J. Stilson Judah: New Religious Movements collection, ca. 1973-1994, bulk (Bulk 1973-1987)

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Summary

Creators:
Judah, J. Stillson
Abstract:
The collection consists mainly of Library director N. Stilson Judah's materials on New Religious Movements. There is some personal materials that reflect Judah's interest in tennis and ballroom dancing and an oral history about his life.
Extent:
16 boxes 11 linear ft.
Language:
Languages represented in the collection: English
Preferred citation:

New Religious Movements collection, GTU 95-6-01. Graduate Theological Union Archives, Berkeley, CA.

Background

Scope and content:

The material was collected from Judah's home after his death. Material was received in boxes, file folders and loose. Most of the collection follows the original order. The collection pertains almost exclusively to the New Religious Movements. There is a small amount of personal material that reflects his interest in tennis and ballroom dancing and a 1994 oral history.

Biographical / historical:

J. Stillson Judah (1911-2000), GTU library director from 1966 to 1976, was a pioneer in the early scholarly study of New Religious Movements in Berkeley in the 1970's, writing many articles and papers about the various groups. He published Jehovah's Witnesses and History and Philosophy of the Metaphysical Movement in 1964. In 1974, Hare Krishna and the Counterculture was published. Among the book chapters and articles that he wrote were several that were seminal in the field of New Religious Movements.

J. Stillson Judah was born on July 7, 1911 in Leavenworth, WA. He received an A.B. in Philosophy and Oriental Studies from the University of Washington in 1934 and did his graduate work at the University of California, Berkeley in both 1940-1941 and in 1966-1969. He received his Library Certificate from the University of California in 1941. He served in Japan from 1945-46 as Japanese language interpreter for the 5th Fleet. In 1941-1969, he served at the librarian at the Pacific School of Religion in Berkeley, CA. He was the editor and compiler of Index to Religious Periodical Literature from 1949-1952. Under his leadership, seven separate seminary library collections were integrated into the Graduate Theological Union Common Library. He became GTU's first librarian in 1966. He also served as Professor, History of Religions at GTU from 1969 until his retirement in 1976.

Judah received many honors for his work. He was the recipient of a Guggenheim Fellowship in 1956, the Faculty Fellowship of the American Association of Theological Schools (Sealantic Fund) in 1957-1958 and received his Litt. D. Degree from Chapman College in 1956. As an active participant in the religious freedom movement of the 1960's and 1970's he was also active in the Alliance for the Preservation of Religious Liberty serving as the Vice-Chairman for a number of years.

Judah died on October 9, 2000.

Acquisition information:
Gift of J. Stillson Judah, Jr. in 2000.
Physical location:
3/J/6 - 3/K/3
Rules or conventions:
Finding aid prepared using Describing Archives: a Content Standard

Access and use

Restrictions:

Collection is open for research.

Terms of access:

Copyright has not been assigned to The Graduate Theological Union. All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Archivist. Permission for publication is given on behalf of The Graduate Theological Union as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained by the reader.

Preferred citation:

New Religious Movements collection, GTU 95-6-01. Graduate Theological Union Archives, Berkeley, CA.

Location of this collection:
2400 Ridge Road
Berkeley, CA 94709, US
Contact:
(510) 649-2523/2501
archives@gtu.edu
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