Fosdick, Harry Emerson (1878-1969), became one of the best-known Protestant preachers in the United States. He devoted his entire career as a preacher, professor, and author to the conflict between modern life and religion. He preached the right of science to its place in the world. Fosdick opposed the views held by the Fundamentalists (see Fundamentalism ).
Fosdick was pastor of the First Baptist Church in Montclair, New Jersey; and the First Presbyterian Church, Park Avenue Baptist Church, and the nondenominational Riverside Church, all in New York City. He was professor of preaching at Union Theological Seminary in New York City from 1915 to 1946. He served with the Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA) in England, Scotland, and France during World War I (1914-1918).
Fosdick’s many books include The Manhood of the Master (1913), The Meaning of Prayer (1915), The Modern Use of the Bible (1924), On Being a Real Person (1943), and an autobiography, The Living of These Days (1956).
Fosdick was born on May 24, 1878, in Buffalo, New York. He graduated from Colgate University. Fosdick also studied at Union Theological Seminary and at Columbia University. He died on Oct. 9, 1969.
