Harry Emerson Fosdick (1878-1969), the founding minister of Riverside Church in New York City, was regarded by Martin Luther King, Jr., as 鈥樷�榯he greatest preacher of this century.鈥� One of liberal Protestantism鈥檚 most influential voices, Fosdick was a proponent of ecumenical Christianity, pacifism, and civil rights, whose radio sermons and writings reached millions.听
Since 2016, Augsburg Campus Ministry has hosted the Fosdick Lecture on Preaching. Gifted preachers and storytellers have shared their insights on preaching and topics important to them.
Alan storey: “Preaching for good”
Presenter: Alan Storey
Wednesday, April 15, 2026, 12:00 – 1:00 pm
Hoversten Chapel, Foss Center
625 22nd Avenue South, Minneapolis, MN 55454
Rooted in the South African context 鈥� Alan is a Gospel storyteller and facilitator of personal and political change.
About our speaker
Alan鈥檚 commitment to the Jesus way of justice and peace-making was tested early in his life when he faced听 conscription into the apartheid regime鈥檚 military. He chose to be a conscientious objector. He was arrested and faced trial with a six-year prison sentence as the likely outcome. Alan鈥檚 trial was abandoned midway, and he became the last conscientious objector to be brought to trial in apartheid South Africa. Over the years he has been involved in numerous civil society organizations addressing: gun violence, racism; state-capture corruption; xenophobia; homophobia; transphobia; spacial apartheid inequality; sex worker discrimination and campaign for a universal basic income. Alan spearheaded the transformation of the Stipend Policy within the Methodist Church of Southern Africa.
Alan recently retired from serving at the Central Methodist Mission in Cape Town. As a Methodist minister for 33 years who lived off weekly words, he is now exploring silence and solitude 鈥� while writing. Having recently written the 2025 Andrew Murray Desmond Tutu Prize winning听The bell, banners and blasphemy.
Alan has a Honors degree in Theology and a Masters in the Philosophy of Applied Business Ethics. He is a recipient of the Rotary Paul Harris Fellowship Award and a fellow of the African Leadership Initiative (part of the Aspen Leadership Institute).
Alan鈥檚 lifelong work remains the experimental practice of the Sermon on the Mount.
Alan鈥檚 hope is to contribute to 鈥渉eal the divisions of the past and establish a society based on democratic values, social justice and fundamental human rights.鈥�
Previous Fosdick Lectures
2016听 听William Kent Krueger,听Minnesota Author,听鈥淪toried by God鈥�
2017听 听Rev. Dr. Amy Butler, Minister, Riverside Church,听鈥淕ood New/Bad News: Preaching the Gospel听and the Headlines鈥�
2018听 听Rev. Mark Hanson, Founding Director of Interfaith at Augsburg,听鈥淯nbind Them! Let Them Go! Preaching听Resurrection Hope鈥�
2021听 听Rev. Dr. David Lose, Senior Pastor, Mount Olivet Lutheran Church, Minneapolis, MN,听鈥淒oes Preaching Still Matter?听More than Ever!鈥澨齌he is available on YouTube.
2022听 听Rev. Ingrid Rasmussen, Lead Pastor, and Rev. Angela Khabeb, Senior Associate Pastor, Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, Minneapolis, MN,听鈥淧reaching in a Time of Crisis.鈥�
2023听 听Senator John Marty and Mindy Greiling, “Hearing. Helping. Healing our Neighbors with Mental Health Challenges” Addressing Mental Health Concerns in Religious Communities.” The is available on YouTube.
2024听 听Rev. Barbara Lundblad, Joe R. Engle Professor of Preaching Emerita at Union Theological Seminary in New York City, “Shall the Christian Nationalists Win?”听 Recording of the
2025听 听Rev. Dr. DeWayne Davis, Lead Minister, Plymouth Congregational Church, “Shall Untruth Win? Faithful Preaching in an Age of Mistrust and Misinformation” Recording of
Previous Lectures
