Central Asia Fellowship Records

Note that the online version of the finding aid for this collection excludes certain sections, due to security concerns. A full copy of the finding is available at the repository. Please contact divinity.library@yale.edu for more information about access to the restricted materials.

This collection contains valuable documentation of the efforts of Christian organizations and individuals to reach Tibetan Buddhist peoples in Asia. The CAF archives form part of the Himalayan collection at Yale Divinity School, which also includes the archives of the United Mission to Nepal, International Nepal Fellowship, and the Nepal Church History Project. The CAF archives were formerly housed at the University of Edinburgh and have been labeled with a classification system. A full listing of the classification system is available in Box 5, Folder 12. Digital versions of many of the documents dating from 1995 to 2002 are available on a CD in Box 19. Digital versions of earlier documents are available on floppy disks in the same box, but may not be useable.

Series I, Pre-CAF Materials, provides useful documentation of early work to reach Tibetan peoples. Many of the individuals involved in this early work were from Scandinavian countries and the Scandinavian influence remained strong in CAF. Series II, Adminstration, contains the core of minutes, reports, and other documentation of the operations of CAF. Much of the correspondence in Series III is with two General Secretaries: Asbjorn Voreland and Grethe Raddum. Series IV, Countries, contains resource material regarding the religion, culture, and language of areas of interest to CAF, as well as documentation of the efforts of Christian organizations in these areas. The remaining series document the CAF's operations and membership information, literature distribution efforts, courses and consultations it arranged, and projects it supported. The Publications of Series X included audio-visual materials as well as printed literature, including, for example, versions of the Jesus film in Dzongkha, Eastern Tamang, Sherpa, Tibetan (Amdo), and Tibetan (Lhasa).

Series XI, Addendum -2015, includes additional publications and documenation of the work of CAF.