Courtesy of the Jerome Berryman Archive, the Godly Play Foundation, Ashland, Kansas.
Jerome W. Berryman (1937–2024) was an Episcopal priest, theologian, educator, and creator of Godly Play. Use this page to browse materials online, plan a visit to use his original papers, or search books from his personal library.
Browse the Digital Archive
Access: Online; no VTS login required.
Browse digitized manuscripts, correspondence, poems, sermons, photographs, and materials documenting the development of Godly Play. The digital archive is maintained by the Center for the Theology of Childhood, part of the Godly Play Foundation.
Not all materials in the physical collection are available online.
Plan a Visit to Use the Original Papers
Access: In person at Bishop Payne Library; contact the VTS Archives.
The Jerome Berryman Papers (1908–2016; 37.5 linear feet) document Berryman’s personal life and work. Major areas include his writings, sermons, and poetry; research and manuscripts; Montessori and Cavalletti educational methods; theology of childhood; and the founding of Godly Play.
View the Jerome Berryman Papers finding aid (PDF, 27 pages)
Finding aid prepared by the Godly Play Foundation, July 2025.
To plan a visit or ask about access, contact the VTS Archives at AskArchives@vts.edu.
Search the Book Collection
Access: Search the collection online; use the books in person through VTS Lifelong Learning.
The Berryman Special Collection contains nearly 800 items, mostly books, drawn from a lifetime of work in the theology of childhood, Christian formation, children’s spirituality, and pastoral practice. Many of the books contain Berryman’s annotations and underlining.
VTS's Lifelong Learning Department holds and administers the book collection. To arrange access, contact lifelonglearning@vts.edu.