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Reinhold Niebuhr

Reinhold Niebuhr Quotes

Theologian

Reinhold Niebuhr was a prominent American theologian whose work on Christian ethics and social ethics had a profound impact on the 20th century. He was a key figure in theological discourse, particularly for his exploration of the nature of sin and the church's role in society. Niebuhr's theological thought has influenced various Christian denominations and has had a lasting effect on political and social thought.

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Famous Reinhold Niebuhr Quotes

“I think I should know how to educate a boy, but not a girl; I should be in danger of making her too learned.”

Thinking Knows Should Girl Education Boys Know How Danger Educate

Author:Reinhold Niebuhr

“My personal attitude toward atheists is the same attitude that I have toward Christians, and would be governed by a very orthodox text: "By their fruits shall ye know them." I wouldn't judge a man by the presuppositions of his life, but only by the fruits of his life. And the fruits - the relevant fruits - are, I'd say, a sense of charity, a sense of proportion, a sense of justice. And whether the man is an atheist or a Christian, I would judge him by his fruits, and I have therefore many agnostic friends.”

Knows Men Would Be Christian Justice Attitude He Man Judging Charity Fruit Atheist Proportion Orthodox Relevant Agnostic

Author:Reinhold Niebuhr

“One of the fundamental points about religious humility is you say you don't know about the ultimate judgment. It's beyond your judgment. And if you equate God's judgment with your judgment, you have a wrong religion.”

Ifs Knows Religious Humility Judgment Ultimate Fundamentals

Author:Reinhold Niebuhr

“The separation of church and state is necessary partly because if religion is good then the state shouldn't interfere with the religious vision or with the religious prophet. There must be a realm of truth beyond political competence, that's why there must be a separation of churches, but if religion is bad and a bad religion is one that gives an ultimate sanctity to some particular cause. Then religion mustn't interfere with the state - so one of the basic Democratic principles as we know it in America is the separation of church and state.”

“We don't properly discriminate. We never discriminate properly when we're dealing with another group and one of the big problems about religion is that religious people don't know that they are probably as flagrant in these misjudgments as irreligious people.”

People Knows Problem Bigs Religious Groups Big Problems

Author:Reinhold Niebuhr

“The prophet himself stands under the judgment which he preaches. If he does not know that, he is a false prophet.”

Ifs Knows Doe Judgment Prophet False Prophets

Author:Reinhold Niebuhr

“God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference. Grant me the patience with changes that take time, appreciation of all that I have, tolerance of those with different struggles, and the strength to get up and try again, one day at a time.”

Knows Trying I Can Different Differences Accepting Struggle One Day Appreciation Tolerance Get Up Grants Serenity Take Time Try Again One Day At A Time Courage To Change Wisdom To Know The Difference

Author:Reinhold Niebuhr

“Religion mustn't interfere with the state - so one of the basic Democratic principles as we know it in America is the separation of church and state.”

Knows States America Church Principles Democratic Separation Interfere Church And State Separation Of Church And State

Author:Reinhold Niebuhr

“I don't know whether any religious leader would say that we must ultimately win, because we're on God's side. If they do say that, it's bad religion.”

Ifs Knows Winning Sides Religious Leader Religious Leaders

Author:Reinhold Niebuhr

“I know that the Communists are atheistic and godless, but I don't think that that's what's primarily the matter with them. What's primarily the matter with them is that they worship a false god. That's much more dangerous than when people don't believe anything; they may be confused, they may not have a sense of the meaning of life, but they're not dangerous.”

People Thinking Knows Believe May Matter Dangerous Worship Don't Believe Confused Meaning Of Life Communist Atheistic False Gods

Author:Reinhold Niebuhr

“We have to risk a nuclear war in order to escape capitulation to Communism. For all I know, we may stumble into this terrible war.”

Knows May War Order Risk Terrible Nuclear Communism Nuclear War Capitulation

Author:Reinhold Niebuhr

“My personal attitude toward atheists is the same attitude that I have toward Christians, and would be governed by a very orthodox text: "By their fruits shall ye know them."”

Knows Would Be Christian Attitude Fruit Atheist Orthodox

Author:Reinhold Niebuhr

“God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.”

Author:Reinhold Niebuhr

“Our age knows nothing but reaction, and leaps from one extreme to another.”

Knows Age Extremes Reactions Leap Fanaticism Leaps And Bounds

Author:Reinhold Niebuhr

“God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; courage to change the things I can; and wisdom to know the difference. Living one day at a time; enjoying one moment at a time; accepting hardships as the pathway to peace; taking, as He did, this sinful world as it is, not as I would have it; trusting that He will make all things right if I surrender to His Will; that I may be reasonably happy in this life and supremely happy with Him forever in the next. Amen.”

“Ultimately evil is done not so much by evil people, but by good people who do not know themselves and who do not probe deeply.”

People Knows Done Evil Good People Evil People

Author:Reinhold Niebuhr

“Civilization depends upon the vigorous pursuit of the highest values by people who are intelligent enough to know that their values are qualified by their interests and corrupted by their prejudices.”

People Knows Enough Values Interest Depends Civilization Highest Prejudice Intelligent Pursuit Qualified Vigorous

Book:Reinhold Niebuhr: Major Works on Religion and Politics: (Library of America #263)

Source: Reinhold Niebuhr: Major Works on Religion and Politics: (Library of America #263)