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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

“To be religious is not to feel, but to be.”

Feels Religious

Author:Reinhold Niebuhr

“All men are naturally included to obscure the morally ambiguous element in their political cause by investing it with religious sanctity.”

Men Political Causes Religious Elements Investing Obscure Sanctity Ambiguous

Book:Love and Justice: Selections from the Shorter Writings of Reinhold Niebuhr

Source: Love and Justice: Selections from the Shorter Writings of 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 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.”

Ifs States Church Religious Vision Separation Prophet Interfere Church And State Separation Of Church And State

Author:Reinhold Niebuhr

“There has been a religious revival because - let me put it like this, the people that weren't traditionally religious, conventionally religious, had a religion of their own in my youth. These were liberals who believed in the idea of progress or they were Marxists. Both of these secular religions have broken down.”

People Has Beens Ideas Religious Progress Youth Broken Let Me Secular Revival Marxist Broken Down

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 think there is and ultimate answer in a true religious faith, but it doesn't give you any immediate answers, it doesn't.”

Thinking Giving Religious Answers Ultimate Religious Faith

Author:Reinhold Niebuhr

“I think I have one answer, that is partly religious and partly secular; and that is to say, we ought to at least recognize that we and the Russians are in a common predicament. That would be religious in the sense, "Judge not lest you be judged."”

Thinking Would Be Religious Answers Common Judging Ought Judged Secular Predicaments

Author:Reinhold Niebuhr

“I might say that the debate between atheists and Christians is rather stale to me, because the Christians say, "You must be a Christian, or you must be a religious man, in order to be good," and the atheists will say, "It's beneath the dignity of a free man to bow his knee to a god, as if he were a sinner," or something like that.”

Ifs Men Might Christian Order Religious Dignity Atheist Be Good Debate Knees Sinner Bows Free Man Stale

Author:Reinhold Niebuhr

“The tendency to claim God as an ally for our partisan value and ends is the source of all religious fanaticism.”

Ends Wisdom Values Religious Source Claims Tendencies Allies Fanaticism Partisans Religious Fanatics

Author:Reinhold Niebuhr

“The final test of religious faith... is whether it will enable men to endure insecurity without complacency or despair, whether it can so interpret the ancient verities that they will not become mere escape hatches from responsibilities but instruments of insights into what civilization means.”

Men Mean Religious Responsibility Civilization Despair Tests Instruments Mere Endure Finals Ancient Insight Insecurity Religious Faith Complacency

Author:Reinhold Niebuhr

“There is no social evil, no form of injustice whether of the feudal or the capitalist order which has not been sanctified in some way or other by religious sentiment and thereby rendered more impervious to change.”

Way Form Order Evil Social Religious Injustice Sentiments Capitalist Impervious Social Evils

Author:Reinhold Niebuhr