Resources

  •  General Help

Nearby History: Exploring the Past Around You (Second Edition) (Book)
David E. Kyvig, Myron A. Marty, Authors. Lanham, MD: Altamira Press, 2000.

This general introduction includes sections that deal with archives, oral history, building preservation, and so forth. It has many practical suggestions about how to read historical documents, photographs, and other source material.
Available from the publisher or from Amazon.

Places of Worship: Exploring Their History (Book)
James P. Wind, Author. Lanham, MD: Altamira Press, 1990.

In this volume, James Wind focuses specifically on congregational history, exploring in greater depth a number of different approaches to congregational history writing. See especially the chapters "First Impressions," "Indispensable Questions," and "Building Blocks" for more complete discussions of these approaches.

Places of Worship demonstrates these different approaches by using congregations from a variety of traditions (Methodist, Jewish, Catholic, Pentecostal) as case studies. These explorations can help distinctive features of your own story become more visible to you. In addition to providing examples of how various parts of the historical project are done, the book has several pages of questions that can help shape your inquiry.
Available from the publisher or from Amazon.

  •  Archives

"A Brief Guide for Archives of Congregations" (Web Resource)
Elisabeth Wittman, et. al., Editors. Chicago, IL: Archives of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.

This downloadable document explains the reason for establishing a congregational archives, defines archival materials, lists items to be preserved, and suggests forms of preservations. Also discussed are electronic records, microfilming, digital imaging, and reformatting.
Available from the ELCA Web site in html and pdf versions.

Developing and Maintaining Practical Archives: A How-To-Do-It Manual (Second Edition) (Book)
Gregory S. Hunter, Author. New York, NY: Neal-Schuman Publishers, 2003.

True to its title, this book explains the "how-to"s of outstanding archiving—from acquiring and arranging materials to preserving and promoting them. This second edition also examines the opportunities and challenges of electronic record-keeping.
Available from the publisher or from Amazon.

"The Work of a Congregational Archivist and/or Archives Committee" (Web Resource)
Chicago, IL: Archives of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.

Here is a "nuts and bolts" guide to the basic tasks of an individual or committee developing a congregation's archives. Also included are quick points on how to establish an archives committee.
Available from the ELCA Web site as a pdf.

  •  Oral History

The Methods and Skills of History: A Practical Guide (Second Edition) (Book)
Conal Furay, Michael Salevouris, Authors. Arlington Heights, IL.: Harlan Davidson, Inc., 2000.

Here is a concise handbook on collecting and verifying information.
Available from the publisher or from Amazon.

Number Our Days (Book)
Barbara Myerhoff, Author. New York, NY: Simon and Schuster, Inc., 1980.

Barbar Myerhoff has written an outstanding sample ethnography of the Jewish elderly of Santa Monica, California. This book was later made into a documentary film nominated for an Academy Award. Myerhoff asks excellent questions about the role of religion in the life of a community.
Available from the publisher or from Amazon.

Talk Straight, Listen Carefully: The Art of Interviewing (Book)
M.L. Stein, Susan F. Paterno, Authors. Ames, IA: Iowa State Press, 2001.

Although written primarily for journalists, this book will help anyone interested in obtaining, preparing for, and conducting interviews. Included is advice on conducting interviews that might touch on sensitive or controversial topics.
Available from the publisher or from Amazon.

The Tape-Recorded Interview: A Manual for Field Workers in Folklore and Oral History (Second Edition) (Book)
Edward D. Ives, Author. Knoxville, TN: University of Tennessee Press, 2005.

The Tape-Recorded Interview gives practical suggestions on conducting oral history interviews. It features everything from running a tape recorder to evaluating responses.
Available from the publisher or from Amazon.

The Voice of the Past: Oral History (Third Edition) (Book)
Paul Thompson, Author. New York, NY: Oxford University Press, Inc., 2000.

Paul Thompson has written a very readable introduction to oral history from a social history perspective.
Available from the publisher or from Amazon.

  •  Lutheran History

The Lutherans in North America (Revised Edition) (Book)
E. Clifford Nelson, Editor. Minneapolis, MN: Augsburg Fortress Press, 1980.

This book remains a useful resource for Lutheran history up to the middle of the twentieth century.
Available from the publisher or from Amazon.

Lutherans Today: American Lutheran Identity in the Twenty-First Century (Book)
Richard Cimino, Editor. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans Publishing, 2003.

Lutherans Today examines changes within American Lutheranism, focusing on the tensions between Reformation principles and postmodern pluralism. Essays on the Missouri Synod, the "Lutheran Left," and ELCA megachurches are included.
Available from the publisher or from Amazon.

  •  American Religious History

Pilgrims in Their Own Land: 500 Years of Religion in America (Book)
Martin E. Marty, Author. New York, NY: Penguin Books, 1985.

This excellent and readable single volume provides an overview of American religious experience. Stories about the work of such leaders as William Penn, Mary Baker Eddy, and Martin Luther King are featured, as well as discussions of how feminism and racism have affected the religious landscape in America.
Available from the publisher or from Amazon.