Blog

News, events, updates, and tidbits from the Presbyterian Historical Society. Use tags to read related articles or sort by author for similar posts written by PHS staff members and volunteers.

Eunice Poethig, A Champion for Women

March 1, 2019

The next U.S. presidential primary election will feature at least three viable women candidates—a development that would have no doubt thrilled Presbyterian minister and leader, Eunice Poethig. PHS recently completed the processing of Poethig’s papers, and they illuminate her advocacy work in expanding the numbers of women and people from other marginalized communities serving as leaders in ministry and civic life.

Eunice was...

Author:

Niki

Tags:

Collections, Womens History, LGBTQIA+ History, Poethig

Timeline of LGBTQIA+ History

February 19, 2019

The Presbyterian Historical Society has created a timeline of LGBTQIA+ related history in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). The stories included show how church members’ perspectives as well as the language used to speak about sexuality shifted throughout decades of advocacy work by LGBTQIA+ Presbyterians and allies. Click on the image below to view the timeline:

...

Author:

Elizabeth Wittrig

Tags:

LGBTQIA+ History

The PC(USA) Consultation on Homophobia

January 26, 2019

In 1978, the United Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A. approved a minority report from the Task Force to Study Homosexuality. The report prohibited presbyteries from ordaining...

Author:

Elizabeth Wittrig

Tags:

LGBTQIA+ History, General Assembly

Pam Byers Memorial Collecting Initiative

October 19, 2018

Human Sexuality Committee at the 203rd General Assembly, Baltimore, MD, 1991. View the new Pearl collection on LGBTQIA+ history.

October is LGBT History Month, a fitting time for PHS to announce the public phase of our Pam Byers Memorial Collecting Initiative. Financial...

Author:

Fred T

Tags:

LGBTQIA+ History, Collections, News and Events

The UPCUSA Task Force to Study Homosexuality

October 18, 2018

Task force hearing in Philadelphia, June 1977. Image taken from the Presbyterian Charismatic Communion Newsletter, no. 47 (March-April 1978), pg. 1. [Pearl ID: 141050]

In the mid-1970s, the General Assembly of the United Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A. (UPCUSA) received a flurry of questions concerning homosexuality. Bill Silver, an openly gay Presbyterian...

Author:

Elizabeth Wittrig

Tags:

LGBTQIA+ History, General Assembly, Archival Processing