An American Conscience: The Reinhold Niebuhr Story

By Jeremy L. Sabella

Book Overview

Reinhold Niebuhr (1892-1971) was an inner-city pastor, ethics professor, and author of the famous Serenity Prayer. Time magazine's 25th anniversary issue in March 1948 featured Niebuhr on its cover, and Time later eulogized him as "the greatest Protestant theologian in America since Jonathan Edwards." Cited as an influence by public figures ranging from Billy Graham to Barack Obama, Niebuhr was described by historian Arthur Schlesinger Jr. as "the most influential American theologian of the twentieth century."

In this companion volume to the forthcoming documentary film by Martin Doblmeier on the life and influence of Reinhold Niebuhr, Jeremy Sabella draws on an unprecedented set of exclusive interviews to explore how Niebuhr continues to compel minds and stir consciences in the twenty-first century. Interviews with leading voices such as Jimmy Carter, David Brooks, Cornel West, and Stanley Hauerwas as well as with people who knew Niebuhr personally, including his daughter Elisabeth, provide a rich trove of original material to help readers understand Niebuhr's enduring impact on American life and thought.

CONTRIBUTORS (interviewees)

Andrew J. Bacevich
David Brooks
Lisa Sowle Cahill
Jimmy Carter
Gary Dorrien
Andrew Finstuen
K. Healan Gaston
Stanley Hauerwas
Susannah Heschel
William H. Hudnut III
Robin W. Lovin
Fr. Mark S. Massa, SJ
Elisabeth Sifton
Ronald H. Stone
Cornel West
Andrew Young

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0802875270
• ISBN13: 9780802875273
• Release Date: March 2017
• Publisher: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company
• Length: 171 Pages
• Weight: 0.59 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 5.9" x 8.9"

Customer Reviews

A commie watched by the FBI - file no. 77-17305

Somehow, even though I lived through the Niebuhr years, I have never heard of him. I guess that is why we have this An American Conscience series. The first problem you will notice is that it is mostly a bunch of soundbites; they cannot concentrate on one presenter at a time or for an exceptionally long time. We get a lot of film clips of history with the same soundbite people. He may be best known as the author of the famous Serenity Prayer. God, give us the serenity to accept what cannot be changed; Give us the courage to change what should be changed; Give us the wisdom to distinguish one from the other. - prayer said to have been first published in 1951; Richard Wightman Fox, Reinhold Niebuhr (1985) “Man's capacity for justice makes democracy possible, but man's inclination to injustice makes democracy necessary.” – “Children of Light and Children of Darkness” (1944) foreword. This prayer was also included in a prayer book given to American G.I.s on the front of WWII. There is a good Miles Wallace interview that has not been remastered. He, as vice president of the Socialist Party, runs for New York State Senate. Oh no, Reinhold Nieber turns anti-commie during the Cold War. Watch and find out why. He almost turns Joseph Campbell into following your bliss and engaging in the world. Watching the Vietnam War on T.V. irked him. Yet in recognition of his contribution to American life, Reinhold Niebuhr was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1964. The Presidential Medal of Freedom is the highest civilian award of the United States, alongside the Congressional Gold Medal. It is an award bestowed by the decision of the president of the United States to recognize people who have made "an especially meritorious contribution to the security or national interests of the United States, world peace, cultural or other significant public or private endeavors." The DVD and companion book are available You will miss a lot of the content of the documentary with this review, as it would take pages and pages to tell what you will see.