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Niebuhr did battle with the religious liberals over what he called their naïve views of sin and the optimism of the [[Social Gospel]]. He did battle with the religious conservatives over what he viewed as their naïve view of Scripture and their narrow definition of "true religion." He was a leader of liberal intellectuals and supported many liberal causes, but his ideas were often too orthodox for secular liberals, while his view that the Bible could not be taken literally was too liberal for the Fundamentalists. Thus he was too secular for many of the religious and too religious for the secular, but just right for those who appreciated the irony of history.

Niebuhr did battle with the religious liberals over what he called their naïve views of sin and the optimism of the [[Social Gospel]]. He did battle with the religious conservatives over what he viewed as their naïve view of Scripture and their narrow definition of "true religion." He was a leader of liberal intellectuals and supported many liberal causes, but his ideas were often too orthodox for secular liberals, while his view that the Bible could not be taken literally was too liberal for the Fundamentalists. Thus he was too secular for many of the religious and too religious for the secular, but just right for those who appreciated the irony of history.

In recent years conservatives have invoked Niebuhr's emphasis on original sin, his relentless critique of progressive utopianism, and his Cold War anti-communism.  An older generation of liberals still sees him as a champion of their attitudes.<ref> Richard Harries and Stephen Platten, eds. ''Reinhold NIebuhr and Contemporary Politics'' (2010)</ref>

In recent years conservatives have invoked Niebuhr's emphasis on original sin, his relentless critique of progressive utopianism, and his Cold War anti-communism.  An older generation of liberals still sees him as a champion of their attitudes.<ref> Richard Harries and Stephen Platten, eds. ''Reinhold Niebuhr and Contemporary Politics'' (2010)</ref>

[[File:Niebuhr1.jpg|thumb|270px]]

[[File:Niebuhr1.jpg|thumb|270px]]

Reinhold Niebuhr has been described as an intellectual opponent of [[John Dewey]].  Both men were professional polemicists.  Their ideas often clashed despite both men holding sway over the same realms of liberal intellectual schools of thought. Niebuhr was a strong proponent of the Jerusalem religious tradition as a corrective to the secular tradition of [[Athens]]. Dewey was a strong proponent of Athens. <ref> Rice ''Reinhold Niebuhr and John Dewey: An American Odyssey'', (1993), page 146 </ref> In the book ''Moral Man and Immoral Society'' (1932) a still intellectually young<ref> ''Moral Man and Immoral Society'' offended many of Niebuhr's intellectual Christian friends (some never to return).  It lost sight of Christian love and espoused pro-Marxists views.</ref> Niebuhr heavily criticized Dewey's philosophy.  Two years later in a review of Dewey's book ''A Common Faith'' (1934), Niebuhr was surprisingly calm and respectful towards Dewey's "religious footnote" on his then large body of educational and pragmatic philosophy.<ref> Rice,  ''Reinhold Niebuhr and John Dewey'' pages 43-58 </ref>

Reinhold Niebuhr has been described as an intellectual opponent of [[John Dewey]].  Both men were professional polemicists.  Their ideas often clashed despite both men holding sway over the same realms of liberal intellectual schools of thought. Niebuhr was a strong proponent of the Jerusalem religious tradition as a corrective to the secular tradition of [[Athens]]. Dewey was a strong proponent of Athens. <ref> Rice ''Reinhold Niebuhr and John Dewey: An American Odyssey'', (1993), page 146 </ref> In the book ''Moral Man and Immoral Society'' (1932) a still intellectually young<ref> ''Moral Man and Immoral Society'' offended many of Niebuhr's intellectual Christian friends (some never to return).  It lost sight of Christian love and espoused pro-Marxists views.</ref> Niebuhr heavily criticized Dewey's philosophy.  Two years later in a review of Dewey's book ''A Common Faith'' (1934), Niebuhr was surprisingly calm and respectful towards Dewey's "religious footnote" on his then large body of educational and pragmatic philosophy.<ref> Rice,  ''Reinhold Niebuhr and John Dewey'' pages 43-58 </ref>

===Influence upon Martin Luther King, Jr.===

===Niebuhr and black militants===

In the "Letter from Birmingham Jail" [[Martin Luther King]] wrote "Individuals may see the moral light and voluntarily give up their unjust posture; but, as Reinhold Niebuhr has reminded us, groups tend to be more immoral than individuals." (cf. Reinhold Niebuhr. ''Moral Man and Immoral Society''. Scribner's, 1932.) This example shows that King valued Niebuhr's social and ethical ideals; another can be found in a letter from the ''Christianity and Crisis'' editor Wayne H. Cowan wherein it is stated that King attributed his own non-violent posture more to the influence of Niebuhr and [[Paul Tillich]] than to the example of [[Gandhi]].<ref> [http://speakingoffaith.publicradio.org/programs/niebuhr-rediscovered/d72.shtml April 13, 1970 Letter to Niebuhr]</ref>

In the "Letter from Birmingham Jail" [[Martin Luther King]] wrote "Individuals may see the moral light and voluntarily give up their unjust posture; but, as Reinhold Niebuhr has reminded us, groups tend to be more immoral than individuals." King valued Niebuhr's social and ethical ideals. King attributed his own non-violent posture more to the influence of Niebuhr and [[Paul Tillich]] than to the example of [[Gandhi]].<ref> [http://speakingoffaith.publicradio.org/programs/niebuhr-rediscovered/d72.shtml April 13, 1970 Letter to Niebuhr]</ref> On the other hand Niebuhr was friendly to the whiteSouth, was never an active supporter of the ciivl rights movement and refused to sign petitions when asked by King.

==="The sad duty of politics is to establish justice in a sinful world"===

==="The sad duty of politics is to establish justice in a sinful world"===

* Fox, Richard Wightman. ''Reinhold Niebuhr: A Biography.'' (1985). 325 pp.  the standard scholarly biography; a well-researched, fair, and engaging treatment of Niebuhr's theological and political work that emphasizes his skill in working with Scripture and in interpreting human nature and the human condition. [http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1074984,00.html online review]

* Fox, Richard Wightman. ''Reinhold Niebuhr: A Biography.'' (1985). 325 pp.  the standard scholarly biography; a well-researched, fair, and engaging treatment of Niebuhr's theological and political work that emphasizes his skill in working with Scripture and in interpreting human nature and the human condition. [http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1074984,00.html online review]

* Harland, Gordon. ''The Thought of Reinhold Niebuhr'' (1960) [http://www.questia.com/read/1614760?title=The%20Thought%20of%20Reinhold%20Niebuhr online edition]

* Harland, Gordon. ''The Thought of Reinhold Niebuhr'' (1960) [http://www.questia.com/read/1614760?title=The%20Thought%20of%20Reinhold%20Niebuhr online edition]

* Harries, Richard, and Stephen Platten, eds. ''Reinhold NIebuhr and Contemporary Politics'' (2010)

* Harries, Richard, and Stephen Platten, eds. ''Reinhold Niebuhr and Contemporary Politics'' (2010)

* Kegley,  Charles W., and Robert W. Bretall, eds. ''Reinhold Niebuhr: His Religious, Social, and Political Thought.'' (1956) 486pp 20 essays by scholars and reply by Niebuhr; [http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&ct=res&cd=1&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.questia.com%2Flibrary%2Fbook%2Freinhold-niebuhr-his-religious-social-and-political-thought-vol-2-by-robert-w-bretall-charles-w-kegley.jsp&ei=IEosSqqFCpHstAO_sKGhBg&usg=AFQjCNGKxXg76lTTdAHoqGgv6l7YJlXdgQ online edition]

* Kegley,  Charles W., and Robert W. Bretall, eds. ''Reinhold Niebuhr: His Religious, Social, and Political Thought.'' (1956) 486pp 20 essays by scholars and reply by Niebuhr; [http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&ct=res&cd=1&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.questia.com%2Flibrary%2Fbook%2Freinhold-niebuhr-his-religious-social-and-political-thought-vol-2-by-robert-w-bretall-charles-w-kegley.jsp&ei=IEosSqqFCpHstAO_sKGhBg&usg=AFQjCNGKxXg76lTTdAHoqGgv6l7YJlXdgQ online edition]

* Lovin, Robin. ""Reinhold Niebuhr in Contemporary Scholarship: A Review Essay," ''Journal of Religious Ethics'' 31 (Winter, 2003), 489-505 [http://speakingoffaith.publicradio.org/programs/niebuhr-rediscovered/lovin-hauerwas.shtml abridged version online]

* Lovin, Robin. ""Reinhold Niebuhr in Contemporary Scholarship: A Review Essay," ''Journal of Religious Ethics'' 31 (Winter, 2003), 489-505 [http://speakingoffaith.publicradio.org/programs/niebuhr-rediscovered/lovin-hauerwas.shtml abridged version online]