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'''Harry Emerson Fosdick''' (1868-1969), Protestant preacher, was perhaps the single most influential leader in 20th century American [[Liberal Christianity]]. Although not a theologian he was often seen as the chief exemplar of the new liberal theology, he was hailed by ''The New Republic'' as "the prophet of modernism."  Based in New York City, he rose to national prominence through his undoctrinaire evangelicalism and ability to use radio and the press, especially books and magazine articles that appealed to a wide readership. He was a friend and collaborator with John D. Rockefeller, Jr. and advised his brother Raymond Fosdick, who headed the Rockefeller Foundation.  [[Image:Fosdick.jpg|thumb|275px|''Time'' magazine Sept. 21, 1925]]

'''Harry Emerson Fosdick''' (1868-1969), Protestant preacher, was perhaps the single most influential leader in 20th century American [[Liberal Christianity]]. Although not a theologian he was often seen as the chief exemplar of the new liberal theology, he was hailed by ''The New Republic'' as "the prophet of modernism."  Based in New York City, he rose to national prominence through his undoctrinaire evangelicalism and ability to use radio and the press, especially books and magazine articles that appealed to a wide readership. He was a friend and collaborator with John D. Rockefeller, Jr. and advised his brother Raymond Fosdick, who headed the Rockefeller Foundation.  [[Image:Fosdick.jpg|thumb|235px|''Time'' magazine Sept. 21, 1925]]

Fosdick supported many liberal political and social causes, especially opposition to war.<ref>See [http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,721121,00.html "At Geneva," ''Time'' Sept. 21, 1925 online] </ref>  Fosdick stressed both personal growth and social change. As a pragmatist, he strove to make religion compatible with secular

Fosdick supported many liberal political and social causes, especially opposition to war.<ref>See [http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,721121,00.html "At Geneva," ''Time'' Sept. 21, 1925 online] </ref>  Fosdick stressed both personal growth and social change. As a pragmatist, he strove to make religion compatible with secular

==Battling the Fundamentalists==

==Battling the Fundamentalists==

When he visited Christian missions in China in 1921, Fosdick discovered Fundamentalists were engaged in an aggressive campaign against the liberals, even to the extent of trying to force their retirement. He saw similar troubles when he returned to the United States. This led to a 1922 sermon circulated under the title, "Shall the Fundamentalists Win?" Pleading for tolerance, Fosdick also presented the case for the liberal position on the major issues of the Virgin Birth, the second coming, and biblical interpretation.  The sermon became one of the most important pulpit statements of the 1920s, causing a minor pamphlet war, and it thrust Fosdick onto center stage as the archetypal liberal. Conservative attacks on him knew no bounds.<ref>George M. Marsden, ''Fundamentalism and American culture‎'' (2006) [http://books.google.com/books?id=k-na5zUu2DsC&pg=PA171&dq=%22Shall+the+Fundamentalists+Win%3F%22&lr=&as_drrb_is=q&as_minm_is=1&as_miny_is=2009&as_maxm_is=12&as_maxy_is=2009&num=30&as_brr=0&as_pt=ALLTYPES p. 171 online]</ref>

When he visited Christian missions in China in 1921, Fosdick discovered Fundamentalists were engaged in an aggressive campaign against the liberals, even to the extent of trying to force their retirement. He saw similar troubles when he returned to the United States. This led to a 1922 sermon circulated under the title, "Shall the Fundamentalists Win?"<ref> Full text online at [http://historymatters.gmu.edu/d/5070/ "Shall the Fundamentalists Win?"]</ref>  Pleading for tolerance, Fosdick also presented the case for the liberal position on the major issues of the Virgin Birth, the second coming, and biblical interpretation.  The sermon became one of the most important pulpit statements of the 1920s, causing a minor pamphlet war, and it thrust Fosdick onto center stage as the archetypal liberal. Conservative attacks on him knew no bounds.<ref>George M. Marsden, ''Fundamentalism and American culture‎'' (2006) [http://books.google.com/books?id=k-na5zUu2DsC&pg=PA171&dq=%22Shall+the+Fundamentalists+Win%3F%22&lr=&as_drrb_is=q&as_minm_is=1&as_miny_is=2009&as_maxm_is=12&as_maxy_is=2009&num=30&as_brr=0&as_pt=ALLTYPES p. 171 online]</ref>

Different views of the role of Christianity in the face of the secularization of American culture fueled the conflict between the liberal modernist and conservative fundamentalist factions inside the Presbyterian Church during the 1920s and 1930s. Modernists, led by Fosdick, Henry Sloane Coffin, and Robert E. Speer, promoted inclusiveness and denied the inerrancy of scripture, while fundamentalists such as [[J. Gresham Machen]], Clarence Macartney, and [[William Jennings Bryan]] defended traditional doctrine. The fundamentalist cause, popularly identified with antievolutionism, was damaged in the view of most Presbyterians by the [[Scopes Trial]] in 1925. In 1929, fundamentalist leaders Machen and Macartney left their positions at the Princeton Theological Seminary to found the Westminster Theological Seminary to defend the traditional orthodoxy.<ref> Bradley J. Longfield, "For Church and Country: The Fundamentalist-Modernist Conflict in the Presbyterian Church." ''Journal of Presbyterian History'' 2000 78(1): 34-50. 0022-3883 </ref>  

Different views of the role of Christianity in the face of the secularization of American culture fueled the conflict between the liberal modernist and conservative fundamentalist factions inside the Presbyterian Church during the 1920s and 1930s. Modernists, led by Fosdick, Henry Sloane Coffin, and Robert E. Speer, promoted inclusiveness and denied the inerrancy of scripture, while fundamentalists such as [[J. Gresham Machen]], Clarence Macartney, and [[William Jennings Bryan]] defended traditional doctrine. The fundamentalist cause, popularly identified with antievolutionism, was damaged in the view of most Presbyterians by the [[Scopes Trial]] in 1925. In 1929, fundamentalist leaders Machen and Macartney left their positions at the Princeton Theological Seminary to found the Westminster Theological Seminary to defend the traditional orthodoxy.<ref> Bradley J. Longfield, "For Church and Country: The Fundamentalist-Modernist Conflict in the Presbyterian Church." ''Journal of Presbyterian History'' 2000 78(1): 34-50. 0022-3883 </ref>