Difference between revisions of "Harry Emerson Fosdick"
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| − | Originally a Baptist, he joined the Presbyterians when he was called by the newly formed First Presbyterian Church on Fifth Avenue in New York City. | + | Educated at Colgate University and Union Theological Seminary, he was on the Union adjunct faculty for many years. Originally a Baptist, he joined the Presbyterians when he was called by the newly formed First Presbyterian Church on Fifth Avenue in New York City. |
Fosdick in 1913 published the book ''The Assurance of Immortality'' and he would later state that his ideas provided a way for Christians to prevent themselves from commiting "intellectual suicide." | Fosdick in 1913 published the book ''The Assurance of Immortality'' and he would later state that his ideas provided a way for Christians to prevent themselves from commiting "intellectual suicide." | ||
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| + | He became chief minister of the new Riverside Church, designing its architecture to resemble a thirteenth-century Gothic cathedral in Chartres, France, and filling it with busts of spiritual and secular heroes, from Aquinas to Einstein. | ||
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| + | Fosdick originally supported [[eugenics]], but became increasingly critical of it. For Fosdick, the idea that eugenicists were an enlightened cadre leading the dull masses revealed a dangerous hubris. He concluded, "The question is not whether changes will occur." Fosdick and other liberal religious leaders already agreed that scientific advances made social changes inevitable. The question was "how they will occur, under whose aegis and superintendence, by whose guidance and direction, and how much better the world will be when they are here."<ref> Quoted in Christine Rosen, ''Preaching Eugenics: Religious Leaders and the American Eugenics Movement'' (2004) p. 131.</ref> He remained a strong advocate of birth control for married couples. | ||
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==Battling the Fundamentalists== | ==Battling the Fundamentalists== | ||
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> | ||
Revision as of 07:22, March 25, 2009
Harry Emerson Fosdick (1868-1969), Protestant minister, was perhaps the single most influential leader in 20th century American Liberal Christianity. 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 on Rockefeller Foundation projects.
Fosdick supported many liberal political and social causes. Fosdick stressed both personal growth and social change. As a pragmatist, he strove to make religion compatible with secular society.
Educated at Colgate University and Union Theological Seminary, he was on the Union adjunct faculty for many years. Originally a Baptist, he joined the Presbyterians when he was called by the newly formed First Presbyterian Church on Fifth Avenue in New York City.
Fosdick in 1913 published the book The Assurance of Immortality and he would later state that his ideas provided a way for Christians to prevent themselves from commiting "intellectual suicide."
He became chief minister of the new Riverside Church, designing its architecture to resemble a thirteenth-century Gothic cathedral in Chartres, France, and filling it with busts of spiritual and secular heroes, from Aquinas to Einstein.
Fosdick originally supported eugenics, but became increasingly critical of it. For Fosdick, the idea that eugenicists were an enlightened cadre leading the dull masses revealed a dangerous hubris. He concluded, "The question is not whether changes will occur." Fosdick and other liberal religious leaders already agreed that scientific advances made social changes inevitable. The question was "how they will occur, under whose aegis and superintendence, by whose guidance and direction, and how much better the world will be when they are here."[1] He remained a strong advocate of birth control for married couples.
Battling the Fundamentalists
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.[2]
Fosdick's 1922 sermon “Shall the Fundamentalists Win?” attacked the Fundamentalists, especially John Gresham Machen among others that called for Christianity to become a battleground dividing it up into winners and losers.
Further reading
- Miller, Robert Moats. Harry Emerson Fosdick: Preacher, Pastor, Prophet (1985), the standard scholarly biography excerpts and text search
- Potter, Richard H. "Popular Religion of the 1930's as Reflected in the Best Sellers of Harry Emerson Fosdick." Journal of Popular Culture 1970 3(4): 712-728.