Auburn Affirmation Overview

Photo: John Quincy Adams "History of Auburn Theological Seminary" 1918

Morgan Hall Auburn Theological Seminary, Auburn NY, ca. 1918

This subject is in the news now because

• The 75th anniversary of the proclamation of the document known as the "Auburn Affirmation" was celebrated in 1999
• In a September 2000 sermon, Rev. A. David Bos compared the current division in the denomination with the earlier time and said " . . . very soon, now, we will need another Auburn Affirmation"
• Many people today seem to believe the situation today is similar to that in the early part of the 20^th century
• Summit Presbyterian Church and Beaver-Butler Presbytery in Pennsylvania issued a statement which has become known as the "Confession Church Movement"
• Auburn Spirit, a group of progressives, called to Presbyterians to sign "Affirmation 2001" in the spirit of the Auburn Affirmation of 1924

Resources on this web site

• Affirmation 2001 Gaining Momentum
• "Affirmation 2001" Proclaimed in the Spirit of Auburn Affirmation (1924)
• Origins of the Auburn Affirmation, a 1975 article by history professor Dr. Charles E. Quirk
• Formatted for printing: Origins of the Auburn Affirmation, a 1975 article by history professor Dr. Charles E. Quirk
• Article about Rev. David Bos's sermon
• Rev. David Bos's sermon in text format
• Rev. David Bos's sermon in audio format
• "Voice Mail from Janie," a message in audio format from TAMFS Minister-Director Rev. Jane A. Spahr

Other resources

• The best book on the subject: Lefferts A. Loetscher, The Broadening Church (Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 1954)
• PC(USA) web article: "For Church and Country: The Fundamentalist-Modernist Conflict in the Presbyterian Church" by Bradley J. Longfield
• PC(USA) News article about David Bos's sermon
• PC(USA) News article: Church liberals may draft new Auburn Affirmation: Intent is to preserve space for dissent within the PC(USA)
• PC(USA) News article: 3 conservative credos fuel confessing "movement"; Lay Committee version urges loyalty oath for church employees
• Affirmation 2001 and the option to sign it on the Auburn Spirit web site

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