Reinhold Niebuhr Quotes

Reinhold Niebuhr

American Theologian

Born: Jun 21, 1892

Died: Jun 1, 1971

Democracy God Life Love Nothing Which

Related authors: Ernest Holmes Howard Thurman Huston Smith John Gresham Machen Mary Baker Eddy Mary Daly Stanley Hauerwas Tryon Edwards

Forgiveness is the final form of love. Reinhold Niebuhr

Love Forgiveness Final Form

The sad duty of politics is to establish justice in a sinful world. Reinhold Niebuhr

Sad Politics Justice World Duty Sinful Establish

God, give us grace to accept with serenity the things that cannot be changed, courage to change the things which should be changed and the wisdom to distinguish the one from the other. Reinhold Niebuhr

Wisdom God Change Courage Grace Changed Other Distinguish Give Accept Cannot Which Us Should Serenity Things

Man's capacity for justice makes democracy possible, but man's inclination to injustice makes democracy necessary. Reinhold Niebuhr

Democracy Man Justice Injustice Possible Makes Capacity Inclination Necessary

There are historic situations in which refusal to defend the inheritance of a civilization, however imperfect, against tyranny and aggression may result in consequences even worse than war. Reinhold Niebuhr

Nothing that is worth doing can be achieved in a lifetime; therefore we must be saved by hope. Reinhold Niebuhr

Hope Worth Nothing Saved Must Lifetime Doing Achieved Therefore

The final wisdom of life requires not the annulment of incongruity but the achievement of serenity within and above it. Reinhold Niebuhr

Life Wisdom Achievement Final Above Within Requires Serenity Incongruity

All human sin seems so much worse in its consequences than in its intentions. Reinhold Niebuhr

Consequences Worse Seems Sin Than Human Intentions Much

Evil is not to be traced back to the individual but to the collective behavior of humanity. Reinhold Niebuhr

Humanity Behavior Evil Collective Back Individual

Our age knows nothing but reaction, and leaps from one extreme to another. Reinhold Niebuhr

Age Nothing Our Extreme Reaction Leaps Knows Another

I think there ought to be a club in which preachers and journalists could come together and have the sentimentalism of the one matched with the cynicism of the other. That ought to bring them pretty close to the truth. Reinhold Niebuhr

Truth Together Club Think Other Ought Pretty Could Journalists Come Matched Preachers Close Which Them Cynicism Bring

Democracies are indeed slow to make war, but once embarked upon a martial venture are equally slow to make peace and reluctant to make a tolerable, rather than a vindictive, peace. Reinhold Niebuhr

War Democracy Peace Slow Once Indeed Embarked Martial Rather Reluctant Make Venture Equally Than Tolerable Vindictive

Democracy is finding proximate solutions to insoluble problems. Reinhold Niebuhr

Democracy Problems Solutions Finding

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