Macquarrie Project

About 

The Macquarrie Project is a special archival initiative of the Graduate Theological Foundation to highlight the major role Canon John Macquarrie (1919-2007) played in the life of this institution and to provide access to researchers. This Project is multimedia in nature, composed of audio recordings and printed materials. The Macquarrie Project combines 10 hours of audio recordings of Canon Macquarrie’s lectures at the 1998 Ireland Conference sponsored by the GTF, with a tome of sermons, a comprehensive bibliography of publications, library notations, and The Macquarrie Library, his personal library which he bequeathed to the GTF toward the end of his life.  His lectures at the Ireland Conference led to the publishing of his autobiographical reflections, Being a Theologian, initiated by the GTF and edited by its then President, Dr. John Morgan. This book is included in the Macquarrie Project. 
 
The Macquarrie Project consists of five separate but related endeavors: The Macquarrie Library, Library Notations, Sermons, Publications, and Audio Recordings. Several of these endeavors are ongoing archival efforts in which the Graduate Theological Foundation is engaged.
 
 
Introduction
 
Emeritus Canon, Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford
Honorary Fellow, Kellogg College, University of Oxford
Fellow and Bishop John Tinsley Professor of Anglican Theology (GTF) 

“­­­­Engaging the Reality that is Mystery”­­­­­­­­­­

The Reverend Professor John Macquarrie – Ian to his friends – was one of the outstanding scholars of the 20th century. At Union Seminary in the USA and at Christ Church in Oxford, he spanned the latter half of the century, and his enormous influence arrested both Protestant and Catholic scholars; though his radical Christology – somewhere between ‘traditional’ Christology and Bultmann – disturbed, but did not always persuade.   This is the ‘stuff’ of theology. 

During his latter years, he became a warm friend of the GTF and enjoyed enormously the variety of graduate students of the GTF that he met and taught both in Indiana and at Oxford. Indeed, it was at Kellogg College in Oxford that the GTF hosted a very special celebration of his 80th birthday with a gathering of distinguished guests; and later it was to the GTF that he bequeathed his working library.
 
This gives our students an opportunity to engage with the texts that were part of his on-going quest, as well as the special recordings of his lectures in Ireland for the GTF, which became the basis for his book ‘On Being a Theologian’.
Also in the archive are ‘the sermons’. In order to understand Macquarrie the theologian, it is necessary to sit at the feet of Macquarrie the disciple and pastor, who with his radical theology, continued to be most at ease with traditional worship, seeking gently to share his academic insights in a simple and pastoral way, when called upon to preach. If in his studies he understood God as ‘Being’ rather than ‘a Being’, his experience in worship appeared to be much more personal, and much of his interest as a theologian is to explore the way in which he combined this personal discipleship, with academic curiosity.
 
‘Tis mystery all’ wrote Charles Wesley in one of his hymns; Macquarrie judged that attempting to unravel the mystery is the theologians task, in order to share the hope that is in us. As congregations fall in the western world, both academics and pastors face new challenges in this on-going task. Professor Macquarrie offers ground work and a model for both, and its Director, John Morgan has provided material and guidance for all those who wish to engage the ‘Reality that is Mystery’.
 
 
The Macquarrie Library
 
Canon Macquarrie bequeathed his personal library to the Graduate Theological Foundation toward the end of his life and at the conclusion of his professorship.   The library consists of approximately 2,500 volumes accumulated over a 60-year teaching career in theology at the University of Glasgow, Union Theological Seminary, Oxford University, and the Graduate Theological Foundation. The Macquarrie Library specializes in philosophical theology and existentialism with special attention to Martin Heidegger. 
 
 
Library Notations
 
Collection and transcription of observational and academic notations included in the majority of the books in his personal library. Notations consist of a) under-linings, b) marginal notations, c) clippings, and d) inserted commentary. Canon Macquarrie’s library notations will be made available through the GTF website.
 
 
Sermons
 
Transcription, chronicling, and topical sorting of 500 pages of sermon manuscripts.   Canon Macquarrie’s sermons will be made available for research purposes.
 
 
Publications
 
Development of a comprehensive bibliography of all published works by and about John Macquarrie. This bibliography will be made available to researchers.
 
 
Audio Recordings
 
Archiving and preservation of audio recordings of 10 hours of lectures delivered by Canon Macquarrie during the 1998 Ireland Conference sponsored by the GTF. Canon Macquarrie presented lectures on the themes of “Being a Theologian” and “Doing Theology.” These audio recordings will be made available on the GTF website. 
 
 
Personal Papers
 
The personal papers and private correspondence of Canon Macquarrie are held in the Archival Collection of the Bodleian Library of Oxford University and are available for perusal by special arrangement made with the University for scholars working on Macquarrie research projects. Details are available from the Graduate Theological Foundation’s Director of the Macquarrie Project, Dr. John H. Morgan.

 

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