“Documenting the Spirit” Review

• Shuster, Robert. "Documenting the Spirit," American Archivist 45 (1982): 135-141.

Robert Shuster is archivist at Wheaton College's Billy Graham Center. In this article, Shuster contends that archivists of religious collections should work to document the enthusiasm that occurs in religious contexts. He notes that Gerald Ham pushed for archivists to select materials that would provide an accurate record of human experience. Shuster explains that enthusiasm is part of the record of human experience because it is part of the explanation for why people do the things that they do. Collecting these types of materials helps "create a true picture of the past."

Shuster points out that documenting enthusiasm is not an easy thing to do. Churches often have statistical information, and individuals often have personal papers, but these do not usually capture the essence of what Shuster is wanting. He contends that oral histories, folk art, music, and other such media would be appropriate sources for capturing a glimpse of enthusiasm, especially within a collection like his.