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Overview
Biographical Note
Scope and Content
Arrangement
Preferred Citation
Restrictions on Access
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| Record Creator: | National Radio Pulpit |
| Title: | National Radio Pulpit Sermon Transcripts |
| Title: | NRP Transcripts |
| Date Span: | 1936-1940 |
| Abstract: | The National Radio Pulpit became the premier Protestant religious radio broadcast program in the United States. There are two bound transcripts representing a diversified field of nationally known Protestant Christian ministers and their theological messages. The ministers came from a number of main-line denominations prominent in the United States during its broadcasting run. |
| Extent: | 0.18 cubic feet |
| Resource ID: | drew.rg.gcah3592 |
The National Radio Pulpit became the premier Protestant religious radio broadcast program in the United States. Its genesis was originally spread out geographically across the country when mainline Protestant churches were trying to break into the airwaves with their message. The most direct root, however, came in the form of a Brooklyn pastor named Dr. S. Parker Cadman who broadcasted the first sermon on May 3, 1923 on WEAF. The program was an immediate success and became a staple shortly thereafter in the newly formed National Broadcasting Company with its New York City flag station WNBC which WEAF became a part of at its creation. There were a number of notable ministers who aired sermons on the program over the years. Perhaps the most notable minister would be Ralph Sockman, minister of Christ Church, Methodist, in New York City. Sockman took over as the featured speaker for the program after Cadman died in 1936. By 1962, the program came to an end around the same time when Sockman retired from Christ Church.
The contents of both bound volumes contain individual transcripts of 1936-1940 broadcasts by notable mid-twentieth century Protestant ministers. These transcripts are arranged by theological, news and social science topics. The first sets of transcripts are Walter W. Van Kirk's "Religion in the News" broadcasts from April 10, 1937 to March 25, 1939. Following Van Kirk's are a series of transcripts under the broad category called Vespers with specific subsets beneath it. Here we have multiple broadcasts from distinguished ministers such as Fosdick, Sockman, Stamm, Kinsolving, Peale, Walton and Goodell. These men represented a cross-section of American Protestantism addressing the spiritual needs of its listener. There were times when the National Radio Pulpit rebroadcast radio programs originally produced by a denomination. An example found in this collection would be Paul Erhman Scherer's series for the Lutheran Laymen's Radio Committee. There are other serial broadcasts outside the Vespers designation as well. Some of Ralph Sockman's broadcasts serves as an example.
Materials have been arranged in the following manner.
Material is arranged by volumes.
When citing material from this collection please use the following format: Direct reference to the item or its file folder, Transcript Name, National Radio Pulpit Sermon Transcripts, Drew University Methodist Collection - GCAH, Madison, New Jersey. Do not make use of the items call number as that is not a stable descriptor.
No restrictions.
Detailed use restrictions relating to our collections can be requested from the office of the archivist at the General Commission on Archives and History. Photocopying is handled by the staff and may be limited in certain instances. Before using any material for publication from this collection a formal request for permission to publish is expected and required.
Ralph Washington Sockman Papers.
Records of the United Methodist Church General Board of Higher Education and Ministry.
Ivan Lee Holt Papers.
Harold Augustus Bosley Papers.
| Call Number | Folder Title | Date(s) |
| 2128-7-6: 1 | Sermon Transcripts | 1937-1939 |
| 2128-7-6: 2 | Sermon Transcripts | 1936-1940 |
