Fire at Princeton Seminary

[bookslover]

There's been a serious fire at Princeton Theological Seminary today. The Lenox Library on the campus has been extensively burned. No cause given yet, as far as I know, for how the fire started. Flames could be clearly seen coming through the library's roof. I don't know what sorts of books that particular library holds, but I hope none of them burned (though they might suffer water damage from the fire fighters' efforts to extinguish the blaze).

www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/fire-erupts-at-princeton-theological-seminary-in-nj/2910299

 

[Pilgrim]

From our perspective, I think it is safe to say that the library is the best thing going there. The pictures do not look good. I don't know how much of their holdings would have been digitized. The reports say that no one was hurt.

Several years ago, I thought it was very interesting to learn that the PTS library asked Carl McIntire for his papers and he enthusiastically agreed despite the many decades he spent denouncing them.

 

[Pilgrim]

The reports say that this building is primarily used for office space, although it does include some books and artifacts. One report says that this building is near the library. https://6abc.com/princeton-theological-seminary-fire-library-place-nj-chopper-6/10926801/

Lenox House

The library was unaffected by the fire today at Lenox House. The library remains open to the Seminary community.

library.ptsem.edu

Fire at Lenox House Extinguished

Princeton Theological Seminary - Educating faithful Christian leaders

www.ptsem.edu

 

[bookslover]

Is the seminary on the campus of Princeton University or is the seminary located near the university but not on it? I've never been there, so I'm wondering.

 

[SeanPatrickCornell]

Is the seminary on the campus of Princeton University or is the seminary located near the university but not on it? I've never been there, so I'm wondering.

Near but not on. Like, it's right across the street apparently.

 

[bookslover]

Near but not on. Like, it's right across the street apparently.

View attachment 8222

Thanks. That clears it up.

 

[bookslover]

I saw a later report that confirms that the building is used for some faculty offices - not actually used as a library. The seminary's president told the press that officials think the building - which is pretty old, I take it - can be restored. The fire started at about 5:15 this morning and was out by around 7:30 or so. No one killed or injured.

 

[Alan D. Strange]

I've done quite a bit of work there and the Seminary libraries are fairly new, constructed within the last ten years. Those together with the University ones are some of the finest libraries around. The Seminary's general collection, in fact, is the second-largest theological collection in the world. Charles Hodge's papers are split between the University and the Seminary, so I worked in the Special Collections of both, as well as in the reference and circulating collections.

Their archival holdings are extensive; digitization is afoot but the loss of manuscript materials would be tragic. Thankfully, they were not imperiled, though everything there is imperiled by the theology of the place, the evil of which is insidious. Miller Chapel's prayer request book has a number of entries (including from me) for renewal and revival at the old school, which, in the nineteenth century, was a beacon to the world.

Peace,
Alan

 

[bookslover]

What startled me about the story at first was it's being mentioned by the mainstream media. I imagine that the last time the media paid attention to PTS was when the conservatives were thrown out in 1929.