Abstract
When you read a book in a chair, you are comfortable. If you sit in this chair and begin making theological pronouncements about your society at large, maybe you would be called an “armchair theologian.” Either way, this book is meant for those who literally want to read and do nothing about what they have read (armchair theologians) or it can also be used as a stepping stone to much more. Scott R. Paeth’s words and illustrations of the two Niebuhr brothers gives his readers a chance to imagine what their lives must have been like several decades ago. When you can imaginatively enter and metaphorically participate in another’s life—vis-à-vis at least another’s magical telling of the story—the scenes, pictures, and ideas take on a whole newer meaning than they once held.
The book takes the reader on a journey of the lives of the two theologians, from birth through some of childhood, schooling and seminary, along with professional careers, teaching positions, and other academic positions, amidst the turmoil of World War II and learning how to grapple with the effects after the fact. Theology is, at this point, a changing world in motion. You shape it, refine it, and make it new again, giving it new meaning in each instance. For the two Niebuhr brothers, they have done just that, shaping everything from theology and politics, to philosophy and government or denominational decisions. These two brothers have arguably been called some of the most influential theologians of the twenty-first century.
Though the brothers grew up in the same homes and went to the same schools, they ultimately became different types of theologians, sometimes believing something totally different than the other on the same topic, for example, the war. H. Richard wrote about the grace of God and trusting in God’s providence to do and fulfill what God had already intended in God’s ultimate plan, whereas Reinhold felt that we must ultimately be ones who do something instead of thinking about it, in order to make a difference in the war.
The two brothers, although bright in many areas, disagreed on what it meant for God to act in the world. Does God act in history? Does God act in persons’ lives, or both in some way? Because of their opposing viewpoints, they gathered different types of followers, and because Reinhold immersed himself in the political arena and became a known political Christian commentator, his voice was heard well by many. One might even say he was the more “popular” brother of the two.
Reinhold stepped into the dark corners of Marxism somewhat, holding tendencies or ideals similar to those of Marx, yet believing in a type of Christian socialist framework that would inevitably do good for many people. Although he never saw this come to pass (and eventually gave up on it), he did follow Christian liberalism of the day to a point which he overstepped once he realized that the high idealism would never get a Christian anywhere in terms of the applicability of Christian praxis in one’s own life.
If I were to summarize Niebuhr’s thought, I would say that he held many things in constant tension with one another, such as the Christ and culture paradigm he created. He also believed that one cannot adequately know what to do in terms of Christian praxis until it is first understood what God is doing in the world and why. Then the action is that which follows—this type of thinking led his brother, Reinhold to argue with H. Richard, for he believed this process amounted to “doing nothing” when there must need be things done (with respect to the war or other ideas). Though a concise summary of the two would be to categorize the two as one who “does” Christian praxis while the other “thinks” theologically about the difficulties and specifics involved, this may be too light a label placed.
Although much more can be said of these two great theologians, I suggest strongly that you read this book and then get a copy of some of both of their works for your own review and enjoyment.