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Figures of Ten Jewish Religious Leaders, Philosophers and Scientists in Baptist Church

September 15, 1930
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The new Riverside Church on upper Riverside Drive is a Baptist congregation but of the 42 world’s greatest religious leaders, philosophers and scientists whose figures are represented in stone on the door panel of the entrance to the Church ten are Jews. Prof. Albert Einstein, the only living man included among the figures, is the Jew among the world’s greatest scientists.

In planning the Church men and women now living were not considered as possible subjects for the stone figures, but the inclusion of Professor Einstein was made an exception because in the opinion of consulting scientists Dr. Einstein “could not possibly be omitted from any list of fourteen of the leading scientists of all time.”

Among the figures of great religious leaders represented in stone is Moses. In the gallery of saints and prophets are the great Hebrew prophets Isaiah, Jeremiah, Hosea, Amos and Micah, and in the niches which are above the west portal are David and Solomon. In the gallery of the philosophers Benedict Spinoza stands between Immanuel Kant and Descartes.

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