Clockwise from top left: Dr. Kazimierz Bem, image via EWST Educational Center; Morgan Crago, via BU School of Theology; Ezer Roboam May May, via CIESAS; and Dr. Nicholas Pruitt, via Eastern Nazarene College.

Clockwise from top left: Dr. Kazimierz Bem, image via EWST Educational Center; Morgan Crago, via BU School of Theology; Ezer Roboam May May, via CIESAS; and Dr. Nicholas Pruitt, via Eastern Nazarene College.

The Presbyterian Historical Society is pleased to award four research fellowship grants for 2023.

This year’s recipients are Dr. Kazimierz Bem, a senior lecturer at the Evangelical Theological Seminary in Wrocław, Poland, and a UCC pastor in Massachusetts; Morgan Crago, a graduate student at the Boston University School of Theology; Ezer Roboam May May, a graduate student at Centro de Investigaciones y Estudios Superiores en Antropología Social (CIESAS-Peninsular, Mérida, Mexico); and Dr. Nicholas Pruitt of Eastern Nazarene College.

PHS’s research fellowship program awards travel grants of $2,500 for scholars, students and independent researchers who demonstrate a need to work in the society’s collection for a minimum of one week and whose normal place of residence is farther than 75 miles from Philadelphia.

The four grant recipients are pursuing a variety of research topics, including the Cold War, immigration, ecumenicism, Christian Nationalism and national and foreign mission history.

Dr. Bem’s research focuses on Presbyterian mission work with Polish immigrants in Baltimore in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. May May is studying the encounters of American missionaries, Mayan converts and Mexican ministers in 20th century Mexico. Crago’s topic revolves around the perspectives of 20th century Brazilian ecumenical leaders. Dr. Pruitt’s research evaluates the relationship between 20th century Christian Nationalism and the Second Red Scare.

Executive Director Nancy J. Taylor is excited to welcome this year’s fellows into the reading room. “Donations on Giving Tuesday supported four research fellowships this year,” she said. “We are looking forward to having the fellows visit in the coming year to conduct research in our collections.”

PHS is accepting applications for next year’s research fellowships through February 2, 2024. Hear from previous fellows and learn about the grant application process.

This article first appeared as a PHS blog post. 

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