Reinhold Niebuhr

38 scholars weigh in on Reinhold Niebuhr’s life and times, his allies and adversaries, his theology and ethics

What do Reinhold Niebuhr's blind spots tell us about our own?

“We turn to Thurman, Bonhoeffer, Day, Heschel, and Niebuhr because they never let us forget the important questions.”

William Pitts examines the era when the Social Gospel was new—and controversial.

Maybe Christian Realism is the best option we have today.

Global cooperation is important.

For a Niebuhrian, the former FBI director doesn't seem to have much self-doubt.

Cooper Harriss aims to rescue Ellison from neglect and misinterpretation—by reading him alongside theologians.

In worship, our moral compass is recalibrated—with the help of others.

Religious leaders as different as William Barber and Russell Moore reflect Reinhold Niebuhr's insights.

Martin Doblmeier’s new documentary shows how theology drives our use of power.

Bacevich provides another case of the fraught dream of managing history that Reinhold Niebuhr critiqued.

There are some very important national conversations taking place these days. Few people seem to be saying anything grounded in theology.

Anti-feminist sentiment, misbehaving athletes, racist images, and student safety concerns all manifested themselves in one way or another during the 2014–2015 academic year at the University of Mary Washington. Now that the annus horribilis is over, new challenges present themselves. President Rick Hurley recently announced recommendations, including a series of discussions on civility. 

That’s a good start, but we need to do even more.

There are some advantages to teaching online. Often instructors complain that the online format robs them of give-and-take moments with students. But given the current size of many history survey sections—50, 90, 300, even 500 people—how realistic is it to expect those real-time opportunities for conversation? Online threaded discussions are often more substantive, inclusive, and productive than the traditional classroom format.

Reinhold Niebuhr once broke with the editor of this magazine to argue that moral responsibility requires resisting evil with force. It’s a compelling argument, but it doesn’t justify torture.

Readers may or may not accept Charles Hefling's reconstruction of the doctrine of original sin. But he continues the tradition of rethinking the faith in light of new knowledge, contexts, and concerns.

Obama embraces both the idealistic and realistic poles of Christian action. He recognizes with Niebuhr that politics is inherently tragic.

In this issue Rebekah Miles describes the key role that Ursula Niebuhr played in the development of her husband's
thinking and writing ("Uncredited").
The article sent me to the bookshelf for Elisabeth Sifton's fascinating account of her parents' life together.