1922-1946
Scope and Contents
The Bethel Theological Seminary collection dates from 1871 to 2023 and spans 40 boxes of 57.5 cubic feet.
The Dean's Office records series contains primarily student letters of application. This series dates between 1889 to 1919.
Teologisk Indledning og Bibliologi is a mimeographed textbook from a course at the Danish-Norwegian seminary at Morgan Park, Illinois from 1901.
The Swedish American Bible Seminary ledger holds lists of students admitted to the school from 1884 to 1890.
The Newspaper clippings folder contains clippings from various dates and publications on the subject of the Bethel Seminary.
The Baptist Union Theological Seminary was part of the University of Chicago, under which the Scandinavian Department was located. The corresponding folder holds histories of the seminary, anniversary pamphlets, by-laws, the act to incorporate, rough drafts of the agreement of the seminary with the Swedish Department dating to the 1890s, and a property lease. Meeting minutes from the Board of Trustees date between 1910 and 1913, as well as a report to the Board from the Swedish Baptist General Conference.
The Swedish Baptist Endowment Union folder holds organizational documents, financial information, and meeting minutes. These date primarily to the turn of the 20th century. The ledger contains meeting minutes from 1891 to 1901.
The Mission/Vision statements folder holds documents regarding the vision and core values of the Seminary, as well as revisions.
The Morgan Park folders contain documents from the University of Chicago, including anniversary pamphlets, written histories, and newspaper clippings. The catalogs date between 1888 and 1892. The University of Chicago Circular of Information is for the Divinity School and dates between 1913 and 1914, and it combines catalog information and directory information.
The Central Bible Seminary of Stromsburg, Nebraska series contains written histories, the constitution and by-laws, correspondence, newspaper clippings, photocopies from meeting minutes of the Executive Board, as well as English translations.
The folder Negotiations for the Seminary's return to Chicago holds correspondences, written histories, and negotiation points about the situation to bring the Central Seminary back to Morgan Park.
The Matriculation Book dates from 1912 to 1921 and lists students graduating, their birth data, previous schooling, and home address.
The Alexis Society series contains information regarding the Seminary's literary society. The folder holds translations of meeting minutes from 1915 to 1925, as well as photocopies of articles in the Seminarie-Posten. The ledgers hold meeting minutes and date from 1923 to 1950.
The Class grade books series holds 32 grade books. Most of them were kept by Adolf Olson, but later ones were kept by Edwin Omark and Millard Erickson.
The Students series date to around 1910s to the 1940s. The folders hold student profile cards, with some academic information included. Students with little documentation are filed according to their last name. These students without folders include:
John August Anderson,
Elam Jonathan Anderson,
David Mauritz Anderson,
David August Anderson,
Axel Anderson,
Lars Harry Anderson,
Helga Gunnar Arosin,
D. Aspaas,
John Berg,
Johan Isak Berg,
Ingeborg Berggren,
Carl Bergman,
Carl Johan Bergstrom,
Johan Birsemiek,
Adelle Carlson,
Carl Ephraim Carlberg,
Conrad E. Carlson,
Elizabeth Carlson,
Emil Theodore Carlson,
Henry Carlson,
G.A. Christenson,
Andrew Benjamin Coleman,
Vivian Cornell,
H.A. Dahl,
Agnes Danielson,
E.G. Danielson,
Eric Lambert Danielson,
Joyce Danielson,
Carl Nathaniel Edwall,
Axel Edwards,
Ellis Emanuel Eklof,
Charles Leroy Entner,
William Erickson,
Carl George Ericson,
H. Ericson,
Oscar Fritiof Felth,
Vivian Fons,
John Philip Forsander,
Sanfred G. Fryklind,
Gurtav Adolf Goranson,
Nils Alfred Goranson,
Hiram Samuel Grandhaln,
Adoph Gronlund,
Eric Gustaf Gronlund,
Oscar Rodger Gunnerfelt,
Edna C. Gustafson,
G.A. Gustavson,
Naomi Hagstrom,
Efraim Hamlin,
Martin Carl Hamlin,
Mabel E. Hanson,
Aron Samuel Hakanson,
Walfred Gustaf Holmberg,
Axel Hulbert,
Fred Emanuel Johnson,
Frithiof Johnson,
H.A. Johnson,
Hjalmes Esaias Johnson,
John Gothfrid Johnson,
Oscar William Johnson,
Ruth Johnson,
Elmer Josephson,
Laurence Julin,
David Richard Lagergren,
Gustav Larson,
Martin Albert Larson,
Nils Samuel Larson,
Ole Larson,
Victor Larson,
Nellie Marie Lee (Mrs. Lawrence),
Anders Lilihnark,
Harold Peterson Lillbo,
Olaf Milton Lind,
Henry Lindbom,
Eric Nathanael Lindholm,
Gustaf Levi Lindstedt,
Bror Otto Lundgren,
Marjorie Lundholm,
Oscar Lawrence Magnuson,
Joseph Laurence Malm,
Fred S.L. Moberg,
Anderw Mattson Myhrman,
Erdie Nels Nelson,
Rodger Paul Nordell,
Carl Victor Nordling,
Helen Noren,
Albert Nordstrom,
Gustaf Conrad Norgren,
Olaf Okerlund,
Mrs. Adolf Olson,
Fredrik Alexander Olson,
Merriam Leslie Olson,
Instanes Albert Osborne,
Gust Pearson,
Mabel Pauline Peterson,
Muriel Peterson,
Henry Butler Prince,
Axel Rendahl,
Alex Rexion,
Louise Beulah Rounds,
Samuel J. Schultz,
Henry Lyon Sellon,
Lloyd Shold,
Elias Stafanns,
Leone Smith,
Amanda S. Sten,
Myrtle Hannah D. Sten,
Sara Mae Swenson,
E. Sward,
Gustaf Adolf Sword,
Ethel Tederman,
William Turnwall,
Gustav Valentine,
Peter A. Voth,
Olof August Wahlgren,
John Ward
The Bible and Missionary Training Students sub-series holds the profile data from students in this program. Students without a folder include:
Ruth Neva Anderson,
Margaret Brandt,
Lillian Erickson,
Anna Esau,
De Ette Margaret Handford,
Gertrude Sophia Lindstrom,
Cecillia Ling,
Harriet Alma Nilson,
Gladys M. Rich,
Joe Snyder,
Fern Strike,
Margaret Urban,
Emma Wahlen,
Ernest Wentz
The Alumni series dates from 1871 to 1946. The General Alumni folder contains the statutes of the Alumni group, writings in Swedish, and information from alumni grants. The Alumni Index includes lists of graduates. The dated folders holds biographical information of alumni. The Alumni ledger dates between dates between 1910 to 1930. The The Treasurer's Record ledger is from the Alumni Association and dates between 1911 to 1932.
The Women Alive/Seminary Wives folder is from the same group which was renamed. It relates to the Grapevine newsletter. The folder also holds other information for women in the Seminary.
The Prayer Requests folder contains prayer lists, prayer triads, and invitations to prayer.
The Chapel folders contain chapel series and calendars, dating mostly from the 1980s and 1990s.
The folder Dean of Students' Office Tabulation Student Data Sheets dates between 1962 to 1980, and holds statistical information about students. The Statistics folder contains various statistical data mostly about students and enrollment. One series is specific to enrollment statistics.
The Commencement series contains commencement programs dating from 1901. It also contains preparation documents from planning commencement events, including communion services. These include financial information, order forms for regalia and food, and lists of graduating students.
The Honors Program folders contain convocation programs, lists of honor roll students, correspondences, and Scholarship Awarding Ceremonies programs.
The Candidates for the Ministry folder holds booklets listing the student profiles of coming graduates. This folder dates between 1974 and 1985.
The Scholarships folder contains lists of scholarships and awards, as well as the recipients of these awards.
The Faculty Retreats folder holds workshop agendas, minutes, and reports. One folder is specific to the retreat in 1972 at Camp Courage, and contains the faculty handbook, a packet of materials to prepare a will, and meeting agendas and minutes. Two binders hold faculty workshop documents dating from 1998 to 2007.
The Faculty Meetings series contains meeting minutes and agendas from faculty meetings starting in 1897 in Illinois until 2013. Early meeting minutes are in Swedish, but there are English translations included.
The Faculty series contains a variety of materials related to faculty. These include retirements, sabbaticals, teaching loads, correspondence, and meeting minutes, especially from faculty meetings. Millard Erickson's curriculum study from 1979 is included in folder 4. The Faculty Handbook is in a binder and dates to 2000. The booklet of Faculty Resumes dates to 1989.
The United Faculty Meetings folders date between 1952 and 1976. They contain meeting minutes from the combined faculty meetings with the College.
The Faculty Positions and Position Descriptions folders hold vacant faculty position descriptions that the Seminary was hiring. The Field Education search folder was for the position search for the Director of Field Education during the years 1986 to 1987. The Professor of Ministry Leadership search folder dates to 1999 and 2000. The Dean Search folder dates to 1983 and 1984, and resulted in the hiring of Millard Erickson. The Associate Dean Committee folder dates to 1985 and 1986.
The Job Analysis Questionnaire folder dates to 1988, and provides survey information about staff functions and duties.
The Class Reunions series dates between 2002 to 2013. These folders contain mostly planning documentation for the reunions, as well as some picture books from the reunions. There are several folders of photographs from reunions.
The Classes/ Programs series holds folders about specifc courses and programs, as well as more general graduate course information. There are also syllabi for classes.
The Publications series contain information about serials published by the Seminary. The General folder holds Seminary Student News and Commentary, The Bethel Seminary Underground, Faculty Forum, The Masters' Voice, as well as one publication by Garrett Theological Seminary. The Seminarie Posten Business Manager's Book holds financial information, as well as a folder containing loose papers that had been folded in the book. The Seminary Boarding Club folder dates between 1942 to 1943 and contains financial information. The Seminary Quarterly materials are in the original folder from Gordon Johnson, and contains mostly correspondence and registrations to receive the publication. The Seminarian folder, Bethel Evangel folder, and Seminary Journal folder hold mostly correspondence. The Diakrisis folder contains primarily letters of complaints regarding the content of the publication. The Penumbra folder contains issues from 1971 and 1972. The Grapevine issues date from 1976 to 1996, and was a publication from Women Alive, a group for Seminary wives. The Dean's Newssheet dates from 1969 to 1971. The Seminary Summer Newsletter dates between 1965 and 1978. The Seminary News folders date from 1970 to 2000. The Town Meeting Newsletter is for the Twin Cities area, not just Bethel Seminary.
The Bibliographies contain lists of recommended publications compiled for pastors, seminarians, and seminary wives.
The New Student Orientation and Registration booklet dates to 2009 and 2010.
There are four folders of orientation materials for new students. One folder is for applying to the Seminary.
The Publicity/ Advertising folders contain mostly brochures and pamphlets, but also some marketing strategy documentation. There are some loose advertising booklets, as well as a binder of press releases regarding Bethel.
The Study Guides for Directed Reading were compiled by Bethel faculty as recommended reading for particular subjects.
The Dean's Reports date between 1965 and 1988 and were given annually about the state of the Seminary. Other Annual Reports date to 1991. One large volume contains transcripts of school reports dating between 1896 and 1933.
The Student Leadership folder contains information about student affairs, student life, and lists of student leadership representatives. The Student Life folder contains meeting minutes and correspondence. The Student Coordinating Council binder holds meeting minutes and reports dating to 1969 to 1972. The Student Senate series holds election information, budgetary information, and meeting minutes.
The Motivational Studies of Entering Students folders date between 1962 and 1971, and one from 1974. The New Student Profiles folder dates to 1957 to 1980.
The Graduates folders date from 1928 to 1992. Some of the documents list students, and others give biographical information.
The Correspondence folders date from 1885 to 2001.
Two folders of calendars show class schedules, finals schedules, and teaching schedules.
Nine student handbooks date from 1994 to 2003, with three undated ones.
The Enlistment folders contain data about decisions to enter the ministry, recruitment plans, and forms of advertising.
Four Registration folders holds data on registration, procedures, and student lists.
The Housing folder primarily deals with Seminary Village, including policy handbooks and applications. There is also a program from the dedication of Seminary Village in 1967.
The Committees series holds the faculty assignments to various committees dating from the 1950s to the 1980s. The Curriculum subseries spans several iterations of changing curricula, from the 1950s to the 2010s. The Seamless folder dates to the late 20th century, and focuses on integrating the curricula of the three seminary campuses. The Assessments date to 1996 to 2003, and includes information about SemPM and a Development Report. The Cohort Model folder dates to 2012. The Review Task Force folder dates between 2010 and 2012. The Sem 2 Sem folders date to 2011 and 2012 and deal with the transition to a semester system. The Curriculum binder dates between 2012 and 2014. The Academic Programs Committee subseries dates between the 1960s and 1990s, holds mostly meeting minutes, and includes some Academic Policies Committee minutes mixed in, likely by mistake. The Student Growth and Care Committee folder dates to the late 20th century and contains information about student difficulties, academic probation, student evaluations, and meeting minutes. The Personnel Policies Committee folder date between 1967 and 1988, and holds mostly meeting minutes. The Boyd Committee folders date to 1998 and deal with the controversy involving Greg Boyd and foreknowledge. The Graduation Committee folder dates between 1976 to 1984. The Admissions Committee dates between 1958 and 1967. The Seminary Vision A.D. 2001 Committee dates to the early 1990s and deals with shaping the future of the Seminary in the 21st century. The Faculty Workload Committee dates to the 1970s. The Academic Coordinating Council was formerly called the Division Chairmen. These folders contain meeting minutes dating between 1980 to 1991. The Administrative Committee subseries contains meeting minutes, as well as correspondence and handwritten notes. The Seminary Strategic Redesign Group folders hold mostly reports from the group dating to 1995. The Strategic Planning Advisory Council folders date to 1987 and 1988 and holds information regarding competing schools, as well as meeting minutes. The Doctor of Ministry Committee binder dates to 1990 and 1991 and contains agendas, minutes, and some financial information. The Retention Task Force folder contains enrollment statistics dating between 2005 and 2010. The Student Right to Know Law Committee folder holds a report by Security and Safety on strategies for compliance. The Student Services Committee folder contains student data, agendas, and minutes. The Student Advising Task Group folder contains program guide sheets, frequently asked questions, and some correspondence. The general meeting minutes folder holds other various minutes from committees and groups, including Growing in Ministry, the Chapel and Lecture Committee, the Coordination Committee, the Professional Development Committee, the Seminary Building Committee regarding the new Arden Hills campus, and the Library and Journal Committee.
The Retention folder contains the retention strategy, lists of students who did not return to the Seminary, and a retention study from 1996.
Two binders in the Finance series contain budgetary information from 1984 to 1993. The Salaries folders contain salary recommendations and letter templates for salary adjustments. The Salary Program folder dates from 2001 and 2002, and contains recommended salaries. The Budget Council folders and the Budget Committee folder date to the 1980s.
The Evangelical CLimate Initiative folder dates to 2006. It holds a DVD of a commercial, ABC news story, and NBC news stories regarding evangelical environmentalism. The folder holds pamphlets and booklets on media coverage about the initiative, which was signed by George Brushaber and Leith Anderson.
The Project Proposals folder holds one proposal by David B. Vasquez, with the project title "A Ministry Strategy for the Evangelical Free Church of Fresno, California," dating to 2001.
The Complaints/ Concerns folder holds lists of areas of concern in the Seminary, some complaints from faculty, and some from students.
The Senior Information/ Requirements folder contains instructions for the statement of faith, requirements for senior sermons, and placement information sheets. It also holds some information about class gifts.
The Extended Classroom was created by the Student Senate, Women Alive, and the Dean of Students Office to provide services and experiences outside the classroom for students. There are pamphlets and flyers for these events.
The Ronald Fox folder name is taken from the label on the original folder. It holds the schedule from the faculty retreat from 1974 and a report to the Board of Regents regarding the Vancouver Bible Institute.
The Self-Studies series spans three boxes. The Alumni Questionnaire folders date to 1956. One Alumni Survey folder dates to 1959, and the rest date to 2000. Several dated studies date to 1975, 1965 to 1969, 1973 to 1974, and 1980. The Institutional Functioning Inventory and Institutional Goals Inventory contain data from student and employee surveys. Large data reports from the Institutional Goals Inventory from 1980 and 1989 are located in box 37. The Adventure in Faith folder contains planning documents for the Office of the President from 1977 and 1980. The Faculty Survey from 2000 was collected to help with accreditation in 2001. The North Central Career Development Center folders hold reports to Bethel Theological Seminary from the 1970s. A compiled book of Annual Reports from the North Central Career Development Center date from 1977 to 1980. The North Central Association of Colleges and Schools folders contain information regarding accreditation and affiliation with their commission, much from 2000. The Junior Interviews and Senior Evaluations folders hold the results of questionnaires from students. One folder holds a cooperative study of juniors in seven American Baptist Seminaries, which included Bethel. The Study of Theological Education folder dates to 1955. The Evaluation of Bethel Theological Seminary dates to 1958. The Evaluation by Roberts folder was done by the president of United Theological Seminary in Ohio in 1960. The Morse Report was conducted by Hermann Morse in 1961 from the American Association of Theological Schools. The Self-Study Report from 2001 was submitted to the Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada and the North Central Assoication of the Higher Learning Commission. The Bridston-Culver Report on the Seminarian was a Lilly Endowment Study from 1963 and studied Protestant seminaries, including Bethel. The Authority and Governance Survey studied faculty and administration in Saint Paul and San Diego in 2000. There are two floppy disks in the folder with faculty labels and code lists. The Third-Party Comments folder dates to 2001 in anticipation of the NCA/ATS Comprehensive Visit. The Self-Study Committee dates to the 1960s and 1970s and holds mostly meeting minutes. The Self-Study Steering Committee dates to 1999 to 2000 and has tabbed sections of mostly meeting minutes. The Accreditation Binder folder holds the contents of a binder from 2000. Two more Accreditation folders date to 2001.
The Course Evaluations folders holds a study of courses from 1998 to 2000. They also contain an individual course evaluation from Marriage, Pre-Marriage and Family Counseling from 1988.
The dated folders maintain the contents of similarily labeled original folders. They hold various documents, such as studies of students, schedules, course descriptions, and committee information.
The Seminary Profile folder dates between 1975 and 1987, containing enrollment data, student statistics, and a Theological School Inventory guide.
The Minnesota Consortium of Seminary Faculties folders include a task force report from 1973, meeting minutes, correspondence, articles of agreement, and other information about the group. The Minnesota Consortium of Theological Schools are directories from 1983 to 1990.
One booklet is an Evaluative Study and Report of the Consortium for Higher Education Religion Studies from 1972.
The New Hope Christian Fellowship Partnership folder holds information about partnering Bethel with Honolulu.
The North American Baptist Seminary folders contain information about Bethel's cooperative programs, such as historical information, correspondence, newsletters, merger considerations, and statements of faith.
The Interseminary Movement folder holds papers presented at the annual conference in 1965, as well as a Student's Report on Interseminary Conference by Ron Bergman.
The North Central Association folder holds studies and reports from 1999 to 2001.
The Association of Theological Schools folders date from 1982 to 2004, with one document from 1968. They contain mostly data and accreditation information.
The Christian College Consortium folder holds the foundational information for the CCC from 1971.
The Covenant Groups folder holds information from 1996 regarding a new initiative to create small theologically focused groups.
The Protokolbok from the Swedish American Bible Seminary dates to 1884 and is in Swedish.
The Administrative Services series comes from original folders labeled with that title. The Public Affairs subseries contains publicity initiatives and marketing plans, especially to certain constituency groups. The Restricted Accounts folder holds information about financial accounts that are specifically slotted for certain funds. There is budgetary information dating to 1990 to 1994. There is also a financial aid folder that is specific to Bethel College, not the Seminary.
The Bethel College and Seminary Foundation folder contains the bylaws, the articles of incorporation, and business plan.
The Spiritual Formation folders contain documents regarding spiritual development, especially information from a subcommittee on the topic. These folders date to the 1980s.
The IPEDS training workshops were held in the early 2000s regarding education statistics.
The Technology folder contains information on computers, telephones, and other technology used in the Seminary.
The Deanship folder dates to the 1960s when Gordon Johnson took over as Dean of the Seminary.
The Writings/ Lectures file includes an Adolf Olson Memorial Lecture by Bruce Metzger in 1961, writings by Carl Lundquist, writings by Virgil Olson, and other lectures and writings.
The BGC Relationship with Seminary series holds information from the Baptist General Conference and its relationship with the Seminary, such as recruitment to the ministry, pastoral placement, and BGC guiding documents.
The Registrar's Records folders hold reports from the registrar, data regarding student enrollment, and class schedules.
The Orebro Seminary folder holds documents regarding the exchange program with Bethel.
The Seminary of the East folders contain documents regarding its merger with Bethel finalized in 2002. Many documents focus on folding together the curricula.
The San Diego folder contains information from Bethel Seminary San Diego, particularly personnel information.
The Coding of Students at BSSD or BSOE holds coding information for programs and students at San Diego or Seminary of the East.
The Extension Courses were held in other locations from the Bethel campus, such as in Rochester and west suburbs of Minneapolis.
The Goals/ Planning folder holds future planning documents for the Seminary, such as goals for 1967 to 1969 and a Five Year Strategic Plan for 1997 to 2002.
The folder Relocation to Arden Hills dates to the 1960s and 1970, when first the Seminary and then the College was moved from the former campus to Arden Hills. A Seminary groundbreaking program from 1964 is included. The Program of Spaces is a booklet from Hammel and Green, Inc. Architects and Engineers detailing the building plans for the Arden Hills seminary. The Architectural Record is a booklet dating to 1966, with a section featuring the Seminary building. There is a Merit Award dating to 1966 from the Minnesota Society of the American Institute of Architects for the seminary building in Arden Hills.
The Facilities folder contains information about maintenance in the Seminary building, blueprints, and office locations.
The Multicultural folders hold information from the Multicultural Affairs Committee, the President's Multicultural Commission, and the McKnight study. One booklet of Multi-Cultural Student Interviews was written by Jeannette A. Bakke in 1993.
The Policies folders contain a manual on Academic Policies and Procedures from 1975, policies for promotion and tenure, policy change requests for approval, and information from the Policy Task Group.
The general Events folder contains programs and flyers for Renew, BGC/ Bethel Annual Meetings, the Swedish Royal Ceremony, lectureships, and other events. The Retreats folder holds information from faculty retreats and workshops. Developing a World Class Curriculum for Leadership Development dates to 1998 and was affirmed at the Leadership Retreat. The Life of Devotion Retreat was a series of retreats from the 1990s. The Dinners/ Banquets folder mostly holds programs for Faculty Appreciation receptions. The Pastor's Conference, Duluth folder dates to 1992. The Management Training Program dates to 1990. The Preaching Institute was held in 1993 at Bethel. The Conference on the Ministry was held at Bethel, and the folder dates to the 1970s and 1980s. The Summer Academy of Advanced Pastoral Studies dates to 1970 and holds many surveys from attendees. The BGC Missions Summit folder dates to 1998 and was held at Bethel. There is a book of 110th Anniversary Lectures from 1981.
There are two stoles sewn with the year 2004.
The Student Record Book dates from 1884 to 1891 and is from the Scandanavian Department of the University of Chicago. It is a ledger recording students' record of work and matriculation.
The Seminary Graduate cards contain classes between 1946 and 1981. They are index cards that list names, graduation year, home, degrees, church information, and family information.
The Church Membership Cards provide index cards of church membership of seminary students.
The Social media videos date to 2023 and feature Seminary professors on various topics that were posted to the Seminary social media sites.
Dates
- 1871 - 2023
Conditions Governing Access
Most of this collection is open for researcher use.
The Class grade books should be restricted for 70 years since creation.
Many documents in the Student Growth and Care Committee folder should be restricted until 2060. The archivist will vet documents before making folder available to a researcher.
Some documents in the Salaries folders contain individual salary information, which should be restricted until 2050. The archivist will vet documents before making folder available to a researcher.
Extent
From the Collection: 57.5 Cubic Feet
Language of Materials
From the Collection: English
From the Collection: Swedish
Repository Details
Part of the The History Center: Archives of Bethel University and Converge Repository