Montana State University

Diversity Awareness Office

Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Lecture

“Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that.
Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that.”
- Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Each year, Montana State University hosts a lecture that focuses on subjects or speakers embodying the spirit of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s message. This year, in commemoration of MLK day, remembering a man who urged people to see the world whole, with both its history of imperfection and its future promise, we welcome Chris Stedman.


Check out Chris on YouTube, Twitter and NonProphet Status
Chris Stedman


The Assistant Humanist Chaplain at Harvard University and the Values Action Coordinator for the Humanist Community at Harvard, Stedman writes and speaks about interfaith work and community building throughout the country. He received a BA in Religion from Augsburg College, and an MA in Religion from Meadville Lombard Theological School at the University of Chicago where he was also awarded the Billings Prize for Most Outstanding Scholastic Achievement.

Previously a Content Developer and Adjunct Trainer for the Interfaith Youth Core, Chris is an atheist working to foster positive and productive dialogue and collaborative action between faith communities and the non-religious. Currently, Stedman writes for a variety blogs and news sources including the Huffington Post and the Washington Post on topics including faith, religion and LGBTQ issues. He is the Emeritus Managing Director of the State of Formation at the Journal of Inter-Religious Dialogue, and the founder of Non-Prophet Status, the first blog dedicated to exploring atheist-interfaith engagement. His book, Faitheist: How An Atheist Found Common Ground with the Religions was released in November of 2012, about which Booklist noted “Stedman’s story is motivational, his thoughts on interreligious dialogue insightful, and in this short memoir, he proves himself an activist in the truest sense and one to watch.” (starred review)

This event is free and open to the public. Please note the date, this lecture was originally scheduled for January 16, 2013. It has been moved to January 17th, 2013 as listed above.

Sponsored by the Diversity Awareness Office, ASMSU and the Office of Activities and Engagement. For more information please call 406-994-5801.