collection F2143 - Divinity 150 Project fonds

The Divinity 150 Project (Div 150) was started in 1987 by co-directors William Westfall and Thomas McIntire. Its goal was to research the biography, education, and professional careers of the students who had studied divinity at the Diocesan Theological Institute at Cobourg and at Trinity College to commemorate the sesquicentennial of Trinity College’s Faculty of Divinity in 1992. The project concluded in 1993 with a colloquium on the theological and social formation of the clergy in Canada.

A number of research assistants working on the project. Meredith Hill was responsible for studying divinity students from 1914 to 1960 and female students prior to 1969, while Robert Black researched students from 1842, when the Diocesan Theological Institute at Cobourg was founded, to 1914. Wendy Fletcher conducted oral history interviews of living graduates with help from the Reverend John Bailey in Vancouver. William Westfall worked on a history of the Diocesan Theological Institute and collected essays on the history of the Anglican clergy to publish with this work. A number of students also helped with the input of data into a database that allowed for the analysis of the ecclesiastical, regional, social, and economic profile of Trinity Divinity students.

The project used a number of sources for its research. Current students and living graduates were asked to complete a biographical research form and a survey of attitudes, influences, and assessments, and Wendy Fletcher conducted oral history interviews of select graduates. Research on deceased students used college admission, matriculation, and degree records, Crockford’s Clerical Dictionary, local and provincial directories, and various archival sources. The project was funded by Trinity College, the Anglican Foundation, the Cassidy Fund, the University of Toronto Department of History, the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, York University, the Lilly Endowment, and the Divinity Associates.

The Divinity 150 Project also organized a number of celebratory events to mark the sesquicentennial. Events included a Service of Recollection and Thanksgiving for 150 Years of Theological Education, held in Trinity College Chapel on 23 April 1992, a march to Old Trinity, a trip to Cobourg, and an exhibit of artefacts and documents. The project also sold commemorative mugs to alumni.