Collection Title:

Robert O. Fife Papers, 1937-2004, undated

Repository:

The Helsabeck Archives of the Stone-Campbell Movement
Emmanuel Christian Seminary Library at Milligan
1 Walker Drive
Johnson City, TN 37682
Email: archives@milligan.edu

Creator:

Fife, Robert O.

Title:

Robert O. Fife Papers, 1937-2004, undated

Collection No.

HSC0014

Extent

5 cubic feet (5 boxes)

Language(s):

English

Abstract:

This collection composes the papers of Dr. Robert Oldham Fife, 1918-2003, a long-time professor of history at Milligan and Emmanuel. Fife’s papers include his writings, correspondence, and teaching notes, among many other items.

See also C0041 Robert O. Fife Papers, 1958-1975, undated at The Holloway Archives at Milligan University.

Biographical Note:

Robert Oldham Fife was born in 1918 and grew up in California and Washington. He graduated from Johnson Bible College (now Johnson University), Butler School of Religion (now Christian Theological Seminary), and Indiana University. His doctoral dissertation was entitled “Alexander Campbell and the Christian Church in the Slavery Controversy.” He was ordained into the ministry at 18 years old. During World War II, he served as a chaplain in the US Army, including being part of the contingent that liberated the Dachau camp in Germany. He served as a minister at multiple churches, including churches in Tennessee, Washington, Nebraska, and Indiana. He taught at Johnson Bible College, Milligan College (now Milligan University), Pepperdine University, and Emmanuel School of Religion (now Emmanuel Christian Seminary at Milligan University) for many years. In the 1980s, Fife helped establish the Westwood Christian Foundation in California. He was known for his interest in unity amongst the Stone-Campbell churches. Fife was a prolific writer, with many books and articles to his name. He was married to LaVada Gilfilen (1921-2000) and had three children, Wayne, Robert, and Gloria. He passed away in 2003.

Arrangement:

The Robert O. Fife Papers were found in several file drawers among the standing files in the Helsabeck Archives. Most items were moved out to form this collection, with only a few remaining behind for a true reference file. Duplicates and blank paper were removed from the collection, as well as several issues of the Restoration Review which seemed to have no bearing on the collection.

The papers of Robert O. Fife are arranged into five series: I. Series: Correspondence, 1947-2004, undated; II. Series: Writings, 1937-2000, undated; III. Series: Westwood, 1980-1994, undated; IV. Series: Teaching, 1953-1993, undated; and V. Series: Subject Files, 1940-2001. The Writings series also has a subseries, Sermons, 1937-1974, undated. The Subject Files series is further divided into four subseries: 1. Subseries: Personal, 1940-2001, undated; 2. Subseries: Conventions, 1949-1991, undated; 3. Subseries: Unity, 1941-1990, undated; and 4. Subseries: General, 1943-1994, undated. With the exception of the Correspondence series, all series and subseries are arranged alphabetically. The Correspondence series is arranged first chronologically and then alphabetically as it shifts from by year to by subject.

Scope and Content Note:

The papers of Robert O. Fife are divided into five series: Correspondence, Writings, Westwood, Teaching, and Subject Files. The Writings series also has a subseries, Sermons. The Subject Files series is further divided into four subseries: Personal, Conventions, Unity, and General.

The Correspondence series spans 1947 to 2004 and include undated material. The first part of the series is arranged chronologically by the first date in the span of the folder. This first range includes folders that were marked as “Correspondence” or “General Correspondence” instead of by specific people or subject, which is what the second half includes. Some chronological files were condensed by year, but most were kept in their original grouping, thus resulting in date overlap between some folders. Much of this series contains correspondence from Fife instead of just correspondence to Fife.

The Writings series spans 1937 to 2000 and contains undated material. The first part of the series contains multiple writings, rough drafts, and speeches given by Fife. The second part of the series is Subseries: Sermons, spanning 1937 to 1974 and containing undated material. This part contains Sunday School lessons and sermons by Fife.

The Westwood series spans 1980 to 1994 and contains undated material. This series contains reports, minutes, and information on the Westwood Christian Foundation in California that provided theological education.

The Teaching series spans 1953 to 1993 and contains undated material. This series contains information from Fife’s teaching career, including notes for teaching at Emmanuel and Milligan. Also included are materials relevant to Fife’s teaching career.

The Subject Files series spans 1940 to 2001 and contains undated material. The series is further divided into four series. The Personal subseries spans 1940 to 2001 and contains undated material. This subseries contains documents related to Fife’s personal life, including his academic records and newspaper clippings about his involvement in the liberation of Dachau. The Conventions subseries spans 1949 to 1991 and contains undated material. This subseries contains information on various conventions, including the Northa American Christian Convention and the World Convention. The Unity subseries spans 1941 to 1990 and contains undated material. This subseries contains information related to Fife’s interest in unity among the branches of the Stone-Campbell Movement. The General subseries spans 1943 to 1994 and contains undated material. This subseries contains files that did not fit into other series or subseries.

Administrative Information

Acquisition Information:

Accession 2024-001

Note: There was no accession year available when this collection was processed, therefore the year when processing started is used for the accession record.

Access Restrictions:

Collection is open for research. A few folders have restricted material, which is designated in red and indicated below.

The archivist reserves the right to determine on a case-by-case basis if certain folders within the collection that have been requested for viewing cannot be made available due to various restriction compliance, including but not limited to student information, private personal information, and organizational information of a restricted nature.

Preferred Citation:

[Item], Robert O. Fife Papers, Collection HSC0014, The Helsabeck Archives of the Stone-Campbell Movement, Emmanuel Christian Seminary at Milligan Library, Johnson City, TN.

Processing Information:

Processed by Katherine N. Banks

Completed in 2024

Folder List

Box 1

I. Series: Correspondence, 1947-2004, undated

• Correspondence, 1947-1956


• Correspondence, 1959-2004


• General, 1960-1963


• Correspondence, 1963-1965


• Correspondence, 1964


• Correspondence, 1964-1967


• Correspondence, 1965


• Correspondence, 1966


• Neglected Alternative (Not Replied), 1965-1966


• Neglected Alternative (Replies), 1965-1966


• Correspondence, 1967-1968


• General, 1968


• Correspondence, 1969


• Correspondence, 1970


• Correspondence in Process, 1970-1972


• General, 1970-1972


• Pending Correspondence, 1970-1971


• Correspondence, 1971


• Correspondence, 1971-1984


• Correspondence, 1973-1974


• General, 1973


• General 1974


• Correspondence, 1989-1990

Box 2

• Achtemeier, 1992


• Senator Howard H. Baker, 1973


• Mr. Jack Ballard, 1974


• James L. Barnes, 1974


• David Bayless, 1971


• Dr. Wayne Bell, 1974


• Benjamin – Short, 1964-1965


• Dr. W. B. Blakemore, Dean, 1974-1975


• Bobo, David, 1974


• Book Correspondence, 1971-1972


• Books, 1971-1972


• John Boyle, 1971


• Brazil Correspondence, 1971-1972


• Challenge Unlimited, 1973


• CMF Correspondence, 1955-1962, undated


• Christian Missionary Fellowship file, 1973


• Christian Theological Seminary, 1973


• Church in the World, 1969-1972


• J. Lynn Cleaveland, 1971-1972


• Lynn Cooper, 1971-1972


• Cover Letters: Teeth on EdgeTeeth on Edge, 1971-1972


• Cover Letters: Under the Chapel SpireUnder the Chapel Spire, 1972


• Mr. Fred Craddock, 1974


• Emmanuel Correspondence, 1967-1968


• Robert Fife, 1963-1964


• Leroy Garrett, 1971-1974


• Kaneko, 1988


• Kentucky Christian College, 1974


• Lemmons, 1989


• Letters of Recommendation, 1970-1975


• Milligan Correspondence (While at Pepperdine), 1970-1971


• Mr. John Mills, 1974


• Steve and Toni Moss, 1987


• North American Christian Convention, 1973-1975


• Grady Nutt, 1973


• Open, 1969-1970


• Personal Correspondence, 1949-1956


• Plainfield Christian Church (Warren Robbins, Minister), 1971-1974


• Project Challenge (Darrell Terry), 1971-1973


• References, 1967-1974


• Restoration Roots Conference – Chico, CA, 1981


• Robert C. Ross, 1973


• Tennessee State Library and Archives, 1971-1972


• Dr. Lucius M. Tobin, 1972


• George Walker (FOCI), 1971


• Western Correspondence, 1969-1970


• Larry Wigal, 1971


• Yuma, 1987

II. Series: Writings, 1937-2000, undated

• Alexander Campbell, 1988


• “Beazley Buzz,” 1964-1968, undated


• Book Reviews, 1972


• Campbell as Social Thinker, 1938-1988, undated


• Church in the World, 1985-1993


• Communion Meditations, undated


• In Quest of the Limits Symposium, April 1974


• Jesus as God, undated


• Lectures, 1965-1985


• Lessons from COCU, 1974


• Lord’s Supper, 1986-1990, undated


• Membership, 1990-1992, undated


• “Our Future – As the Only Christians?” undated


• PCC 1979 Staley Lectures, 1979


• Papers: Others,
  
  
  • Folder 1, 1965-2000, undated
  
  

Box 3

• 
  
  • Folder 2, 1963-1996, undated
  
  
  • Folder 3, 1962-1998, undated
  
  
• Periodical Article, 1957-1999, undated


• “The Politics of Hysteria,” 1970


• Salute to the Class of 1966 (for Buffalo), undated


• “Where Are We Going? A Call for Cooperative Excellence,” 1980-1987, undated

1. Subseries: Sermons, 1937-1974, undated

• Bible School Lessons, 1968-1974, undated


• Bible School Lessons – Apr Quarts 1968, 1966, undated


• Bible School Lessons – Working Drafts and Lesson Carbons, undated


• Carbon Copies: Lessons for Standard Publishing, January 1972


• Collegiate Church – Sermons, 1972-1973


• Sermon Outlines, undated


• Sermon Rough Drafts, 1972-1973


• Sermons,
  
  
  • Folder 1, 1937-1959, undated
  
  
  • Folder 2, 1937-1963, undated
  
  
  • Folder 3, 1938-1960
  
  
  • Folder 4, 1963
  
  
  • Folder 5, 1963
  
  
  • Folder 6, 1969-1970
  
  

Box 4

III. Series: Westwood, 1980-1994, undated

• Foundation – 1991, 1990-1991


• Foundation – 1992-1993, 1992-1994, undated


• Report to the Trustees, 1984-1992


• To Westwood – September 1991, 1990-1991, undated


• Trustees – 1990 on, 1989-1994, undated


• Westwood,
  
  
  • Folder 1, 1980-1993, undated
  
  
  • Folder 2, 1985-1990, undated
  
  
  • Folder 3, 1988-1989, undated
  
  
• Westwood 1990, 1990-1991, undated


• Westwood 1992, 1991-1992, undated


• Westwood Minutes, 1987-1991, undated

IV. Series: Teaching, 1953-1993, undated

• American Church History, 1977, undated [RESTRICTED]


• Australia, 1983-1993, undated


• Curriculum – History, Historiography, 1953-1968, undated


• Directed Readings, 1970, undated


• Emmanuel Library, 1966-1968


• Emmanuel School of Religion, 1964-1986, undated


• ESR Faculty Minutes, 1969-1972


• Europe 1870-19--, 1949-1967, undated [RESTRICTED]


• Historical Readings, 1962-1963, undated


• Historiography, 1967, undated


• Johnson Bible College, 1960-1985, undated


• Milligan Lectures, 1984-1986, undated


• Preaching in the Restoration Movement – CH619/CMP619, 1982, undated


• Restoration Movement, 1974-1993, undated


• Seminar: Restoration of the 19th Century, 1975-1983, undated


• Walker Citation, 1970

V. Series: Subject Files, 1940-2001, undated

1. Subseries: Personal, 1940-2001, undated

• Academic Records Ph.D., 1954-1960, undated


• Fife, Robert Oldham, 1943-2001, undated


• Fife, Robert: File from President Wetzel’s Office 8/2005, 1966-2001, undated


• Fife, Robert O. – General, 1940-1965, undated

Box 5

• Library of Dr. Robert O. Fife, 1966-1992, undated


• Newspaper Clippings, 1995


• Personal Documents, 1948-1967, undated


• Reading Notes – History, undated

2. Subseries: Conventions, 1949-1991, undated

• Christian Church Conventions, 1949-1963, undated


• Cincinnati Conference, 1987, 1986-1987, undated


• North American Christian Convention 1974, 1972-1975, undated


• North American Christian Convention Detroit – 1975, 1974-1980, undated


• North American Christian Convention 1984, 1984-1991, undated


• R. O. Fife and the World Convention, 1967-1983


• World Convention,
  
  
  • Folder 1, 1964, undated
  
  
  • Folder 2, 1965, undated
  
  
  • Folder 3, 1965-1970, undated
  
  

3. Subseries: Unity, 1941-1990, undated

• Consultation on Unity, 1960-1964, undated


• Contemporary Brotherhood Sessions – 1967, 1967, undated


• Open Forum – Anderson 1990, 1980-1990, undated


• Papers Re: Unity, 1964-1965, undated


• Unity Documents, 1941-1962, undated

4. Subseries: General, 1943-1994, undated

• Bible Study – Bishop Newbigin, 1964


• Brazil Papers, 1971, undated


• Church Growth, undated


• Conference on African and African-American Studies, 1969-1970


• Dube, Kingsley Dinga, undated


• Fifty Years of Digression and Disturbance, 1954


• Institute of World Studies, 1972-1976, undated


• Interfaith Committees, 1970-1971


• Johnson Bible College Council of 70, 1991-1992, undated


• Johnson Bible College Homecoming 1991, 1990-1991, undated


• Johnson Bible College Reunion, 1989-1990


• Lindsay, Vachel, undated


• Ministry, 1943-1989


• Mt. Gilead Church, 1958


• O’Dempsey, undated


• Project Challenge, 1965, undated


• Reformation in British Isles Wycliffe – Haldames, 1977, undated


• Restoration/California Ministers, 1976, undated


• Restoration Monographs,
  
  
  • Folder 1, 1961-1989, undated
  
  
  • Folder 2, 1975-1994, undated
  
  
• Urban Communities, 1971-1972, undated


• Vatican II Blakemore Reports, 1964, undated


• Wilson Thompson, undated