Reinhold Niebuhr Quotes
Karl Paul Reinhold Niebuhr was an American Reformed theologian and the principal exponent of Christian realism in twentieth-century social thought. After thirteen years as a parish minister in Detroit during the early industrial era, he taught for three decades at Union Theological Seminary in New York. The quotes below are attributed to Reinhold Niebuhr, organized by topic.
Reinhold Niebuhr on God
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Attributed to Reinhold Niebuhr:
“God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference.”
Reinhold Niebuhr on Love
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Attributed to Reinhold Niebuhr:
“Goodness, armed with power, is corrupted; pure love without power is destroyed.”
Reinhold Niebuhr on Politics
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Attributed to Reinhold Niebuhr:
“Man's capacity for justice makes democracy possible; man's inclination to injustice makes democracy necessary.”
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Attributed to Reinhold Niebuhr:
“The sad duty of politics is to establish justice in a sinful world.”
Reinhold Niebuhr on Time
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Attributed to Reinhold Niebuhr:
“Nothing worth doing is completed in our lifetime; therefore we must be saved by hope.”