John Hassler Dietrich lived from 1878 to 1957. He started his ministry as an Orthodox Christian Minister, became a moderate Christian, Moderate christian Unitarian, Scientific Naturalist and then called his teachings Humanism. He became a Humanist Minister in about 1911 in the Unitarian Church of Spokane, Washington, and then at First Unitarian in Minneapolis, Minnesota from 1916 to the 1940's. He said "The Supreme discovery of the ages is that the Universe is governed by Natural Law rather than by a Deity." and " The whole Orthodox christian church today spending its time in trying to propitiate a God who is not angry, to save souls that are not lost, that they may enter a heaven that does not exist, expending its energies along mistaken channels toward issues that are entirely Imaginary. also, "Those who find Humanism's notion of religion without God absurd, have not been able to sound the depths of its mystic meaning. Those who too easily stigmatize its devotion to reason and reality as cold and meaningless miss its profound call to life and purpose. Our sojourn here becomes a wonder-awakening romance, a pilgrimage through mysteries and marvels, and as we walk together, comforting each other, inspiring each other, helping each other, loving each other, our hearts burn within us." In 2016 the Minneapolis Unitarian Society is Celebrating 100 years as a Humanist Society. There have been many Humanists since that time but no one has laid out more Humanist values than Dietrich. He spoke to many thousands of people live, and on the radio, wrote over 1500 presentations, and copies were distributed across the World. He became Known as the Father of Religious Humanism. His writings reveal that he was a Secular Humanist Leader and so I, Rev. Douglas K. Peary, Editor, call him The Father of all Modern Humanism.
About the Author: Rev. John H. Dietrich lived from 1878 to 1957. from 1916 to 1938 he was the minister at the First Unitarian Society in Minneapolis, Minn. He had 3 churches ending at the one above. He increased all of the Churches from under a hundred members to over 1000 members. He wrote about 1500 one hour sermons. He moved from Orthodox Christian to Unitarian Christian to Humanist and was the most prolific author of the values of Humanist thought. Editor Rev. Douglas K. Peary moved from Fundamentalist Christian to Unitarian non Theist Minister and then Humanist Celebrant (Minister) Peary was so impressed buy Dietrich that he decided to Edit Dietrich's writings for the advancement of Dietrich's timeless Humanist thought in the World for the next 100 years. 2016 is 100 years since Dietrich became Minister in Minneapolis.