The Archives of the Episcopal Church is a private research repository that is open to and welcomes public inquiry by individuals interested in The Episcopal Church’s history and contemporary organizational life. Funded by the General Convention, the Archives' primary responsibility is to serve the members and leadership of The Episcopal Church who are engaged in the mission work of the Church.
Doing Research in the Archives
Members of the general public may receive from the Archives up to thirty minutes of complimentary research. Requests that require more than thirty minutes of research are subject to the charges outlined in our Services and Fees. Research in the Archives' Reading Room is by appointment only. All inquiries will be acknowledged immediately, but a full response may require up to three weeks.
The Archives of the Episcopal Church responds to public research inquiries as submitted through a standard online Research Request Form. If the request involves extensive use of the holdings, we ask users to complete an Application Form (see Researcher Packet link below). Consult the Archives’ Public Access Policy and other related links for additional information on the Archives’ research services.
Scope of Archives' Records and Holdings
The Archives of the Episcopal Church holds records of the national and international activities of The Episcopal Church’s official bodies, principally the governing body of General Convention and the corporate entity, the Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society. Other key records held by the Archives include Church-wide Episcopal organizations and the personal papers of leading clergy and lay persons. The Holdings Profile is an overview of the Archives' holdings.
It is helpful to know that the Archives does not hold local Church records of dioceses and parishes. These are maintained by those entities. The Archives’ ability to answer genealogical questions is limited. The Archives can help re-direct your inquiry, but visitors are invited to consult the Find a Church tool to locate local churches.