Religion ephemera subject files, 1886-2011.
(Document/manuscript/pamphlet/archival material)

Arrangement: Alphabetical by religion.

Materials housed in Special Collections Division of the Main Library, Nashville Public Library.

In library use only. Available by appointment.

Scope and content: A variety of materials documenting the religious life of Nashville, Tenn. including brochures, booklets, programs and flyers promoting various faiths and events. Quantity of materials ranges from a single item to several folders. Most folders contain less than ten items, and often only a single item. Contains some photocopies.

Subjects include: Buddhism, including the 2007 Nashville Buddhist Festival and various meditation groups; Hinduism, featuring an illustrative and descriptive brochure about home shrines of Nashvillians; and interfaith gatherings, such as a Unity Feast sponsored by the Greater Nashville Baha̹'i̹ Community in 2007.

Materials relating to Christianity (in general or non-denominational) include revivals, Christian tracts or writings, and rallies or other mass gatherings. Specific materials include: a program from the Interdenominational Conference of Women's Missionary Societies of Nashville meeting in 1914; a flyer from a Billy Sunday revival (probably 1924); an advertisement for the "Greater Nashville Revival" led by Rev. Larry Prior and Jim Lanahan (circa 1950); and a program from the 17th International Christian Endeavor Convention in 1898. Also included are the following Christian writings: "A Review of Dr. Brent's on Hereditary Depravity" by J.H. Grime, 1886; "The Purification of the Heart" by E.S.B. Waldron, 1889; and "Good Measure, Pressed Down" by Sara Bradford Saunders, 1980.

Cite as: [folder title or item description], Religion Ephemera Subject Files, Special Collections Division, Nashville Public Library

Some items may be restricted by copyright law or donor restriction.

Intentionally assembled by staff of the Special Collections Division, beginning at an unknown date, probably in the late 1960s, and collected on an ongoing basis.

Related materials: Materials on individual churches and specific Christian denominations may be found in Churches Ephemera Subject Files. Items relating to the Jewish faith and the Jewish community in Nashville may be found in Jews and Jewish Life Ephemera Subject Files. Both of these are held by the Special Collections Division of the Nashville Public Library.

Nashville, Tenn. has long been identified as a center of Christian publishing. Christian denominations such as Southern Baptists, National Baptists, and United Methodists have had a long and strong presence in the community, particularly due to the presence of their publishing houses. Many other Christian denominations have proliferated as well. There has been a strong Jewish presence in Nashville since the mid-1800s. So for the bulk of its history, Nashville's religious life was grounded in the Judeo-Christian tradition. As Nashville grew and diversified, especially in the late twentieth century, so too did its religious life. In the early twenty-first century, non-Christian religions have developed and are flourishing.

This collection of materials seeks to document the diversity of Nashville's religious life, while also gathering materials that may relate to Nashville's Judeo-Christian heritage, particularly as it relates to non-denominational or cross-denominational topics.

In English

Process;,2012;,Linda Barnickel.

Catalog;,2015;,Linda Barnickel.

Additional accruals are expected.