Paul Elie, Jean Bethke Elshtain, and Robin Lovin — Moral Man and Immoral Society: Rediscovering Reinhold Niebuhr

On Being with Krista Tippett

On Being Studios

Sociology, Spirituality, Religion & Spirituality, Krista Tippett, Arts, Culture, On Being, Society, Society & Culture, Science, Social Sciences

4.7 • 10.2K Ratings

🗓️ 25 October 2007

⏱️ 53 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

We explore the ideas and present-day relevance of 20th century theologian Reinhold Niebuhr, an influential, boundary-crossing voice in American public life. Niebuhr created the term “Christian realism:” a middle path between religious idealism and arrogance. Exploring his wide appeal, three distinctive voices describe Niebuhr’s legacy and ask what insights he brings to the political and religious dynamics of the early 21st century.

Transcript

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0:00.0	I'm Krista Tippett.
0:06.3	Today we pursue and large to perspective on war, nation building, and religion and politics
0:13.4	through the ideas of Reinhold Niebuhr.
0:16.3	He's recently been rediscovered by an unlikely array of pundits and politicians.
0:22.0	Niebuhr's penetrating analysis of human nature shaped his approach to 20th century foreign
0:27.9	policy and might reframe ours.
0:31.9	The very idealism that has animated so many good things in history of this country also
0:37.5	lead us to be arrogant, lead us to be insensitive to the cultures of other peoples, lead us to
0:43.8	overestimate the ability to get things to go our way, our virtues and our vices are inextricably
0:50.0	joined.
0:51.0	It's a religious insight that's being applied in a political situation.
0:55.0	This is speaking of faith, stay with us.
1:00.4	I'm Krista Tippett.
1:02.4	This hour we pursue and large to perspective on war, nation building, and religion and
1:08.3	politics through the ideas of Reinhold Niebuhr.
1:12.2	This 20th century theologian is being invoked by commentators on the right and the left,
1:18.1	as well as politicians from Barack Obama to John McCain.
1:22.6	So who was he?
1:24.0	And how might his very way of thinking reframe 21st century confusions?
1:31.6	From American public media, this is speaking of faith, public radio's conversation about
1:37.3	religion, meaning ethics, and ideas.
1:43.1	Today, moral man and immoral society, rediscovering Reinhold Niebuhr.
	...

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