James Luther Adams facts for kids

Quick facts for kids James Luther Adams
Adams at Harvard in 1956
Born	(1901-11-12)November 12, 1901 Ritzville, Washington, US
Died	July 26, 1994(1994-07-26) (aged 92) Cambridge, Massachusetts, US
Spouse(s)	Margaret Ann Young ​ ​ (m. 1927; died 1978)​
James Luther Adams Church Unitarian Universalist Association Ordained 1927
Alma mater	University of Minnesota Harvard University University of Chicago
Scientific career
Institutions	Meadville Theological School Harvard University Andover Newton Theological School
Thesis	Paul Tillich's Philosophy of Culture, Science, and Religion (1945)
Doctoral students	Harvey Cox Stephen Charles Mott
Influences	Irving Babbitt Friedrich von Hügel Francis Greenwood Peabody Willard L. Sperry Paul Tillich Ernst Troeltsch Alfred North Whitehead
Influenced	Beverly Wildung Harrison Chris Hedges George Huntston Williams

James Luther Adams (1901–1994) was an important American professor and minister. He taught at famous schools like Harvard Divinity School. He was also a Unitarian minister. Many people consider him the most influential theologian (someone who studies religion) among American Unitarian Universalists in the 20th century.

Early Life and Education

James Luther Adams was born on November 12, 1901. His hometown was Ritzville, Washington. His father, James Carey Adams, was a farmer and a traveling preacher.

His family had very strong religious beliefs. When James was 16, his father became very sick. James left school to work on the Northern Pacific Railroad. He did this to help support his family.

He did well at the railroad job and moved up in management. However, he decided to leave this job. He wanted to go to the University of Minnesota. After graduating in 1924, he went to Harvard Divinity School. He studied there to become a Unitarian minister. During his education, his religious views changed from very strict to more open and modern.

Becoming a Minister

After finishing his studies at Harvard, Adams became a minister. He served at the Second Church, Unitarian in Salem, Massachusetts. He was there from 1927 to 1934. Then, he moved to the First Unitarian Society in Wellesley Hills, Massachusetts. He served that church from 1934 to 1935.

Time in Germany

In the mid-1930s, Adams spent a lot of time in Germany. While there, he met several important religious figures. These included Karl Barth and Albert Schweitzer. These people were secretly working against the rise of a bad political group called the Nazis. Adams learned a lot from their courage and ideas.

A Career in Teaching

In 1937, Adams started a long career as a professor. He joined the faculty at Meadville Theological School. This school is now called Meadville Lombard Theological School in Chicago. While in Chicago, he joined the First Unitarian Church of Chicago. He also served on its board of trustees.

In 1956, he became a professor at Harvard Divinity School. He taught about Christian Ethics there. He stayed at Harvard until he retired in 1968. In 1958, he was chosen as a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. This is a special honor for important thinkers. In 1962, he helped create the first board of directors for the Society for the Arts, Religion and Contemporary Culture.

Many of his students later became important figures in religious studies. One student was Stephen Charles Mott. He was a pioneer in social ethics for religious groups in the US. Another student was Chris Hedges, a well-known author.

After retiring from Harvard, Adams continued to teach. He taught at Andover Newton Theological School and Meadville Lombard Theological School. In his later years, he lived near Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts. He was an active member of Arlington Street Church (UU) in Boston. He passed away on July 26, 1994. He is buried in Cambridge Cemetery.