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The Nature and Destiny of Man: A Christian Interpretation : Human Nature (Library of Theological Ethics)

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Author: Reinhold Niebuhr
Publisher: Westminster John Knox Press
Category: Book

List Price: ~~$49.95~~
Buy Used: $30.88
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Media: Paperback
Edition: 1st
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 680
Shipping Weight (lbs): 2.4
Dimensions (in): 9 x 6.2 x 1.9

ISBN: 0664257097
Dewey Decimal Number: 233
EAN: 9780664257095
ASIN: 0664257097

Publication Date: November 1, 1996
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Shipping: Expedited shipping available
Condition: covers scuffed, slightly worn edges,

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Editorial Reviews:

Product Description
These two volumes of Neibuhr's wartime theology illuminate the horrific depths of the twentieth century by faith. Grounded in an unshakable biblical confidence in God, Human Nature and Human Destiny supply the appropriate human confidence for the tumultuous days fo the 1940's which shaped the rest of the century.

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars

A Revolutionary Theological Treatise January 31, 2006
7 out of 12 found this review helpful

There has been no book written in the last 1900 years that better explains the human condition and the Christian response to it. Niebuhr draws from an extensive understanding of political science, psychology, history, and religion to explain the origin and nature of sin. He elaborates on the abortive efforts of the ego to overreach the human condition through partial and disingenuous strategies. He reflects on why collectives, lacking the constraints of individual conscience, so dramatically exceed the sinfulness of the individuals that constitute them. br /br /Systems of human justice are always compromises between competing wills. Thus, perfect love that enters into history is destined to be sacrificed; a fact revealed most vividly in the tragedy of the Cross.

5 out of 5 stars

Absorbing and Rewarding October 25, 2003
51 out of 53 found this review helpful

In the Nature and Destiny of Man, Reinhold Niebuhr, the influential "Christian realist" theologian, deals with big issues: the nature of man, history, and the end of the history. He offers deep - I would say profound - support for his views, but not proof. He offers one interpretation of the meaning of life's mysteries but not the only possible interpretation.pNiebuhr begins by arguing that the Christian view of man's nature, compared with alternative views, is more complete and offers more explanatory power. According to the Christian view, man is made in the image of God. Unlike alternative views that establish a good/bad duality between mind and body, in the Christian view, both mind and body are good because both are created by God. Man is made to live in harmony with others and God's will but violates this harmony when he - inevitably - makes himself the center and source of meaning for his life.pMan has tremendous creative and imaginative powers, and his mind can transcend both itself (since he can make his own thoughts the object of contemplation) and the natural world (since he can manipulate natural forces to create new possibilities and vitalities of nature). Because man cannot find ultimate meaning in what he can transcend, he cannot find ultimate meaning within himself or in the natural world. This is why we turn to religion.pChristianity is a religion of revelation, meaning that Christians believe that God must speak to us in order for us to arrive at a correct understanding of his nature and will. If the Bible is to be believed, God spoke to man throughout history but his message was not clearly understood. Because of our misunderstanding, and because God's law is so radically different from man's law, Jesus' message was highly offensive to his listeners. What Jesus told us is that God overcomes evil not by destroying evildoers but by taking their evil upon himself. God's love is suffering love.pTo live in accordance with the law of love seems to require that we accept the reality of an existence beyond this life. If the reality of this other existence is denied, then Jesus' statement that "whoever loses his life for my sake will find it" makes no sense.pYet, we are not to despise this life. To be righteous, to a Christian, means to serve others, and we need to strive after intermediate and partial arrangements that help point the way toward ultimate resolutions and revelations. God provides ultimate meaning. Just as the human mind can provide meaning to a sequence of chronological events by comprehending them all in an instant, so God provides meaning by comprehending all events both prospectively and retrospectively.pThis poor summary of what Niebuhr has to say on the largest subjects makes it sound as if this is a very otherworldly book. It is not. The book contains a great deal of keen observation of human behavior and current events at the outset of World War II, and Niebuhr later became extremely influential in the U.S. State Department. Niebuhr's observations on politics and social justice still speak to us with great immediacy.

5 out of 5 stars

Best 20th Century Theological Work September 24, 2000
23 out of 29 found this review helpful

This work is known to be a classic, and in my opinion, it is the best written last century. I even enjoyed R. Niebuhr better than Tillich and Barth. His erudition and conclusions are powerful and engaging. I recommend reading this for those familiar with political thought and philosophy of the modern era. By no means is this work parochial, it scope makes it a enthralling read even for those who find themselves outside to sprectrum of Christian belief.

5 out of 5 stars

The Nature and Destiny of Man : A Christian Interpretation July 20, 2000
29 out of 37 found this review helpful

Niebuhr has developed the most balanced statement of our character, identity, and core behavior motivations. He references all major worldviews from Eastern Naturalisms to Western Rationalism to Bibilical Revelation. The Bibilical Worldview provides the most balanced perspective of our human nature, which is offensive to the contrasting perspectives. In Volume 1, he identifies our form and our vitality as essential components of our nature. He also identifies that our desire for freedom, our ability to transend our natural state, and our self interest leads to Man's Problem. Volume 2 focuses on worldviews that have messianic expectations and resolutions of history through corporate indentities. One can understand Niebuhr's perspecive on the eve of WWII's Fascist nations. In summary, this is absolutely one of the best works I have read to help clarify our human nature. His perspective is pragmatic, but is still very focued on core christian doctrines. Buy it, read it, wait a year, read it again, and ponder the depth and breath of his insights!

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