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Quote by Reinhold Niebuhr

“Better not read books in which you make acquaintance of the devil.”

Quote by Reinhold Niebuhr

Author

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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“All known existence points beyond itself.”

Existence Known

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

“A genuine faith resolves the mystery of life by the mystery of God.”

Mystery Genuine Mysterious Resolve Mystery Of Life Mystery Of God

Author:Reinhold Niebuhr

“Man is both strong and weak, both free and bound, both blind and far-seeing. He stands at the juncture of nature and spirit; and is involved in both freedom and necessity.”

Men Spirit Strong Seeing Involved Weak Blind Bounds Juncture

Book:The Nature and Destiny of Man: A Christian Interpretation : Human Nature

Source: The Nature and Destiny of Man: A Christian Interpretation : Human Nature

“The dimension of depth in the consciousness of religion creates the tension between what is and what ought to be. It bends the bow from which every arrow of moral action flies.”

Action Religion Consciousness Moral Ought Depth Tension Dimensions Bows Arrows Moral Action

Book:An Interpretation of Christian Ethics

Source: An Interpretation of Christian Ethics

“The essence of man is his freedom. Sin is committed in that freedom. Sin can therefore not be attributed to a defect in his essence. It can only be understood as a self-contradiction, made possible by the fact of his freedom but not following necessarily from it.”

Men Made Self Facts Sin Understood Essence Committed Following Contradiction Defects

Book:The Nature and Destiny of Man: A Christian Interpretation : Human Nature

Source: The Nature and Destiny of Man: A Christian Interpretation : Human Nature

“The history of institutions is often a history of deception and illusions; for their virtue depends on the ideas that produce and on the spirit that preserves them, and the form may remain unaltered when the substance has passed away.”

May Ideas Form Spirit Virtue Produce Depends Illusion Institutions Deception Substance Preserves Passed Away

Book:The History of Freedom (and other Essays)

Source: The History of Freedom (and other Essays)

“False principles, which correspond with the bad as well as with the just aspirations of mankind, are a normal and necessary element in the social life of nations.”

Wells Nations Social Principles Mankind Elements Normal Aspiration Social Life

Book:The History of Freedom (and other Essays)

Source: The History of Freedom (and other Essays)

“The few have not strength to achieve great changes unaided; the many have not wisdom to be moved by truth unmixed.”

People Achieve Moved Great Change

Book:The History of Freedom: Great Event

Source: The History of Freedom: Great Event

“There is no evidence to support the belief that Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev ever questioned Americas power. He questioned only the President's John F. Kennedys readiness to use it. Elie Abel, The Missile Crisis (1966) Power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely.”

Use Belief President Power Support Evidence Absolutes Crisis Soviet Missiles Readiness Absolute Power Power Corrupts Abel Absolute Power Corrupts Absolutely

Author:Lord Acton