THOMPSON, CLAUDE H.
Papers, 1949-1971.

MANUSCRIPT NUMBER 162

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CITATION:  Claude H. Thompson Papers, MSS 162, Archives and Manuscripts Dept., Pitts Theology Library, Emory University.

Claude Thompson was born September 21, 1908, in Bethlehem, Maryland. Raised in a devout methodist family, he attended public schools in Bethlehem and went to Asbury College where he received his undergraduate degree. Having accepted the call to the ministry, Thompson continued his education at Drew University where he received both his B.D. and Ph.D. degrees.

Professor Thompson served for fifteen years as a parish minister. He returned to the academic worldin 1946 when he studied at Oxford University and at Edinburgh in 1947. He returned to Asbury and taught Systematic Theology in the Seminary from 1947 to 1950. Professor Thompson joined the faculty of the Candler School of Theology in January, 1951, where he taught Systematic Theology until his death October 16, 1971.

Claude Holmes Thompson was married to Miss Sue Lovelace in 1932. They are the parents of three daughters.

The papers consist of material primarily from the period 1951 - 1971, the time in which Professor Thompson was a member of the faculty of the Candler School of Theology. A few sermons and clippings have been preserved from the time of his pastoral ministry. The materials are arranged in eight series. The first series, BIOGRAPHICAL, contains Thompson's spiritual autobiography as well as his curriculum vitae. In addition, clippings and publications surrounding his death are contained in this series.

The second series, CORRESPONDENCE, is arranged in two sub-series, incoming and outgoing. The correspondence is primarily from the late 1950's and early 1960's. The letters received are arranged alphabetically by author while letters sent by Thompson are arranged chronologically.

Professor Thompson became a vocal proponent of the civil rights movement. From a theological and biblical perspective, articulated a foundation for relating to all people with justice, regardless of race. The third series, RACE RELATIONS, contains material which reflect specifically his involvement in race relations.

The fourth series, SERMONS AND ADDRESSES, contain those materials which are sermonic in nature or were apparently delivered as a public address. These bulk in between 1953 and 1971.

The fifth series, UNPUBLISHED MANUSCRIPTS, contains a number of manuscripts on which professor Thompson worked which have never been published. Included in this series is a photocopy of Professor Thompson's dissertation as well as two book length manuscripts. Numerous article length manuscripts are also included.

The sixth series, LECTURES AND COURSE MATERIAL, contains the lecture notes from the courses offered by Professor Thompson at Candler School of Theology. The material in this series is arranged by Course number. Most of his lecture notes have page numbers, indicating the order of the material. In some cases, however, insertions were made and pages renumbered.

The seventh series, SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSONS, contains a series of Sunday School lessons which were written for publication. These are arranged by date. In addition, there are notes from two Bible courses (John and Acts) which were taught by Professor Thompson.

The final series contains the published articles of Professor Thompson. These are arranged by date of publication.

                 CONTAINER LISTING

Box/
Folder #

         Series I: Biographical
1/01     Spiritual Autobiography
1/02     Curriculum Vitae
         Memorials
1/03          "Claude Holmes Thompson, 1908-1971 : In Appreciation, 
              In Memoriam" Junction.  Vol 7, No. 1, Dec., 1971.
1/04     Obituaries - Clippings
1/05     The Claude H. Thompson Award. Honors Day Programs, 1971-1973.
1/06     Clippings

         Series II: Correspondence
1/07     Letters Received 
              Ellis, Frank W., Executive Secretary, State of Mississippi
                Commission of Budget and Accounting.
              King, Martin Luther,  Jr.  1960, 1964.
              Mays, Benjamin E., President, Morehouse College, 
                Atlanta, Georgia. 1956.
              Moore, Arthur J.  Bishop, The Methodist Church, Atlanta, Georgia.
13/1	      Cannon, William R., 1954-1971

1/08    Letters Sent 1954, 1957, 1960, 1965
              Bishop Arthur J. Moore: 1954, 1957
              Bishop J. O. Smith:  1960
              Dr. George A. Turner, 1965.

        Series III: Race Relations
        Writings
1/09         "The Biblical Basis for Human Relations"
1/10         "Just How Serious is Segregation?"
1/11         "A New Look at Sainthood."
1/12         "Personal Impressions of the Segregation Issue."
1/13         "Segregation/Race Relations.
1/14    Clippings


         Series IV: Sermons and Addresses
         Manuscripts [1938]; 1953-1971
1/15        "The Worst Sin of 1938", [1938].
1/16        "On Christian Doctrine", 1953.
1/17        "Toward a Christian World Community", Feb.22, 1954.
1/18        "The Christian Faith and the Industrial Age," 
              October 30, 1958.
1/19        "The Sacrament of Death,"  June, 1959.
1/20        "Impressions of the Dialogue,"  May 9, 1963.
1/21        "From Diagnosis to Delivery,"  1963.
1/22        "Catholic Protestant Dialogue,"  1964.
1/23        "The Hosts of Evil Round Us," March 29, 1967.
1/24        "When the Cross becomes Personal,"  March 23, 1968.
1/25        "Unity!  At Candler?"  May 27, 1969.
1/26        "Evangelical Christianity:  Methodism's Foundation in the past: 
              its challenge for the present,"  October 11, 1969.
1/27        "Social Reform:  An evangelical imperative,"  August 29, 1970.
1/28        "Communicating Wesleyan Theology Through Educative 
              Channels,"  April 29, 1971.
1/29        "The Anatomy of Aimlessness", n.d.
1/30        "Baptists, Congregationalism, Presbyterians", n.d.
1/31        "Dilemmas of one Evangelical Methodist", n.d.
1/32        "Eternal Life:  What can be known?", n.d.
1/33        "The Evangelical imperative.", n.d.
1/34        "Evangelism for Revolution.", n.d.
1/35        "God's mission in God's world.", n.d.
1/36        "Happening -- A False key to Christian faith.", n.d.
1/37        "Idolatries -- Old and New.", n.d.
1/38        "Is the Church Outmoded?", n.d.
1/39        "Methodism in Crisis.", n.d.
1/40        "Redemptive Group Movements.", n.d.
1/41        "Renewed: But do we really want it?", n.d.
1/42        "Sent forth: But what if it really happened.", n.d.
1/43        "We believe in Christian Sanctification.", n.d.
1/44        Outlines, n.d.
1/45        Programs. 1957, 1962, 1964., n.d.

         Outlines (arranged by scripture text)
2/01        Genesis
2/02        Exodus
2/03        Deuteronomy
2/04        Joshua
2/05        1 Samuel
2/06        Kings
2/07        Chronicles
2/08        Esther
2/09        Job
13/2	    Job
2/10        Psalms
13/3	    Psalms
2/11        Ecclesiastes
2/13        Isaiah
13/4	    Isaiah
2/14        Amos
2/15        Daniel
2/16        Matthew
2/17        Mark
2/18        Luke
3/01        John
13/5	    John
3/02        Acts
3/03        Romans
13/6	    Romans
3/04        Corinthians
3/05        2 Corinthians
3/06        Galatians
3/07        Ephesians
13/7	    Ephesians
3/08        1 Thessalonians
3/09        Philippians
3/10        Timothy
13/8	    Timothy
3/11        Philemon
3/12        Hebrews
13/9	    Hebrews
3/13        1 John
3/14        1&2 Peter
3/15        James
3/16        Revelation
13/10	    Revelation

        Outlines (arranged by title)
4/01        "America's Scared Cow"
4/02        "America's Trojan Horse"
4/03        "Ashram" Harry Richardson 10/3/64
4/04        "Atomic Bomb"
4/05        "Bible Study, Albert Collage"
4/06        "Biographies"
4/07        "Bound by God's Far Purpose"
4/08        "Samuel Brengle: An American Saint"
4/09        "Can I Qualify"
4/10        "Can we believe everything in the Bible?"
4/11        "Christian Beliefs"
4/12        "Christian Community"
4/13        "Christianity and Health"
4/14        "Controversies in Christendom"
4/15        "Conflicts in Methodism' Conclusion of Reference to 
              social Gospel"
4/16        "Conversion"
13/11	    "The Danger of Prayer"
4/17        "Developing a Personal Faith"
4/18        "Devotional Classics"
4/19        Manuscript: Diagnosing our Dangers
4/20        "What is Happening Now? [Diagnosis}"
4/21        "...Disciplined Christian Life"
4/22        "Disciplines of Dedicated Living"
4/23        "S.S. Lessons on Christian Doctrine"
4/24        "The Ecumenical Movement(D.H. ss 2/55)"
4/25        "Ecumenism"
4/26        "The Eleventh Girl Scout Law"
4/27        "Emphasis on Christian Experience"
4/28        "Evangelism"
4/29        "Evangelism"
4/30        "Foundations of Christian Teaching in Methodist Churches"
4/31        "Futility in Personal Living"
4/32        "Futility: Christianity's Answer"
4/33        "God's Power within Us, Among Us, Through Us.
4/34        "[God's Will and My will]"
4/35        "[The Gospel according to Peanuts]"
4/36        "Gratitude .. on what Level?"
5/01        Holiness Series
5/02        "If I Take it Seriously"
5/03        "Jesus as Lord: Past, Present, Future"
5/04        "John's Gospel"
13/12       "Life and Mission of the Church"
5/05        "Man and his Sin"
5/06        "Morality"
5/07        "Need for Realistic Thinking as Regards Brotherly Love"
5/08        "Not alone we Conquer"
5/09        "On Finding it difficult to Believe in God"
5/10        "Open Heart"
5/11        "Our Memorial Communion"
5/12        "People Lonely and Helpless"
5/13        "Prayer"
5/14        "Reverence of the Gospel"
5/15        "Rediscovery of the Xn Tradition"
5/16        "Renewal THrough Commitment"
5/17        "The Christian Meaning of the Resurrection"
5/18        "[Revolution]"
5/19        "Some Elements in the New Biblical Theology"
5/20        "Stewardship"
5/21        "Studies in the book of Action [Acts]"
5/22        "Christian Faith and Human Suffering"
5/23        "Current Theology"
5/24        "Theology of the Kerygma".
5/25        "Two Brief Questions".
5/26        "What did Jesus think?"
5/27        "What does it mean to be saved?"
5/28        "What happened at Pentecost".
5/29        "What is a Christian?".
5/30        "What's Heaven for?"
5/31        "What is the Bible?"
5/32        "What is the message of the New Testment?"
5/33        "What is the Pattern today of Human need?"
13/13	    "The Word"
5/34        "The Word of the Lord".
5/35        "The Word with Power-Suzanne de Dietrich"
5/36        Untitled.
5/37        [Untitled]. (expected action for followers of Jesus)
13/14-16    Miscellaneous, undated
13/17	    Addresses, undated


         Series V: Unpublished Manuscripts
6/1-7    Dissertation: "The Witness of American Methodism to the Historical
           Doctrine of Christian Perfection," 1949. [pages 1-700]
7/1-2    Dissertation: "The Witness of American Methodism to the Historical 
           Doctrine of Christian Perfection," 1949. [pages 701-Bibliography]
7/2a     Untitled, 1958. [Draft]
7/3      Untitled, 1958. [Notes]
7/4      Untitled, 1958. [Manuscript]
7/4      "Methodist Studies," 1962. [Draft]
7/4      "Methodist Studies," 1962. [Manuscript]
8/1       "The relevance of theological discourse", [1971]. [draft]
8/2      ["The relevance of theological discourse"], [1971].
            [manuscript]
8/3-7    Notes for book on Understanding the Bible.
8/8      Poetry, n.d.
9/1      [Suffering], n.d.
9/2      "The case for evil examined," n.d.
9/3      "Our debt to others," n.d.
9/4      "The relevance of Wesley's idea of sanctity," n.d.
9/5      "A study in Wesley's idea of sanctity," n.d.
9/6      "Toward a Theologia Perennis,"  n.d.
9/7      Articles, n.d.

         Series VI: Lectures and Course Material
9/8      ST301 -- Systematic Theology I, 1969-1970.
9/9      ST303 -- Systematic Theology II, 1970.
9/10     ST311 -- The Problem of Authority, n.d.
9/11     T315 -- Current Views of God, Fall, 1970 (also numbered ST419)
9/12     T316 -- The Christian Doctrine of Man, Fall, 1970.
10/1     ST321 -- Incarnation and Atonement, n.d.
10/2     ST321 -- Incarnation and Atonement (continued).
10/3     ST334 -- The Idea of Christian Perfection, 1966-1967.
10/4     ST341 -- Contemporary Christian Literature, n.d.
10/5     ST343 -- Controversial Issues in Contemporary Theology, n.d.
10/6     ST345 -- Christian Faith and Personal Problems, Spring, 1970.
11/1     HT350 -- Theology of John Wesley, Winter, 1968-1969.
11/2     HT350 -- Theology of John Wesley, Winter, 1968-1969.
           (continued)
11/3     HT351 -- Theologians of Methodism, Fall, 1969-1970.
11/4     ST354 -- Theology and Evangelism, Fall, 1970.
11/5     ST373 -- Contemporary British Theology, Summer, 1967.
11/6     ST373 -- Contemporary British Theology, Summer, 1967. 
          (continued)
11/7     ST425 -- The Doctrine of God, n.d.
14/3	 Short Course 122, New Testament Content and Values, n.d
14/4	 Short Course, Biblical Theology Today, 1963
14/5	 Short Course, Contemporary Religious Thought, 1955
11/8	 Short Course, Contemporary Religious Thought, 1955
14/6	 Short Course, The Epistle to the Ephesians, undated
14/7	 Short Course, Life and Teaching of Jesus, undated
14/8	 Short Course, The Meaning of Suffering, undated
14/9	 Short Course, Philippians, undated

         Series VII: Sunday School Lessons and Bible Courses
12/1     ["The life and work of Jesus,"] n.d.
12/2     March 4 -- "Exploring the Bible Text"
12/3     March 4 -- "This is God's World"
12/4     March 11 -- "Man is a Responsible Being"
12/5     March 18 -- "Man has gone astray"
12/6     March 25 -- "God cares"
12/7     April 1 -- "God speaks through Christ"
12/8     April 8 -- "Christ suffered for us"
12/9     April 15 -- "Jesus Christ is King"
12/10    April 22 -- "Christ conquered sin and death"
12/11    April 29 -- "Man responds by faith"
12/12    May 6 -- "Christ makes men new"
12/13    May 13 -- "Christ makes men brothers"
12/14    May 20 -- "God's grace sustains us"
12/15    May 27 -- "Christ is our hope"
12/16    Fellowship Class, Grace Methodist Church, 1962.
12/17    St. Lukes, 1962.
12/18    "Answers to Cults I"
12/19    "Answers to Cults II"
12/20    "Answers to Cults III"
12/21    "Answers to Cults IV"
12/22    "A three fold remedy , D.H. Class
12/23    ["The Gospel of John"]
12/24    "Paul, The Man and His Work"
12/25    "The life and mission of the church"
12/26    "On reading the Bible"
12/27    Myers Park Methodist Church, 1969
13/18	 "Can We Believe Everything in the Bible?", undated
13/19	 "Luke’s Portrait of Christ," undated
13/20	 "Old Testament Prophets," undated
13/21	 Romans, undated
13/22	 "The Use of the Bible with Adults," undated
13/23	 Druid Hills Fellowship Class, undated
13/24	 Miscellaneous
14/1-2	 Miscellaneous

         Series VIII: Published Articles
12/28    1935-1936; 1949
12/29    1952-59
12/30    1960
12/31    1962
12/32    1964
12/33    1965
12/34    1966
12/35    1967
12/36    1969
12/37    1970
12/38    1971
12/39    undated
Last Modified: 10/18/2005