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.

Bill Thompson Changes His Mind

September 16, 2019

William Phelps Thompson clippings and photographs, 1966. Pearl ID: 1947

--by Dean H. Lewis

William Phelps Thompson, the Kansas lawyer who was elected Moderator and then Stated Clerk of the General Assembly, was not noted for admitting error. However, in an October 15, 1991 letter, he publicly acknowledged having changed his mind on a contentious issue on which his earlier position had been critical.

The 1978 United Presbyterian General...

Author:

Guest Blogger

Tags:

Stated Clerks, LGBTQIA+ History, General Assembly

"Is Anyone Else Out There Gay?"

June 17, 2019

At the 1974 General Assembly of the United Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A., David Sindt stood on the Assembly floor holding a hand-written sign that read, “Is anyone else out there gay?”

David Sindt was born in 1940 and grew up attending Presbyterian churches in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He received his Masters of Divinity in 1966 from McCormick Theological Seminary in Chicago and was ordained by the...

Author:

Elizabeth Wittrig

Tags:

LGBTQIA+ History, Congregations

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, Archival Processing

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