wfn.org | ABCUSA: NOTED HISTORIAN DIES

[RICH.SCHRAMM@ecunet.org]

AMERICAN BAPTIST NEWS SERVICE 
Office of Communication  
American Baptist Churches USA 
P.O. Box 851, Valley Forge, PA 19482-0851 
Phone: (610)768-2077 / Fax: (610)768-2320 
Web: www.abc-usa.org
Richard W. Schramm, Director 
 E-mail: richard.schramm@abc-usa.org

WINTHROP HUDSON, NOTED BAPTIST HISTORIAN, 
DIES
 Dr. Winthrop S. Hudson, well-known American 
Baptist historian, author and educator, died Feb. 20 at age 
89.
 Hudson was the author or editor of numerous 
books and articles on church history and polity, including 
Baptist Concepts of the Church and Baptist Convictions 
(both published by Judson Press), Religion in America, and 
The Cambridge Connection and the Elizabeth Settlement 
of 1559.
 He was a faculty member of the Colgate 
Rochester Divinity School for 30 years (1947-1977), 
serving  initially as professor of American Christianity and 
then as James B. Colgate professor of the history of 
Christianity.  He also served from 1970-1977 as professor 
of history at the University of Rochester, and later as 
adjunct professor of religion at the University of North 
Carolina.
 During much of the 1950s Hudson was president 
of the American Baptist Historical Society.  Additionally he 
was president of the American Society of Church History in 
1948 and a member of the American Historical Association 
and of several other church-related historical 
organizations.  He also was a lecturer at many universities 
and colleges.
 Prior to his retirement in 1977 Hudson had been 
active in committees and commissions of American Baptist 
Churches, including regional work in the American Baptist 
Churches of New York State and the Monroe Baptist 
Association. 
 Dr. Deborah Bingham Van Broekhoven, executive 
director of the American Baptist Historical Society, praised 
Hudson's vital contribution to American Baptist life and his 
role as a "committed and active supporter of Baptist 
history and this denomination."  At its November 2000 
meeting the American Baptist Churches USA General 
Board voted to affirm an American Baptist Historical 
Society Board of Managers recommendation to confer on 
Hudson an Honorary Life Membership in ABHS.  The honor 
would have been presented this year.
 Condolences may be sent to his wife, Lois, at 211 
2nd St. NW, Apt. 1117, Rochester, MN 55901-2820.

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