by Tristan Spangler-Dunning 

This summer, I had the distinct pleasure of receiving the Cannon-Benoit internship at the Disciples of Christ Historical Society in Bethany, West Virginia. I initially believed I would find the most education in the treasure trove of Stone-Campbell material contained within the archives. However, I not only learned from the documents, but also from the interactions I had with the staff and visitors who came to experience the history firsthand. 

I began my internship with the Disciples of Christ Historical Society amid a period of transition. Essential questions are being asked about the role of history in our everyday existence as the Church. Our weekly staff meetings discussed everything from the practical to the spiritual: new hires, new systems, and new Christian pedagogies. Among these conversations, I was inspired to engage with the history of the Stone-Campbell movement on a deeper level. 

One of my first assignments was processing the papers of Rev. Dr. Anthony L. Dunnavant. Given that my parents were both his students, it was a serendipitous encounter with a man who had a mythological status within the stories of my childhood. I quickly discovered that processing a person’s personal papers is a rather intimate experience. Viewing someone’s history through the lens of sometimes seemingly inconsequential items, for instance, a humorous calendar given to them by their students, removes the mythological status and pulls the genuine human into focus. Tony Dunnavant was revealed to be more than an excellent historian of the Stone-Campell movement; he was also a dedicated and caring teacher who held onto his students’ writings so that, unknown to him, their sons and daughters might read them later. I had expected processing papers to be relatively dry and tedious. Instead, I found a process that allows for a fuller exploration of a historical subject; it gave me a new appreciation for the archival experience. 

One aspect of the Historical Society I admire is their dedication to the necessary archival storage and preservation as well as public historical engagement. A job I particularly enjoyed was giving tours of the Campbell mansion next door to the Historical Society. This was my first real foray into the realm of public-facing history. I found it to be an important lesson about how everyday people in the life of the church participate in the historical discussion of the Stone-Campbell movement. Direct access to such an important historical site elevates the historical sensation of those who visit, as it makes the intangible tangible. The ability to wander the grounds and halls of the Campbell mansion provides a more direct connection to the origins of the movement and, therefore, a potentially more profound understanding of the philosophy of the movement itself, which is less readily available to the average church member. Through the tours I facilitated, I witnessed the formation of new connections with our history: a realization that our movement, which can often feel disjointed and unmoored, has a shared lineage that can be followed back through time and place. I realized during my time with the Historical Society that I love public history and what it can engender for us as a body of Christ. I believe the wider church could benefit from more engagement with public history. 

The Disciples of Christ Historical Society serves a vital role in preserving and encouraging the exploration of that history. I thank Dr. Joel Brown for his wisdom and guidance in this time of discernment. I thank Abigail Ayers for her friendship and our archival adventures. I thank Cara Gilger for her talent and skill in managing the Historical Society’s online presence and public-facing image. I thank Colleen McFarland Rademaker for her knowledge and leadership as she works to elevate our archives further. My time at the Historical Society provided me with a space where I could further discern my own call into the life of the church; a call that I find is made up of a desire to research and write but also to educate and guide. As I move forward in my Masters of Divinity at the University of Chicago, I am finding myself thinking about the fusion of public history and pastoral care. I am eternally grateful to the Historical Society for the opportunities it provides and for the mission it has taken on.