Jaimee van Gemerden was one of the outgoing Co-Chairs of the Baptist Research and Historical Society. This article provides an update on the news shared at the 2023 National Hui as part of the Sutherland Lecture breakfast.
In 2023, the Baptist Research and Historical Society board, together with the Baptist National Support Centre and Carey Baptist College, decided that the duties of the board could be best served by other parts of the Baptist family. Over time since this decision, Andrew Clark-Howard and I have been working as co-chairs of the board to support the transition of Baptist Research’s responsibilities. This means that Baptist Research has ceased to exist in its prior form.
We want to acknowledge the many faithful volunteers and advocates who have contributed significantly to the legacy of the Baptist Research and Historical Society during its 75-year existence. The Society originally started with the intention to develop an archive to preserve Baptist history for future generations. The excellent Max Barker Archive housed in the Ayson Clifford Library is a testament to this original group’s vision. Subsequent board members contributed to the growth of the vision for the Society to include Baptist research. This development saw the dissemination of thoughtful research by Baptists and about Baptists through the Pacific Journal of Baptist Research, now the Pacific Journal of Theological Research, and Archer Press.
The legacy of the Baptist Research and Historical Society will be ensured by the ongoing maintenance of the Baptist Archive through a partnership between the Baptist National Support Centre and Carey Baptist College. Additionally, the Society’s remaining funds have been allocated to boost the archive’s resources. The research subsidiaries of the Society are also continuing in their own ways, and we recommend you keep an eye out for announcements regarding these entities.
Watch a video update from Hui 2023
At the Sutherland Lecture breakfast last year, a three-and-a-half minute video update was shown with Co-Chairs of Baptist Research Jaimee van Gemerden and Andrew Clark-Howard, John Tucker (Principal, Carey Baptist College) and former Baptist Research board members. Click here to watch via Google Drive.
Baptist Research podcast
The recordings of various Baptist Research lectures and events are available on the Baptist Research podcast (also on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube), including the Hui 2023 Sutherland Lecture delivered by Martin Sutherland: ‘Kept apart by creeds’?: The 1923 Act of Incorporation in the context of division.
Photo: screenshot from Hui 2023 Sutherland Lecture video.
