Collection 412
[November 16, 2005]
Archer, Gleason Leonard, Jr.; 1916-2004
Interview; 1989
One Reel of Audio Tape
Restrictions
There are no restrictions on the use of this collection.
Biography
Full name: Gleason Leonard Archer, Jr.
Birth date: May 22, 1916
Death date: April 27, 2004
Birth place: Norwell, Massachusetts
Parents: Gleason Leonard and Elizabeth Glenn Snyder Archer
Conversion: Commitment at age 11, gradual awareness of salvation
Marital Status: Married to L. Virginia Atkinson (1939)(d. 1962)
Married to Sandra Paula Larson (1964)
Children: Gleason Leonard III, Jonathan A., Heather M., Laurel E., Elizabeth S.
Denominational Affiliation: Ordained in the Presbyterian Church in the U.S., 1945
Transferred to the Evangelical Free Church in America,
1966
Education:
1938 B.A., Harvard University (summa cum laude in Classics)
1939 LL.B., Suffolk Law School
1940 A.M., Harvard University
1944 Ph.D., Harvard University
1945 B.D., Princeton Theological Seminary
Career:
1945-1948 Pastor, Park Street Church, Boston
1948-1965 Professor of Biblical Languages, Fuller Theological Seminary, Pasadena,
California
1965- Professor of Old Testament, Trinity Evangelical Theological Seminary,
Deerfield, Illinois
Publications (not a comprehensive list):
Book of Job: God's Answer to the Problem of Undeserved Suffering, The. Grand Rapids,
MI: Baker Book House, c1982
Encyclopedia of Bible Difficulties. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publ. House, c1982
Epistle to the Romans: A Study Manual, The. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House,
c1959.
In the Shadow of the Cross. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publ. House, c1957
Scope and Content
Gleason Leonard Archer, Jr., was interviewed by Robert Shuster May 7, 1989, at the Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Deerfield, Illinois. The time period covered by the interviews is 1926-1989. The boldfaced entries are intended to highlight the topics covered in the interview. The topics discussed are listed in the order in which they were discussed. The list is made from a cassette copy and not the reel-to-reel original.
T1 - side 1
Introduction
Work with Fellowship of Faith in Chicago
Robert Schneider and the founding of the Fellowship to work with Arabs
Fellowship meeting programs
Debates on theology with Islamic leaders in Chicago, the Koran
Mission to Arabic-speaking Muslims in Chicago
Formation of United Evangelical Arab Mission
Mission started by the Christian Reformed Church, carried on by Presbyterian Church
Study of the Arabic language in Beirut, Lebanon
Trip to the Dead Sea Scrolls Cave 4 at Qumran
Discussion of the Arabic language
Islamic theology
Association by Muslims of Christians with self-indulgence and worldliness
Differences between Muslims in the Near East and in America
Archer's family, high school education, attendance at Harvard University
Interest in Egyptian hieroglyphics
T1 - side 2
Overlap from side 1
Law degree from Suffolk Law School
Theological education at Princeton Theological Seminary
Attendance at Park Street Church in Boston
Conversion, study of Greek New Testament
Study of the Septuagint
Study of the Bible in many different languages
Provenance
The audio tape in this collection was given to the Archives of the Billy Graham Center by Gleason L. Archer in April 1989.
Accession 89-31
November 13, 1995
Janyce H. Nasgowitz
The following items are located in the AUDIO TAPE FILE:
T1 - Reel-to-reel, 3-3/4 ips, approximately 60 minutes, one side only. Interview of Gleason
Leonard Archer, Jr., by Robert Shuster on April 7, 1989. Topics discussed include his
involvement with Robert Schneider and the Fellowship of Faith and other mission work
with Muslims in Chicago, the Arabic language, his time in Beirut, Lebanon, his family
background, his conversion, and his attendance at Park Street Church in Boston,
Massachusetts.