Reinhold Niebuhr

by Robin W. Lovin

Book Overview

Abingdon Pillars of Theology is a series for the college and seminary classroom designed to help students grasp the basic and necessary facts, influence, and significance of major theologians. Written by major scholars, these books will outline the context, methodology, organizing principles, primary contributions, and major writings of people who have shaped theology as we know it today.Reinhold Niebuhr understood the tensions and complexities...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 068764612X
• ISBN13: 9780687646128
• Release Date: September 2007
• Publisher: Abingdon Press
• Length: 104 Pages
• Weight: 0.40 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.3" x 6.1" x 8.9"

Customer Reviews

A great brief intro

It seems hard to believe that people would ever "forget" someone like Niebuhr, a great intellectual who was on the cover of TIME magazine's 25th anniversary issue. But in recent years, people of different political perspectives have rediscovered him, and political junkies who read Peter Beinart, David Brooks, and many others may be trying to find out more. Although Niebuhr is pretty readable on his own, Lovin's short book is a great place to start learning about his ideas and concerns. He puts Niebuhr's thinking in context, gives biographical background, talks about the scope and the general arc of his career, which went roughly from the Great Depression to Vietnam. For example, many readers may think they are interested in Niebuhr purely as a social and political commentator; the fact that he was a minister and theologian may seem irrelevant. But it isn't, and Lovin does a great job of explaining why. Lovin also suggests why Niebuhr's thinking remains so relevant to us now. Although Niebuhr enthusiasts will have other excellent books that they'll call indispensable, this is the book to help a new person get started. It will give you enough to start reading Niebuhr and seeing his ideas for yourself. I believe Niebuhr would be pleased.