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Quote by Reinhold Niebuhr

Work

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

This volume gathers a selection of Reinhold Niebuhr's most significant works, presenting his thought on religion, ethics, and politics. As part of the Library of America series, it offers readers a curated overview of Niebuhr's contributions to twentieth-century American intellectual history, including his critiques of liberal optimism and his development of Christian realism. The book includes major texts that examine the moral complexities of power, justice, and democracy, reflecting Niebuhr's enduring influence on both theological and political discourse. more

Author

Reinhold Niebuhr
Reinhold Niebuhr

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. more

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“The measure of our rationality determines the degree of vividness with which we appreciate the needs of other life, the extent to which we become conscious of the real character of our own motives and impulses, the ability to harmonize conflicting impulses in our own life and in society, and the capacity to choose adequate means for approved ends.”

NeedsMeanRealEndsCharacterAbilityDegreesConsciousCapacityAppreciateDetermineImpulseMotiveRationalityAdequateApprovedNeeds Of OthersReal CharacterVividnessAdequate Means
Book:Reinhold Niebuhr: Major Works on Religion and Politics: (Library of America #263)
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“While it is possible for intelligence to increase the range of benevolent impulse, and thus prompt a human being to consider the needs and rights of other than those to whom he is bound by organic and physical relationship, there are definite limits in the capacity of ordinary mortals which makes it impossible for them to grant to others what they claim for themselves.”

NeedsHumansHuman BeingsRightsImpossibleLimitsOrdinaryCapacityClaimsIncreaseBoundsMortalsImpulseRangeGrantsDefiniteBenevolentPrompts
Book:Reinhold Niebuhr: Major Works on Religion and Politics: (Library of America #263)
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“We take, and must continue to take, morally hazardous actions to preserve our civilization. We must exercise our power. But we ought neither to believe that a nation is capable of perfect disinterestedness in its exercise, nor become complacent about a particular degree of interest and passion which corrupt the justice by which the exercise of power is legitimatized.”

BelieveActionPassionNationsInterestJusticePerfectParticularOughtExerciseCivilizationDegreesCapablePreservesComplacent
Book:The Irony of American History
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“Our dreams of bringing the whole of human history under the control of the human will are ironically refuted by the fact that no group of idealists can easily move the pattern of history toward the desired goal of peace and justice. The recalcitrant forces in the historical drama have a power and persistence beyond our reckoning.”

HumansWholeFactsDreamMovingForceGoalJusticeGroupsDramaHistoricalPatternsPersistenceOur DreamsHuman HistoryIdealistPeace And JusticeReckoningHuman WillRecalcitrant
Book:Reinhold Niebuhr: Major Works on Religion and Politics: (Library of America #263)
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