Paul G. Schrotenboer Collection, 1939-1998 | Heritage Hall, Hekman Library

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Collection Overview

Title: Paul G. Schrotenboer Collection, 1939-1998

ID: COLL/451

Primary Creator: Schrotenboer, Paul G. (1922-1998)

Extent: 18.25 Cubic Feet. More info below.

Arrangement: Folder level description

Abstract

Minister of the Christian Reformed Church, executive director for Association for the Advancement of Christian Scholarship (AACS), general secretary of the Reformed Ecumenical Synod (later called Reformed Ecumenical Council), editor of RES News Exchange, RES Theological Forum, RES Mission Bulletin, and International Reformed Bulletin. The collection includes: extensive AACS and Institute for Christian Studies (ICS), RES materials; speeches, lectures, reports, papers, notes, and reference materials on a wide range of topics including ecumenism, church unity, Calvinism, Christian Labour Association, Catholicism, Christian education, Canadian immigration, apartheid, theology, H. Evan Runner, Karl Barth, etc.; conference materials; sermons; and correspondence.

Biographical Note

Paul Gerard Schrotenboer was born in East Saugatuck, Michigan on May 10, 1922. As a high school senior, Schrotenboer felt the call to become a minister. Schrotenboer pursued his dream by entering Calvin Theological Seminary where he earned his Th.B. in 1947. He earned his Th.M. from Westminster Seminary in 1949 and travelled aboard to earn his Th.D. in 1955 from Free University in Amsterdam. Schrotenboer first call from the congregation of Ottawa, Ontario. He served there until 1960 when he accepted the call from the congregation of St. Catharines, Ontario. For a few years Schrotenboer also worked part-time as the development director for the Association for the Advancement of Christian Scholarship (AACS), now the Institute for Christian Studies (ICS).

During the 1963 meeting of the Reformed Ecumenical Synod (RES) in Grand Rapids, Schrotenboer was offered a staff position of General Secretary for RES. Hiring Schrotenboer resulted in RES having a greater world presence. He visited other world gatherings as a RES representative. He made connections with the World Alliance of Reformed Churches, the World Council of Churches, and World Evangelical Fellowship. He also held close connections with the churches in South Africa. He greatly opposed apartheid, and played a significant role in helping end it. Despite having a busy work schedule, Schrotenboer still found time to write. He had written a great number of books, pamphlets, and essays. He remained with the Reformed Ecumenical Synod until he retired in 1988. Although retired, he still worked part-time for the International Association for the Promotion of Christian Higher Education.

After a long fight with cancer, Paul Gerard Schrotenboer passed away on July 16, 1998 in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He was survived by his wife of 52 years, Bernice Oatmen. He was also survived by his 3 sons and their families.

Box and Folder Listing

Browse by Series:

[Series 1: AACS Material, 1964-1982],
[Series 2: Papers and Class Notes, 1930-1970, n.d.],
[Series 3: Reference Material, 1940-1988],
[Series 4: Correspondence, 1965-1998],
[Series 5: WEF Material, 1980-1998],
[Series 6: Speeches and Lectures, 1956-1988],
[Series 7: Papers, 1969-1997],
[Series 8: OMSC and Missions Conference Material, 1982-1987],
[Series 9: Miscellaneous, 1952-1998],
[Series 10: Photographs],
[All]

Series 7: Papers --- 1969-1997

Box 32

Folder 1: Papers

Item 1: "Reformed Churches and the Unreached"
Item 2: "Backgrounds for a New Thrust"
Item 3: "Christian View of Faith and Life"
Item 4: "Theological Education on Mission Field"
Item 5: "Bulgarian Orthodox Church"
Item 6: "RES and World Relief"
Item 7: "CRC and the RES"
Item 8: "Evangelicals, Ecumenicals and Evangelism"

Folder 2: Papers

Item 1: "Toward a Christian View on Race"
Item 2: "RES: More Than Quarreling Calvinists"
Item 3: "Report from a Safe Synod"
Item 4: "The Dutch Reformed Church in S. Africa"
Item 5: "The Role of Theology in the Church"
Item 6: "We Sang the National Anthem in Bulgaria"
Item 7: "Political Imbalance in the WCC"
Item 8: "The WCC and Social Justice"
Item 9: "Testimony of Faith"
Item 10: "Dialogue and Witness"

Folder 3: Papers

Item 1: "What is the Bible"
Item 2: "Bible Lamp of Learning"
Item 3: "Orthodoxy and the Bible"
Item 4: "The Bible in the WCC"
Item 5: "Bible as the Word of God"
Item 6: "New Challenge in Latin America"
Item 7: "The Antithesis"
Item 8: "Christian View of Academic Freedom"
Item 9: "AACS and Campus Ministry"
Item 10: "The WCC and Social Justice"
Item 11: "From Calvin Square to Moscow Square"

Folder 4: Papers

Item 1: "Future of the Reformed Tradition"
Item 2: "Christian Ecumenism"
Item 3: "RES Testimony on Human Rights"
Item 4: "GKN-CRC Dynamics"
Item 5: "Catholicity Secession and Ecumenism"
Item 6: "Dynamics of Church Union"
Item 7: "Reflections on Visit to S. Africa"
Item 8: "The CRC and the WCC in View of Vancouver 1983", Reflections on RES Chicago" --- 1984
Item 9: "Christians in East Block"

Folder 5: Papers

Item 1: "Missions and the Consummation"
Item 2: "Many Kinds of Ecumenism"
Item 3: "Secular Ecumenism"
Item 4: "Church Unity and Gospel of the Kingdom"
Item 5: "Reformed Ecumenism"
Item 6: "Unity of the Church in Mission"
Item 7: "Identity and Commitment in Confessional Ecumenism"
Item 8: "Unity and Maturity of Faith and Reformed Ecumenism"

Folder 6: Papers

Item 1: "Religion and Education"
Item 2: "Creeds of the Church and Theology"
Item 3: "Revelation of Church and School"
Item 4: "Christian View of Faith and Life"
Item 5: "Christian Schools in a Secular World"
Item 6: "Christian Schools: A Faith Community"
Item 7: "Current Trends in Ecumenical Movement"
Item 8: "Crisis in American Politics"
Item 9: "Church Unity and Gospel of Kingdom"

Folder 7: Papers

Item 1: "The Jubilee Principle"
Item 2: "Interracial Marriage"
Item 3: "Holy Spirit Speaking in Scripture"
Item 4: "Family Breakdown in Perspective of the Bible"
Item 5: "Religion and Education"
Item 6: "Christian Literature for Students"
Item 7: "Christian Mind in the Christian School"
Item 8: "A Kuyper Renaissance?"
Item 9: "The Message of the Church"

Folder 8: Papers

Item 1: "Man in God's World"
Item 2: "The Compromise Mind"
Item 3: "The Christian Mind"
Item 4: "Christian Higher Education in the USA" --- 1997
Item 5: "A Christian Perspective on Culture"
Item 6: "The Liberal View of Academic Freedom"
Item 7: "A Christian View of Academic Freedom"

Folder 9: Papers

Item 1: "The Social Calling of the Church"
Item 2: "Earthkeeping"
Item 3: "GKN-CRC Dynamics"
Item 4: "The Many Kinds of Ecumenism"
Item 5: "The Future of the Reformed Tradition"
Item 6: "Toward Catholicity in Missions"
Item 7: "Unity of the Church"
Item 8: "Unity of the Church in Mission"
Item 9: "The UNA Sancta and the Reformed Churches"

Box 33

Folder 1: Paper, "Catholicity and Secession"

Folder 2: Constitution and Papers Given at the Theologia Reformanda EST Club --- 1969

Folder 3: Papers Given at Theologia Reformanda EST Club --- 1969-1970

Folder 4: Papers

Item 1: "Integral Christian Scholarship"
Item 2: "Secular Ecumenism"
Item 3: "Social Teaching of the WCC"
Item 4: "Theological Education on the Mission Field"
Item 5: "Theology: Its Nature and Its Task"
Item 6: "The Vision of the Kingdom of God For Today"
Item 7: "The WCC"
Item 8: "The Bible in the WCC"
Item 9: "Political Imbalance in the WCC"
Item 10: "The Nature of Religion" --- 1963

Folder 5

Item 1: "Varieties of Spiritual Experience"
Item 2: "Reformed Spirituality"
Item 3: "Toward a Biblical Spirituality"
Item 4: "Universalism"
Item 5: "Poverty and Welfare"
Item 6: "Toward a Christian View of Race"
Item 7: "Rethinking Missions"
Item 8: "Confessional Renewal in the Church"
Item 9: "The Role of Theology in the Church"

Folder 6: Articles/Papers on the Reformed Ecumenical Synod --- 1976, 1977, 1984

Folder 7: Articles on Baptism, Eucharist and Ministry --- 1987-1989

Folder 8: Papers on Scripture and Tradition (TEF) --- 1994