Introduction

Beginning in 1975, a group of UU ministers, scholars, and laity began gathering annually to foster collegial connections and intellectual conversations. James Luther Adams was the chief visionary in founding the group, known as Collegium, and he served as the inaugural Distinguished Scholar. For more than four decades, both academic and independent scholars have spoken as Distinguished Scholar, including at the joint Convocations with the then UU HIstory and Heritage Society in 2010, 2013, 2016, and 2019. In 2021, Collegium and the heritage of the Distinguished Scholars became part of the UU Studies Network.