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This is your place to publicly comment on the topics and issues addressed in Speaking of Faith programs. React in a personal way, and put into words what this program meant to you.
Submit Your Reflection about "Moral Man and Immoral Society: Rediscovering Reinhold Niebuhr."
An Impact on Yale (November 1, 2007)
When I was an entering student at Yale Divinity School, I remember Roland Bainton telling us that Reinhold and Richard Niebuhr came to Yale arguing with Douglas Cyde Macintosh and his liberal theology and they left Yale, still arguing. In fact, they made an indelible mark on YDS — neo-orthodoxy. Richard's influence was, of course, stronger, since Reinhold taught at that "other" school. But what other school do you know of who dismissed class for a whole day to have a teach-in on the work of Karl Barth?
Jerry Kirkpatrick
Waco, TX (KWBU, 103.3 FM)
Our Work Remains Relevant (November 1, 2007)
As a seminarian at Union Theological Seminary currently studying Reinhold Niebuhr with Dr. James H. Cone, I thank you for your program "Moral Man and Immoral Society" broadcast on October 26, 2007. The thought and seriousness with which you approach Niebuhr's work and its relation to our time is to be commended.
It is my hope and prayer that our theological and social work continues to be relevant to the crucial questions of human existence that Niebuhr articulated and remain critical today: Why does civilization need religion? How must we act as religious people? How do we find hope and faith in a hopeless world? How do we remain inspired and empowered to work for justice while aware of our own humility and sinfulness? I especially appreciated Richard W. Fox's comments on how contemporary liberal theology must address such questions in a pluralist and post-modern world.
Megan L. Joiner
New York, NY (Listens to SOF OnDemand)
Balance Is the Key (October 28, 2007)
Interesting that Reinhold Niebuhr is being cited by radically different political theorists at this time: I first became aware of Reinhold Niebuhr political philosophy through the book Ethical Realism, published 2006, a joint production of the progressive Anatole Lieven, of the New America Foundation, and conservative John Hulsman, former member of the Heritage Foundation. They agreed to bury their differences in the interests of producing a call to a sensible foreign policy, of containment rather than attack of the enemy, citing most frequently Niebuhr as a proponent of a foreign policy based on balancing force and dialog.
Niebuhr was also one of many who were asked in 1955 to respond to a Quaker document, "Speaking Truth to Power," the original document and responses being published in the Progressive of October 1955. Most of the respondents, like Niebuhr, felt that "Speaking Truth to Power" was a beautifully written document, without, however, any real answers to the problem of injustice among men. Niebuhr posed that force "cannot be disavowed, even though every effort must be made to keep it in its proper place," because "only if one adopts the principle that it is better to suffer injustice than to resort to force can one wholly disavow the use of force." To disavow force, he felt is always an option for the individual, but never an option for the statesman.
The Quaker response was to state that war is always evil, citing Gandhi (although a careful reading of Gandhi reveals that he said on numerous occasions that force for the protection of another person under attack should not be disavowed) and stating that all war is evil (did they ever read Sun Tzu, The Art of War, for whom the best war is won without battle? Interesting too that the authors of Ethical Realism cite Niebuhr as one who would feel that the best way to prevent war is to say, in effect, "we're strong, so you don't attack us, in order that we don't attack you."
As a Quaker, I disagree with their responses, as would most Quakers I know. This would include NPR's own Scott Simon, who came under a great deal of flak from the more some rather vocal Quaker pacifists when he disavowed pacifism. I greatly admire Niebuhr for his wisdom in knowing that balance is always the key, that there are no absolutes.
Emily Ranseen
Brooklyn, NY (WNYC, 93.9 FM)
Praying for Wisdom (October 28, 2007)
I was impressed by your presentation and reminded of the "Christianity" I was raised with. There was a time where rational faith dominated the American Christian community and the evangelists and fundamentalists were the outsiders. Since media has dominated the faith, I am continually associated with those that mix irrational Christianity with irrational politics.
I was raised in the Midwest in a Danish Lutheran Church with an immigrant theology dominated by N.F.S. Grundvig. For a time our flavor of liberal Christianity favoring the individual, education, and charity was mainstream, and Niebuhr gave us popular credibility. No more and not for many years has this been so. The rest of the world benefits from American heroes &151; like M.L. King citing his influence while we forget him. Thank you again for this show. I will re-read Moral Man and Immoral Society and pray for wisdom.
Gary Johansen
Los Angeles, CA (KPCC, 89.3 FM)
Great Program and Web Site (October 28, 2007)
I've been listening to you for quite awhile — initially when the program aired on WETA, then I was one of several voices who successfully lobbied WAMU to pick up Speaking of Faith after WETA's format change. (In the interim, I listened to your programs on my iPod.) Yet today was the first time I visited your Web site, on my laptop while still listening to your program. I was struck by the beauty and value of the Web component of your program. The Niebuhr timeline is an exquisite use of technology and I spent the bulk of my visit this morning there. Really really fine work. I'm not sure why I'm surprised. Your use of the Web is a fine reflection of the equally great work you do through your audio programs. I look forward to exploring the site further, and listening to future programs. Thanks for doing this work.
Jillaine Smith
Washington, DC (WAMU, 88.5 FM)
On the 75th Anniversary of Moral Man and Immoral Society (October 27, 2007)
I thank you and commend you for the timely attention given to Niebuhr on this occasion. Good articles and challenges, here! In Shalom.
Barry K. Morris
Vancouver, Canada (Listens to SOF OnDemand)
Remembering Niebuhr (October 27, 2007)
Thank you for the broadcast on Reinhold Niebuhr. He was at his peak when I was in Boston University School of Theology. Some of my clergy colleagues in Ohio were his students at Union Theological Seminary and took classes from him. When an undergrad at Ohio State University, a political science professor, suggested that I read Niebuhr's Faith and History as a cure for my naive pacifism. It worked. I have in my retired preacher's library several of his books, including a heavily underlined two-volume edition of The Nature and Destiny of Man. In Langdon Gilkey's On Niebuhr, he tells of his father, good friend of Niebuhr and dean of the chapel at the University of Chicago, just receiving a copy of Niebuhr's Moral Man and Immoral Society. Gilkey said, "I can't understand a word of it and neither can Harry!" [Harry Emerson Fosdick] Just a good story. Keep up the good work.
John Ball
Orien, OH (WOSU, 820 AM)
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