Preaching before a congregation of more than 4,000 people last Sunday, at the new Riverside Church, the Rev. Dr. Harry Emerson Fosdick, pastor of the church, defended the presence of the statue of Einstein among those of saints and philosophers on the facade of the new church. Some criticism had been made recently against the church for placing a statue of Einstein, who considers himself a pantheist and a disciple of Spinoza and who is therefore not considered a religionist in the church sense of the term.
“I am glad that Einstein is over the church’s portal because I hope that minds like his, facing the same great questions about God that he faces, will come through the portal and sit in these pews and profit by our ministry,” said Dr. Fosdick in his sermon. “They are a notable company today, these choice men and women are puzzled about God. What should be our attitude toward them? Some of our great scientists belong in this group. They are dedicated spirits. They give themselves without rest to the search for truths that will help human need.”
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
