Review Of "Reinhold Niebuhr On Politics, Religion, And Christian Faith" By R. Crouter

Document Type

Book Review

Publication Date

2-1-2011

Published In

Choice

Abstract

Crouter (emer., Carleton College) offers a fine introduction to the thought of Reinhold Niebuhr, sometime professor of Christian social ethics at Union Theological Seminary in New York. Niebuhr was one of the foremost American Protestant thinkers of the middle years of the 20th century. That he is currently undergoing a revival should not surprise anyone. Most of the issues he addressed are on today's agenda: war, peace, economics, social justice, and the relevance of religion to public life. Niebuhr was admired in his lifetime for the depth and variety of his writing in history, theology, and politics as well as his challenging and provocative style. He appealed to secularists and believers alike. Often described as a Christian realist, Niebuhr spoke at the intersection of a high ethical idealism and a frank recognition of the limitations imposed on people by their self-centeredness. This book should attract a wide readership among academics and those interested in issues in public life. Crouter is coeditor of the Journal for the History of Modern Theology and author of Friedrich Schleiermacher: Between Enlightenment and Romanticism (CH, Jul'06, 43-6447). Summing Up: Highly recommended. Lower-level undergraduates and above.

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