Reinhold Niebuhr’s Christian realism

E726708

Christian ethical theory political theology theological perspective

Reinhold Niebuhr’s Christian realism is a theological and ethical perspective that emphasizes human sinfulness, the limits of moral idealism, and the need for realistic engagement with political power and social injustice from a Christian standpoint.

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Statements (51)

Predicate	Object
instanceOf	Christian ethical theory ⓘ political theology ⓘ theological perspective ⓘ
centralConcept	balance between justice and order ⓘ irony of American history ⓘ moral ambiguity of national power ⓘ responsible use of coercion ⓘ the distinction between the absolute ideal of love and relative political justice ⓘ the impossibility of perfect justice in history ⓘ the necessity of compromise in political life ⓘ
contrastsWith	Christian idealism ⓘ liberal Protestant social gospel optimism ⓘ naive moralism in politics ⓘ
developedBy	Reinhold Niebuhr NERFINISHED ⓘ
emphasizes	human sinfulness ⓘ the ambiguity of human moral action ⓘ the doctrine of original sin ⓘ the finitude and fallibility of human reason ⓘ the limits of moral idealism in politics ⓘ the need for realistic engagement with political power ⓘ the need to confront social injustice ⓘ the partial and provisional character of all political achievements ⓘ the persistence of self-interest in individuals and groups ⓘ the tension between love and justice ⓘ the tragic character of history ⓘ
influenced	20th-century Christian political thought ⓘ Cold War–era American foreign policy debates ⓘ later Christian ethicists and political theologians ⓘ
influencedBy	Augustinian theology ⓘ biblical realism about human nature ⓘ the doctrine of original sin in Western Christianity ⓘ
reactsAgainst	liberal Protestant optimism about human progress ⓘ pure pacifism in the face of radical evil ⓘ utopian political idealism ⓘ
relatedWork	Moral Man and Immoral Society NERFINISHED ⓘ The Children of Light and the Children of Darkness NERFINISHED ⓘ The Irony of American History NERFINISHED ⓘ The Nature and Destiny of Man NERFINISHED ⓘ
supports	democratic institutions as checks on human sin ⓘ limited and critical patriotism ⓘ social reform pursued with awareness of human fallibility ⓘ use of political power to restrain injustice ⓘ
theologicalTradition	Protestantism ⓘ
viewsHumanNatureAs	marked by pride and self-deception ⓘ simultaneously capable of creativity and destructiveness ⓘ
viewsSocietyAs	prone to injustice without checks on power ⓘ subject to collective egoism ⓘ
warnsAgainst	identifying any nation with the kingdom of God ⓘ moral absolutism in political decisions ⓘ moral cynicism and resignation ⓘ self-righteousness in individuals and nations ⓘ

Referenced by (1)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

With the Grain of the Universe → engagesWith → Reinhold Niebuhr’s Christian realism ⓘ