Guide to the R. Park Johnson Papers

Descriptive Summary

Title

R. Park Johnson Papers

Inclusive Dates

1935-1940, 1951-1985

Call Number

RG 291

Creator(s)

Johnson, R. Park, 1907-

Quantity

0.66 cubic feet (2 boxes)

Restrictions on Access

Open for research.

Repository

Presbyterian Historical Society, 425 Lombard Street, Philadelphia, PA 19147-1516 USA

Biographical Note / Administrative History

Biographical Note

R. Park Johnson was born at Lincoln University in Pennsylvania, where his father was president. He graduated from Princeton University in 1928. After study at New College, Edinburgh, Marburg, Germany, and Yale Divinity School, Johnson graduated from Princeton Theological Seminary in 1932. He was ordained and served as pastor of Yeadon Presbyterian Church in suburban Philadelphia from 1932 to 1937 when he accepted a professorship of English at Alborz College in Teheran, Iran. When the government took over the college in 1940 the Johnsons returned to the USA. Johnson earned a PhD in oriental literature and languages from Princeton University, taught for a year at Hanover College, Indiana, and served an eight year pastorate at Second Presbyterian Church, Kansas City, Missouri.

In 1950 Johnson was called to missionary service in the Middle East as the Board of Foreign Missions Field Representative (later called Commission on Ecumenical Mission and Relations Representative) with responsibility for mission administration in Syria-Lebanon, Iran and Iraq. He later also assumed responsibility for the Arabian Mission of the Reformed Church in America. The Johnsons lived in Beirut and for two different years in Teheran, Iran. When the multiple mission field was divided in 1960, the Johnsons moved to Teheran with responsibility for Iran, the United Mission in Iraq and the Arabian Mission. In 1967 Johnson were transferred to Pakistan as COEMAR Representative in Pakistan with headquarters in Lahore, serving there until retirement in 1972.

In the decade of 1955-1965 Park Johnson played a major role in the shift of responsibility from the old mission organizations to the national churches in Syria-Lebanon and Iran. Johnson's ecumenical service included positions with the Near East Council of Churches (NECC), chair of World Council of Churches (WCC) consultations and membership on the Board of Directors of the International Afghan Mission. He wrote extensively on the Palestinian problem. He did post-retirement service at the COEMAR offices in New York.

Alice Johnson served in positions with the NECC, taught in girls' schools and was business manager of the Delhi Gate Clinic in Lahore.

Collection Overview

This record group includes correspondence, reports, statements, papers and articles of R. Park Johnson. It also includes minutes of committees, newsletters from Pakistan, and materials relating to organizations and institutions. There are also Johnson's copies of related COEMAR correspondence and reports. Much of the material is from the period after his retirement.

Organization and Arrangement

SERIES 1: R. PARK JOHNSON RECORDS AND PAPERS, 1938-1939, 1952-1981

SERIES 2: IRAN, 1940, 1953, 1965-1971

SERIES 3: PAKISTAN, 1968-1985

SERIES 4: THE INTERNATIONAL AFGHAN MISSION (IAM) CRSIS, 1972-1975

SERIES 5: MISCELLANY, 1935-1939, 1951-1964, 1977-1979

Related Material

Administrative Information

Processing Information

Collection processed and finding aid prepared, July 1992
Glenn Colliver, Assistant Archivist

Finding aid revised, June 2008
Bill Brock, Collection Management Archivist

Catalog Headings

The following headings have been used to index the description of this collection in the society’s electronic catalog.

Personal Name Subject

Johnson, R. Park, 1907-

Corporate Subject

International Afghan Mission.

Near East Council of Churches.

Topical Subject

Missionaries--Middle East--20th century.

Presbyterian Church--Missions--Iran--20th century.

Presbyterian Church--Missions--Pakistan--20th century.

Presbyterian Church--Missions--Afghanistan--20th century.

Geographic Subject

Iran--Missions--20th century.

Pakistan--Missions--20th century.

Afghanistan--Missions--20th century.

Genre-form

Correspondence. aat

Minutes (administrative records) aat

News bulletins. aat

Newsletters. aat

Reports. aat

Corporate Added Name

United Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A. Commission on Ecumenical Mission and Relations.

Collection Inventory

Box	Folder	Description	Alternative Formats

1	1	Finding Aid to Record Group 291

		SERIES 1: R. PARK JOHNSON RECORDS AND PAPERS, 1938-1939, 1952-1981

1	2	Correspondence, 1952-1972
1	3	Statements, Correspondence, Sermon re the Middle East and the Palestinian Problem, 1955-1967
1	4	Reports, Papers, Statements, Addresses, 1938-1939, 1953-1972
1	5	Consultation Papers, 1959-1966
1	6	Commission on Outreach and Witness, NECC, (Johnson, Executive Secretary): Reports, 1965-1967
1	7	The Role and Responsibilities of the UP Representative Overseas, 1974
1	8	Centennial Anniversary Sermon, Westminster Church, 1975
1	9	Orders of Service, Certificate, Memo of Agreement for a Book, 1957-1963
1	10	Clippings (Published Articles and Letter), 1955-1958, 1981

		SERIES 2: IRAN, 1940, 1953, 1965-1971

1	11	Iran Mission Correspondence, 1940, 1953
1	12	Interchurch Centenary Committee: Lectures, Leaflets, 1971
1	13	UP COEMAR Fellowship in Iran, Policy, Evaluation and Planning Committee (R. Park Johnson, Chair), 1968-1971
1	14	"Iran and the Bible," Illustrated Lecture (R. Park Johnson), 1965

		SERIES 3: PAKISTAN, 1968-1985

1	15	Annual Narrative Report (R. Park Johnson), 1968-1971
1	16	Annual Narrative Report (G. Leroy Selby), 1972
1	17	COEMAR Correspondence, 1971-1972
1	18	COEMAR Correspondence, 1973
1	19	COEMAR Correspondence, 1974-1979
1	20	United Presbyterian Fellowship in Pakistan: Minutes, 1972-1974
1	21	United Presbyterian Fellowship in Pakistan: Newsnotes, 1972-1974
1	22	United Presbyterian Fellowship in Pakistan: Newsnotes, 1976-1978

2	1	United Presbyterian Fellowship in Pakistan: Newsnotes, 1979-1980
2	2	United Presbyterian Fellowship in Pakistan: Newsnotes, 1981-1983, undated
2	3	United Presbyterian Fellowship in Pakistan: Newsnotes, 1983-1985
2	4	Pakistan Speaks (Newsletter), ca. 1971, 1973
2	5	Missionary Home Letters (Don and Mary Jo McCurry), 1973-1974
2	6	Adult Basic Education Society (ABES), 1972-1976, 1982, 1985, undated
2	7	Literacy and Education for Adult Development (LEAD), 1973-1976
2	8	Seminar on Christian Community Development, Gujranwala, Pakistan, 1976
2	9	Thal Project, 1982-1983
2	10	Christian Hospital, Taxila, Pakistan, 1971-1973, 1982, 1984
2	11	Delhi Gate Clinic, Lahore, West Pakistan: Annual Report, 1972
2	12	Memorial Christian Hospital, Sialkot, Pakistan: Rural Health Care Project, 1982, 1984

		SERIES 4: THE INTERNATIONAL AFGHAN MISSION (IAM) CRISIS, 1972-1975

2	13	Correspondence (Afghanistan), 1972-1973
2	14	Correspondence (Afghanistan), 1973-1975

		SERIES 5: MISCELLANY, 1935-1939, 1951-1964, 1977-1979

2	15	History of the Iran Mission, ca. 1954
2	16	History of the Gujranwala Theological Seminary (1877-1977), 1977
2	17	A Brief Survey of the United Presbyterian Church Participation in the Middle East, 1979
2	18	Agreement of Cooperation (The Evangelical Presbyterian Church of Iran and the PCUSA), 1964
2	19	Christianity and Islam, Papers, 1951-1959, undated
2	20	Alborz College: Newsletters, Brochure, Fund-raising Letters, 1935-1939
2	21	The August, 1939, Crisis in Educational Missions in Iran (compiled by R. Park Johnson), undated

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Guide to the R. Park Johnson Papers

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