Georgia Harkness Papers

Dr. Georgia Elma Harkness (1891-1974) was the first woman to hold a full professorship in theology in a Protestant seminary in the United States. In 1939, she joined the faculty of Garrett Biblical Institute (now known as Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary) as Professor of Applied Theology after previously serving on the faculties of Elmira and Mount Holyoke Colleges. She later served as a faculty member at Pacific School of Religion. She was a prolific author who wrote at least thirty-eight books and hundreds of articles, as well as several hymns and many poems. Her work made theology understandable and was focused largely upon laity, particularly in the Methodist Church. She advocated for full clergy rights for women in the Methodist Church, was an ordained local Elder in the Methodist Church's Troy Conference, and served as a delegate to the General Conference of the Methodist Church multiple times. She was dedicated to ecumenism and was a key leader in the American ecumenical movement. This collection contains many of her unpublished materials, including letters, sermons, speeches, devotions, and articles.

This digital collection includes 648 items. All items are a part of the Georgia Harkness collection, which includes many additional published works as well as research materials prepared by her biographer, Rosemary Skinner Keller, and others. Only unpublished materials are shared as a part of this digital collection. All materials are provided for research, teaching, and scholarship purposes. Copyright rules still apply to their usage, particularly if it exceeds fair use guidelines.