” contains course syllabi, lecture transcripts, and student notes; “administration” contains programmatic materials from the philosophy and religion department as well as miscellaneous materials related to Yale University and Yale Divinity School. The teaching materials within series III provide a window into the Robert Calhoun’s intellectual range—from the history of the early Christian church to modern philosophy—and the role he played in bridging between the Divinity School and the philosophy department.

Series IV, ORGANIZATIONAL INVOLVEMENT, contains two subseries: “Organizations” which proceeds alphabetically by organization, and “Events” which is organized chronologically. For materials relating to Calhoun’s work with labor rights, see materials relating to the American Association of University Professors, the American Federation of Teachers, the Citizens Committee on Unemployment, the Connecticut Conference on Social and Labor Legislation, and the Religion and Labor Foundation. For materials relating to Christian social action, see the Council for Social Action. Further folders related to Calhoun’s advocacy work, particularly during the 1940s are in Series V, subject files, subseries “social issues and contemporary society.” For materials related to Robert Calhoun’s ecumenical work, see the Universal Christian Council for Faith and Work and the World Council of Churches.

Series V, SUBJECT FILES, consists of folders retaining their initial labeling from Calhoun’s various office and study cabinets, and substantial materials—such as papers, academic journals, and leaflets—added into the series based on their thematic relation. The folders are organized into three main series: “Social issues and contemporary society,” pertaining to Calhoun’s advocacy work, “Individuals,” largely retaining Calhoun’s own labeling and organization, and “Topical gathered materials,” which bring together gathered material on similar subjects. Overall, Series VI provides insight into the sources Robert Calhoun gathered to inform both his social advocacy and academic work. The first main subseries, “Social issues and contemporary society,” is divided into topical folders organized thematically and gathered articles organized chronologically and by publication. The folders thematically organized often retain Calhoun’s initial labelling despite topical overlap, such as “Pacifism,” “Peace,” “Conscientious Objectors,” and “Conscription.” They contain correspondence related to Calhoun’s advocacy work, such as materials in “Atomic energy and warfare” regarding the Federal Council of Churches statement against weapons of mass destruction and substantial materials from the Council of Social Action in the “Conscientious Objectors” folders, relating to Robert Calhoun’s work as chairperson of the New Haven Committee for Conscientious Objectors. Notable within the topical files is the folder labeled “Marxism,” containing materials from the 1934 symposium on Marxism and Religion, at which both Robert Calhoun and Reinhold Niebuhr spoke. The gathered materials organized chronologically and by publication provide insight into Calhoun’s concern with global and American politics in an age of mass violence. The second main subseries, “Individuals,” consists of folders mostly labeled by Robert Calhoun and is organized alphabetically. The folders often contain correspondence with the individual or their writings. The third main subseries, “Topical gathered materials,” brings together materials initially loose within Calhoun’s papers based on their topical relation.

Series VI, BIOGRAPHICAL DOCUMENTATION, contains miscellaneous personal ephemera, articles and papers written about Robert L. Calhoun, and a folder of photographs.