The Nature and Destiny of Man

Reinhold Niebuhr

• Publisher: Westminster John Knox Press
• Year: 2021
• Print ISBN: 9780664266318
• eBook ISBN: 9781646982240
• Topic: Theology & Religion
• Subtopic: Christian Theology

The Nature and Destiny of Man issues a vigorous challenge to Western civilization to understand its roots in the faith of the Bible, particularly in the Hebraic tradition. Niebuhr here lays out his influential understanding of the two poles of human existence: finitude and freedom. Individual human thriving requires that we fully understand and honor both of these aspects of our nature, yet human history demonstrates our penchant for placing one over the other. This book is arguably Reinhold Niebuhr's most important work. It offers a sustained articulation of Niebuhr's theological ethics and is considered a landmark in twentieth-century thought.

Volume 1 © 1941, Charles Scribner’s Sons. Volume 2 © 1943, Charles Scribner’s Sons, renewed 1970 Reinhold Niebuhr. The Nature and Destiny of Man, 2 volume set (Gifford Lectures) © 1949 Charles Scribner’s Sons, renewed 1976 Ursula Niebuhr. Preface © 1964 Reinhold Niebuhr. Foreword © 2021 by Westminster John Knox Press.

Published in the Reinhold Niebuhr Library in 2021

by Westminster John Knox Press

Louisville, Kentucky

21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30—10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2

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Cover design by Allison Taylor

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is on file at the Library of Congress, Washington, D.C.

ISBN: 9780664266318 (pbk.)

ISBN: 9781646982240 (ebook)

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To my wife

URSULA

who helped, and

To my children

CHRISTOPHER and ELIZABETH

who frequently interrupted me

in the writing of these pages

Contents

Foreword by Amos Yong

I. Man as a Problem to Himself

The Classical View of Man

The Christian View of Man

The Modern View of Man

II. The Problem of Vitality and Form in Human Nature

The Rationalistic View of Human Nature

The Romantic Protest Against Rationalism

The Errors of Romanticism

Romantic Elements in Marxism

The Social Basis of Conflicting Theories

III. Individuality in Modern Culture

The Christian Sense of Individuality

The Idea of Individuality in the Renaissance

Bourgeois Civilization and Individuality

The Destruction of Individuality in Naturalism

The Loss of the Self in Idealism

The Loss of the Self in Romanticism

IV. The Easy Conscience of Modern Man

The Effort to Derive Evil from Specific Historical Sources

Nature as a Source of Virtue

The Optimism of Idealism

V. The Relevance of the Christian View of Man

Individual and General Rev...

Table of contents

• Cover
• VOL.1 Half Title
• Title Page
• Copyright
• Dedication
• Contents
• Foreword
• VOL.1 Half Title
• I. MAN AS A PROBLEM TO HIMSELF
• The Classical View of Man
• The Christian View of Man
• The Modern View of Man
• II. THE PROBLEM OF VITALITY AND FORM IN HUMAN NATURE
• The Rationalistic View of Human Nature
• The Romantic Protest Against Rationalism
• The Errors of Romanticism
• III. INDIVIDUALITY IN MODERN CULTURE
• The Christian Sense of Individuality
• The Idea of Individuality in the Renaissance
• Bourgeois Civilization and Individuality
• The Destruction of Individuality in Naturalism
• The Loss of the Self in Idealism
• The Loss of the Self in Romanticism
• IV. THE EASY CONSCIENCE OF MODERN MAN
• The Effort to Derive Evil from Specific Historical Sources
• Nature as a Source of Virtue
• The Optimism of Idealism
• V. THE RELEVANCE OF THE CHRISTIAN VIEW OF MAN
• Individual and General Revelation
• Creation as Revelation
• Historical and Special Revelation
• VI. MAN AS IMAGE OF GOD AND AS CREATURE
• Biblical Basis of the Doctrines
• The Doctrine of Man as Creature
• VII. MAN AS SINNER
• Temptation and Sin
• The Sin of Pride
• The Relation of Dishonesty to Pride
• VIII. MAN AS SINNER (CONTINUED)
• The Equality of Sin and the Inequality of Guilt
• Sin as Sensuality
• IX. ORIGINAL SIN AND MAN’S RESPONSIBILITY
• Pelagian Doctrines
• Augustinian Doctrines
• Temptation and Inevitability of Sin
• Responsibility Despite Inevitability
• Literalistic Errors
• X. JUSTITIA ORIGINAL
• Essential Nature and Original Righteousness
• The Locus of Original Righteousness
• The Content Justitia Originalis as Law
• The Transcendent Character of Justitia Originalis
• Index of Scriptural Passages
• Index of Proper Names
• Index of Subjects
• VOL.2 Half Title
• Title Page
• Contents
• VOL.2 Half Title
• I. HUMAN DESTINY AND HISTORY
• WHERE A CHRIST IS NOT EXPECTED
• 1. History Reduced to Nature
• 2. History Swallow Up in Eternity
• WHERE A CHRIST IS EXPECTED
• 1. Types of Messianism
• 2. Prophetic Messianism
• a. THE RELATION OF PROPHETISM TO MESSIANISM
• b. THE FAILURE OF MESSIANISM TO ANSWER THE PROPHETIC PROBLEM
• II. THE DISCLOSURE AND THE FULFILLMENT OF THE MEANING OF LIFE AND HISTORY
• JESUS’ OWN REINTERPRETATION OF PROPHETIC MESSIANISM
• 1. Jesus’ Rejection of Hebraic Legalism
• 2. Jesus’ Rejection of Nationalistic Particularism
• 3. Jesus’ Rejection of the Answer of Hebraic Messianism for the Problem Presented by Prophetism
• 4. Jesus’ Reinterpretation of the Eschata
• THE ACCEPTANCE BY CHRISTIAN FAITH OF THE EXPECTED AND THE REJECTED MESSIAH
• 1. Christ Crucified as the “Wisdom of God and The Power of God”
• 2. The Relation of the “Wisdom of God” to the “Power of God”
• a. THE IDENTITY OF WISDOM AND POWER
• b. THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WISDOM AND POWER
• 3. The Foolishness of God and the Wisdom of Men
• III. THE POSSIBILITIES AND LIMITS OF HISTORY
• SACRIFICIAL LOVE AND THE SINLESSNESS OF CHRIST
• THE RELATION OF CHRIST’S PERFECTION TO HISTORY
• 1. The Perfection of Christ and Innocency
• 2. The Perfection of Christ and Possibilities of History
• THE RELATION OF CHRIST’S PERFECTION TO ETERNITY
• SUMMARY
• IV. WISDOM, GRACE AND POWER (THE FULFILLMENT OF HISTORY)
• THE BIBLICAL DOCTRINE OF GRACE
• GRACE AS POWER IN, AND AS MERCY TOWARDS, MAN
• 1. “I am Crucified with Christ”
• 2. “Nevertheless I Live”
• 3. “Yet not I: but Christ Liveth in Me”
• a. GRACE AS THE POWER NOT OUR OWN
• b. GRACE AS THE FORGIVENESS OF OUR SINS
• V. THE CONFLICT BETWEEN GRACE AND PRIDE
• PRE-AUGUSTINIAN CONCEPTIONS OF GRACE
• THE CATHOLIC CONCEPTION OF GRACE
• THE DESTRUCTION OF THE CATHOLIC SYNTHESIS
• VI. THE DEBATE ON HUMAN DESTINY IN MODERN CULTURE: THE RENAISSANCE
• THE MEANING OF THE RENAISSANCE
• SECTARIAN PROTESTANTISM AND THE RENAISSANCE
• THE TRIUMPH OF THE RENAISSANCE
• VII. THE DEBATE ON HUMAN DESTINY IN MODERN CULTURE: THE REFORMATION
• THE LUTHERAN REFORMATION
• THE CALVINISTIC REFORMATION
• A SYNTHESIS OF REFORMATION AND RENAISSANCE
• VIII. HAVING, AND NOT HAVING, THE TRUTH
• THE PROBLEM OF THE TRUTH
• THE TEST OF TOLERANCE
• 1. Catholicism and Toleration
• 2. The Reformation and Toleration
• 3. The Renaissance and Toleration
• IX. THE KINGDOM OF GOD AND THE STRUGGLE FOR JUSTICE
• THE RELATION OF JUSTICE TO LOVE
• LAWS AND PRINCIPLES OF JUSTICE
• STRUCTURES OF JUSTICE
• 1. The Unity of Vitality and Reason
• 2. Types of Power in Social Life
• 3. The Organization and Balance of Power
• THE CHRISTIAN ATTITUDE TO GOVERNMENT
• JUSTICE AND WORLD COMMUNITY
• X. THE END OF HISTORY
• THE NEW TESTAMENT IDEAS OF THE END
• 1. The Parousia
• 2. The Last Judgment
• 3. The Resurrection
• THE END AND THE MEANING OF HISTORY
• THE DIVERSITY AND UNITY OF HISTORY
• 1. The Rise and Fall of Cultures and Civilizations
• 2. The Individual and History
• 3. The Unity of History
• Index of Scriptural Passages
• Index of Proper Names
• Index of Subjects