Papers of Emil Oberholzer

The archive consists of press cuttings, articles, photocopies of letters relating to the ordination of 11 women deacons to the priesthood in the Protestant Episcopal Church of the United States of America which occurred on 29 Jul 1974 in Philadephia.

Dr Emil Oberholzer was involved in the campaign for the ordination of women. On 29 Jul 1974 (Feast of Mary and Martha), 11 women were ordained at the Episcopal Church of the Advocate in Philadelphia. On 15 Aug 1974 these priestly vows were invalidated by resolution of the Episcopal House of Bishops and the four bishops who had performed the ordination were censured.

Original order has been maintained.

This collection is available for research. Readers are advised to contact The Women's Library in advance of their first visit.

The collection was deposited by Emil Oberholzer in 1978 as an outright gift.

The Women's Library catalogue.

The Women's Library also holds The Papers of Ursula Roberts (7URO) which contains correspondence with Emil Oberholzer. The Women's Library also holds other papers relating to the ordination of women: Papers of the Anglican Group for the Ordination of Women (c1928-1978) (5AGO); Records of the Society for the Ministry of Women in the Church (5SMW); Records of the Movement for the Ordination of Women (6MOW); Papers of Agnes Maude Royden (7AMR); the Papers of Dorothea Edith Belfield (7DEB); Papers of Emil Oberholzer (7EOB); the Papers of Everild Feeny (7EMF); the Papers of Mairin Valdez (7MAV); and the Papers of Victoria Lidiard (7VLI); correspondence relating to the Church League for Women's Suffrage is held in the Autograph Letter Collection (ref: 9/06). The Women's Library Printed Collections holds related press cuttings (c.1919-1950).