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Explore our Theosophy Collections Online

December 9, 2020

Photograph of HP Blavatsky holding a fan, 1887. Harvard Divinty School Library, bMS 516.Our Theosophy collection includes handwritten letters and rare books related to Madame H.P. Blavatsky and the Theosophical Society.

Helena Petrovna Blavatsky (1831-1891) was born in Russia and was one of the most influential writers in the occult world. In 1875, along with Henry Olcott and William Quan Judge, she founded the Theosophical Society to promote universal brotherhood, investigate laws of nature and latent human powers, and study comparative religion, philosophy, and science.

Photograph of Madame Blavatsky; May 1887.  BMS 516, Harvard Divinity School Library. 

William Ellery Channing, 1780-1842 bMS 100/3 (13) Andover-Harvard Theological Library

The William Ellery Channing Collection - Online

April 24, 2020

Andover-Harvard Theological Library announces access to The William Ellery Channing Collection.

This digitized collection brings together letters and sermons including drafts of Channing’s sermon “Unitarian Christianity.” The widely published sermon laid out Channing’s theological vision and spurred much debate.

William Ellery Channing (1780-1842), graduated from Harvard College in 1798. As a member of the board of...

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HDS Library joins New England Regional Fellowship Consortium

October 18, 2019

Andover-Harvard Theological Library is now a participant in the New England Regional Fellowship Consortium (NERFC).

NERFC awards grants to researchers who use the resources of this library and other libraries in the Consortium. The application deadline for 2020-2021 research grants is February 1, 2020.

Fellowship information and application available on the NERFC website.

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The Library During the Renewal of Swartz Hall

August 30, 2019

The library is open regular hours during the renovation.   To accommodate the construction, we made a few changes inside the building.  Following are details to help you organize your work for minimal disruption:

Temporary Entrance: For the duration of construction, our entrance is directly across from Vanserg Hall off the Francis Avenue parking lot.  See Directions,...

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New Library Entrance!

June 7, 2019

Due to a large construction project at HDS, the library has a new temporary entrance.   The new entrance is located on the parking lot side (south side) of Andover Hall. It is across from Vanserg Building and the bike shelter. There is a ramp for wheelchair accessibility. Please have your Harvard ID to gain entrance into the library.  Guests will still be able to sign-in with a photograph ID.

Exhibit Opening: The Yoke of Bondage Christianity and African Slavery in the United States

December 5, 2018

Opening December 5, our new exhibit is curated by Freshman Seminar 43D: Christianity and Slavery in America, 1619-1865 taught by Professor Catherine Brekus. On display will be original materials from our Special Collections, as well as reproductions from materials held at other Harvard libraries. 

At the reception, 4:30-6:00 on the 2nd floor of the library, the student curators will be on hand to discuss their selections, and the Kuumba Singers of Harvard College will perform, 5:00-5:30.

The exhibit will remain on display until March 15, 2019...

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Meet the Special Collections and Pamphlet Making

October 11, 2018

Thursday, October 11 Rare book with sketch of a dog.

Meet the Special Collections

Drop-in Hours  9 AM to 5 PM

 

Make Your Own Pamphlet

2 to 4 PM

Andover-Harvard Theological Library, Rabinowitz Room (3rd floor),

 

Andover-Harvard Theological Library warmly invites you to come Meet the Special Collections! Drop by and get an up-close look at select items from the library’s Special Collections. Meet the curators, ask questions, make a pamphlet, or simply enjoy a sampling of unique and fascinating research materials from the 13th to the 20th century!

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Book Talk with Michel Mohr "Unitarianism in Japan: Unravelling Its Saga through the UUA Archives"

September 28, 2018

Book Talk - Sept. 28th, 1-3 in Rabinowitz Room

Friday, September 28, 2018 | 1 p.m. 

Rabinowitz Room, Andover-Harvard Theological Library 

  The story of the Unitarian mission to Japan started in the late 19th century, when representatives of the American Unitarian Association were invited by one of the leading intellectuals of the time, Fukuzawa Yukichi. This presence on Japanese soil led to an enthusiastic reception from the elite—to the point of becoming a fad—as large segments of the population were dreaming of making Japan the first cosmopolitan nation of Asia.    

By 1923, the popularity of the Unitarian approach decreased to the point of forcing the mission to withdraw from Japan. The disappearance of liberal Christianity, unsurprisingly, coincided with the rise of nationalism.... Read more about Book Talk with Michel Mohr "Unitarianism in Japan: Unravelling Its Saga through the UUA Archives"