Chris Stedman Explained

Chris Stedman
Birth Date:April 9, 1987
Birth Place:Robbinsdale, Minnesota, U.S.
Education:Augsburg University (BA)
University of Chicago (MA)

Christopher Stedman (born April 9, 1987) is an American writer who teaches in the department of religion and philosophy at Augsburg University.[1] He was previously the founding executive director of the Yale Humanist Community at Yale University and a humanist chaplain at Harvard University.[2]

Biography

Stedman was born in the Twin Cities area of Minnesota. He was raised in a secular household, but converted to Evangelical Christianity at the age of eleven, because he was attracted by its stability during his parents' divorce.

Stedman struggled for years to reconcile his gay sexual orientation with his Christian faith and declared himself an atheist in college.[3] Stedman studied Religion at Augsburg University, Meadville Lombard Theological School at the University of Chicago, obtaining baccalaureate and master's degrees prior to joining Harvard at the Humanist Chaplaincy at Harvard.[4] Following his time at Harvard, he founded the Yale Humanist Community.[5]

Stedman currently teaches at Augsburg University.[6]

He is the author of IRL and Faitheist, and host of the narrative podcast Unread, named one of the best podcasts of 2021 by the Guardian,[7] Vulture,[8] HuffPost,[9] Bello Collective,[10] Mashable,[11] and the CBC.[12] Stedman's writing advocates outreach to seek "common moral ground between theists and atheists," and proposes achieving that aim by expanding interfaith dialogue to include atheists.[13]

Awards

Stedman is a past awardee of the 2011 Billings Prize for Most Outstanding Scholastic Achievement.[14]

In 2018, Augsburg University selected Stedman for the Decade Award, which recognizes alumni "who have made significant progress in their professional achievements and contributions to the community" in their first decade after graduating.[15]

In 2022, Stedman was honored by the Webby Awards in the Podcasts - Best Writing category for his podcast Unread.[16]

Reception

Stedman's advocacy for inclusive interfaith dialogue and tolerance has found support from other atheists and interfaith advocates in the Millennial generation,[17] as well as pluralistic rationalist communities.[18]

Stedman has received some criticism for his open embrace of religion from the broader atheist community.[19] [20]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Welcome to Chris Stedman as the Inter-Religious Resource Coordinator . 25 August 2021 . 2022-02-25 . 2022-02-26 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220226010644/https://www.augsburg.edu/interfaith/2021/08/25/welcome-to-chris-stedman-as-the-inter-religious-resource-coordinator/ . live .
  2. Web site: Meet Chris « Yale Humanist Community . 2014-08-22 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140826115601/http://yalehumanists.com/about/meet-the-chaplain/ . 2014-08-26 . dead .
  3. Web site: Talking About Faith and Values . 2012-11-16 . Wheeler . Wendi . April 1, 2011 . Augsburg NOW . Augsburg University . 2013-03-17 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130317141342/http://www.augsburg.edu/now/2011/04/01/talking-about-faith-and-values/ . live .
  4. Web site: Meet Our New Interfaith and Community Service Fellow . 2011-10-01 . The Humanist Chaplaincy at Harvard . 2011-09-05 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110905080238/http://harvardhumanist.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=141:meet-our-new-interfaith-and-community-service-fellow-&catid=6:latest-news&Itemid=38 . dead .
  5. Web site: True nonbeliever. 2022-02-26. 2022-02-26. https://web.archive.org/web/20220226021315/https://yalealumnimagazine.com/articles/4330-true-nonbeliever. live.
  6. Web site: Welcome to Chris Stedman as the Inter-Religious Resource Coordinator. 2022-02-25. 2022-02-26. 2023-09-22. https://web.archive.org/web/20230922194209/https://www.augsburg.edu/interfaith/2021/08/25/welcome-to-chris-stedman-as-the-inter-religious-resource-coordinator/. live.
  7. https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2021/dec/24/the-20-best-podcasts-of-2021 The 20 best podcasts of 2021
  8. https://www.vulture.com/article/best-podcasts-of-2021.html The Best Podcasts of 2021
  9. https://www.huffpost.com/entry/podcasts-we-loved-in-2021_n_61a63f98e4b044a1cc1a9bab 19 Podcasts We Loved In 2021
  10. https://bellocollective.com/bello-100-best-podcasts-2021-4c2dd383b4c8 100 Outstanding Podcasts From 2021
  11. https://mashable.com/article/best-new-podcasts-2021 Best new podcasts of 2021
  12. https://www.cbc.ca/radio/podcastplaylist/the-best-podcasts-of-2021-1.6273183 The Best Podcasts of 2021
  13. http://www.twincities.com/life/ci_22055279/books-twin-cities-native-seeks-atheist-religious-common "Twin Cities native seeks atheist/religious common ground", St. Paul Pioneer Press, November 28, 2012
  14. Web site: Author Bio: Christopher Stedman . 2011-10-02 . The New Humanism . The Humanist Chaplaincy at Harvard . 2011-03-20 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110320113811/http://thenewhumanism.org/authors/christopher-stedman . dead .
  15. https://www.augsburg.edu/alumni/2018/09/25/meet-first-decade-award-winner-chris-stedman-08/ Meet First Decade Award Winner Chris Stedman ‘08
  16. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt20770140/awards/ Unread (Podcast Series 2021) - Awards - IMDb
  17. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/23/faitheist-chris-stedman_n_2174563.html "Chris Stedman is a Faitheist: Atheists Involved in Interfaith Dialogue", The Huffington Post, November 24, 2012
  18. https://web.archive.org/web/20160202185413/http://www.patheos.com/blogs/nonprophetstatus/2011/11/09/be-sane-be-very-sane/ Burton, Frank H. (2011-11-09). "Be Sane, Be VERY Sane", "NonProphet Status"
  19. Web site: Skepticblog » Thoughts on Chris Stedman's Faitheist . 2017-02-08 . 2017-02-11 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170211075358/http://www.skepticblog.org/2012/11/27/thoughts-on-chris-stedmans-faitheist/ . live .
  20. Web site: Why "faitheist" Chris Stedman is so obnoxious . 2017-02-08 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170211142917/http://www.patheos.com/blogs/hallq/2012/11/why-faitheist-chris-stedman-is-so-obnoxious/ . 2017-02-11 . dead .

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Chris Stedman".

Except where otherwise indicated, Everything.Explained.Today is © Copyright 2009-2024, A B Cryer, All Rights Reserved. Cookie policy.