Confronting the Will-to-Power
The author takes up Niebuhr's theology and presents it to be, at its heart, an attempt to grapple with the most powerful and most dangerous aspect of human nature: a quality Niebuhr describes as the will-to-power. Lovatt argues forcibly that Niebuhr identifies the fundamental nature of human sin as having very specific qualities; and that Niebuhr, over his various works, develops a theology which seeks to deal effectively with this quality, both theologically and practically. Lovatt discusses the main areas of doctrine covered by Niebuhr, and considers how his position reflects his underlying agenda to grapple with the reality of the will-to power. this leads to some important conclusions about Niebuhr, modern theology, and the present day problem of evil. A helpful study of Niebuhr's thought, demonstrating its internal coherence while at the same time challenging it at a number of key points with thoroughness and fairness. --Richard S. Briggs, All Nations Christian College, Ware, UK Dr. Lovatt's serious and systematic study sets the will-to-power in the context of Niebuhr's theology as a whole. In particular he relates it to the perennial problem of evil, arguing that Niebuhr's understanding radically questions the way we normally look at this. this valuable study looks at Niebuhr in a fresh way and shows his continuing importance. --Rt. Rev. Richard Harries, Bishop of Oxford An exceptionally readable and penetrating study of its subject with important implications for today. --Peter Lewis, the cornerstone Church, Nottingham In fashion or out of fashion, Reinhold Niebuhr remains one of the great American theologians, with an impact on church and theology worldwide. Dr. Lovatt's study of Niebuhr's writings, both sympathetic and critical, demonstrates the continuing contemporary importance of dialogue with classical thinkers in the Christian tradition. --George Newlands, University of Glasgow This is a critically sympathetic account of Niebuhr's theology which not only casts new light on his realism but has argued very convincingly for regarding theodicy as the nerve of the theology as a whole. --Emeritus Professor John Heywood Thomas After working in agriculture and the ceramics industry, Mark Lovatt returned to college to do A levels. He read Philosophy and Theology at the University of Nottingham. Following its successful completion, he began his PhD in Theology, again at Nottingham, working part-time as an HGV driver. He graduated in December 1999. He is now an information technology consultant, based in Nottingham.
1017635491
Confronting the Will-to-Power
The author takes up Niebuhr's theology and presents it to be, at its heart, an attempt to grapple with the most powerful and most dangerous aspect of human nature: a quality Niebuhr describes as the will-to-power. Lovatt argues forcibly that Niebuhr identifies the fundamental nature of human sin as having very specific qualities; and that Niebuhr, over his various works, develops a theology which seeks to deal effectively with this quality, both theologically and practically. Lovatt discusses the main areas of doctrine covered by Niebuhr, and considers how his position reflects his underlying agenda to grapple with the reality of the will-to power. this leads to some important conclusions about Niebuhr, modern theology, and the present day problem of evil. A helpful study of Niebuhr's thought, demonstrating its internal coherence while at the same time challenging it at a number of key points with thoroughness and fairness. --Richard S. Briggs, All Nations Christian College, Ware, UK Dr. Lovatt's serious and systematic study sets the will-to-power in the context of Niebuhr's theology as a whole. In particular he relates it to the perennial problem of evil, arguing that Niebuhr's understanding radically questions the way we normally look at this. this valuable study looks at Niebuhr in a fresh way and shows his continuing importance. --Rt. Rev. Richard Harries, Bishop of Oxford An exceptionally readable and penetrating study of its subject with important implications for today. --Peter Lewis, the cornerstone Church, Nottingham In fashion or out of fashion, Reinhold Niebuhr remains one of the great American theologians, with an impact on church and theology worldwide. Dr. Lovatt's study of Niebuhr's writings, both sympathetic and critical, demonstrates the continuing contemporary importance of dialogue with classical thinkers in the Christian tradition. --George Newlands, University of Glasgow This is a critically sympathetic account of Niebuhr's theology which not only casts new light on his realism but has argued very convincingly for regarding theodicy as the nerve of the theology as a whole. --Emeritus Professor John Heywood Thomas After working in agriculture and the ceramics industry, Mark Lovatt returned to college to do A levels. He read Philosophy and Theology at the University of Nottingham. Following its successful completion, he began his PhD in Theology, again at Nottingham, working part-time as an HGV driver. He graduated in December 1999. He is now an information technology consultant, based in Nottingham.
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Confronting the Will-to-Power

Confronting the Will-to-Power

Confronting the Will-to-Power

Confronting the Will-to-Power

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Overview

The author takes up Niebuhr's theology and presents it to be, at its heart, an attempt to grapple with the most powerful and most dangerous aspect of human nature: a quality Niebuhr describes as the will-to-power. Lovatt argues forcibly that Niebuhr identifies the fundamental nature of human sin as having very specific qualities; and that Niebuhr, over his various works, develops a theology which seeks to deal effectively with this quality, both theologically and practically. Lovatt discusses the main areas of doctrine covered by Niebuhr, and considers how his position reflects his underlying agenda to grapple with the reality of the will-to power. this leads to some important conclusions about Niebuhr, modern theology, and the present day problem of evil. A helpful study of Niebuhr's thought, demonstrating its internal coherence while at the same time challenging it at a number of key points with thoroughness and fairness. --Richard S. Briggs, All Nations Christian College, Ware, UK Dr. Lovatt's serious and systematic study sets the will-to-power in the context of Niebuhr's theology as a whole. In particular he relates it to the perennial problem of evil, arguing that Niebuhr's understanding radically questions the way we normally look at this. this valuable study looks at Niebuhr in a fresh way and shows his continuing importance. --Rt. Rev. Richard Harries, Bishop of Oxford An exceptionally readable and penetrating study of its subject with important implications for today. --Peter Lewis, the cornerstone Church, Nottingham In fashion or out of fashion, Reinhold Niebuhr remains one of the great American theologians, with an impact on church and theology worldwide. Dr. Lovatt's study of Niebuhr's writings, both sympathetic and critical, demonstrates the continuing contemporary importance of dialogue with classical thinkers in the Christian tradition. --George Newlands, University of Glasgow This is a critically sympathetic account of Niebuhr's theology which not only casts new light on his realism but has argued very convincingly for regarding theodicy as the nerve of the theology as a whole. --Emeritus Professor John Heywood Thomas After working in agriculture and the ceramics industry, Mark Lovatt returned to college to do A levels. He read Philosophy and Theology at the University of Nottingham. Following its successful completion, he began his PhD in Theology, again at Nottingham, working part-time as an HGV driver. He graduated in December 1999. He is now an information technology consultant, based in Nottingham.

Product Details

ISBN-13: 9781597529235
Publisher: Wipf & Stock Publishers
Publication date: 10/19/2006
Series: Paternoster Theological Monographs
Pages: 244
Product dimensions: 6.32(w) x 9.02(h) x 0.56(d)

About the Author

After working in agriculture and the ceramics industry, Mark Lovatt returned to college to do A levels. He read Philosophy and Theology at the University of Nottingham. Following its successful completion, he began his PhD in Theology, again at Nottingham, working part-time as an HGV driver. He graduated in December 1999. He is now an information technology consultant, based in Nottingham.

Table of Contents


Foreword     IX
Acknowledgements     XIII
Preface     XV
Abbreviations     XVII
The Influence of Historical Events Upon the Theological Development of Reinhold Niebuhr     1
Introduction     1
The United States of America at the start of the Twentieth Century     2
The Effects of History upon Niebuhr's Theology     4
The First World War: the first challenge to Niebuhr's early theology     5
The impact of the industrial situation on Niebuhr's theology     5
The impact of Russia on Niebuhr's theology     7
The impact of Fascism on Niebuhr's theology     8
Conclusion     9
Philosophical and Theological Schools of Thought Significant for the Development of Niebuhr's Theology     11
Niebuhr's Concept of Liberal Protestantism     11
Introduction     11
A Definition of Liberal Protestantism     12
Conclusion     14
The Influence of Marxism on Reinhold Niebuhr     14
Introduction     14
Marxism and Niebuhr's Theological Development     16
Aspects of Marxism Retained by Niebuhr     23
Conclusion     24
The Influence of Soren Kierkegaard Upon Reinhold Niebuhr     24
Introduction     24
The Theology of Kierkegaard     24
Kierkegaard and Niebuhr     30
Conclusion     34
The Influence of Romanticism on Reinhold Niebuhr     34
Introduction     34
Niebuhr's Concept of Romanticism     34
The Will to Power in the Philosophy of Nietzsche     35
Niebuhr and the Will-to-Power     39
Tragedy in Romanticism     42
Niebuhr's Concept of Tragedy     45
Conclusion     47
The Influence of William James on Reinhold Niebuhr     48
Introduction     48
Modernism and the Problem of Power     48
James and Niebuhr: Matters of Style     50
The Philosophy of Pragmatism     51
Pragmatism as method     51
Ontology and Epistemology     54
Anthropology and Epistemology     56
God, Freedom and Evil     59
Conclusion     61
Reinhold Niebuhr and Neo-orthodoxy: A Debate with Karl Barth     62
Introduction     62
Niebuhr as a Neo-orthodox Theologian     63
Niebuhr in Opposition to Barth     63
Key Issues: Evil, Sin and Salvation      65
Conclusion     70
The Various Doctrinal Motifs in Niebuhr's Theology     73
Cosmology     73
Introduction     73
Two realms of Being: Creator and Creation     73
Creation as the work of God     74
Considerations     76
Two Orders of Reality: Immanence and Transcendence     79
Immanence and Transcendence     79
Considerations     80
Two realms of Power: the Kingdom of God and Kingdom of the world     85
Considerations     88
Anthropology and Sin     89
Introduction     89
Humanity 'Created in the Image of God'     90
Anxiety: the source of sin and the will-to-power     93
Security and the will-to-power     98
The will-to-power as the identity of sin     99
Original sin as pretence     101
Sin and the tragic human state     107
Considerations     110
Salvation and the Power of God     113
Introduction     113
The task of salvation: Sinful humanity before a holy God     113
The human situation     113
The 'Prophetic Question': Can God be merciful as well as just?     114
The basis of salvation: Niebuhr's Christology     117
The means of salvation: The work of Christ on the Cross     119
The Cross of Christ: The revelation of God's justice and mercy     119
Christ and Power     121
The grace of God: wisdom and power     126
Grace as the wisdom of God     126
Grace as the power of God     130
The event of salvation: life in the power of God     135
Galatians 2.20 in NDM II, Chapter IV part III     135
Taking up the revelation of Christ     137
Considerations     138
The nature of reason     142
Introduction     142
Niebuhr's view of reason     143
The possibilities and limitations of reason     143
The test of tolerance     148
Considerations     149
Reaching the will-to-power effectively     151
Introduction     151
Three roles for epistemology     152
The revelation of profound truth     152
Bringing divine encounter     153
Making use of the will-to-power     155
Setting up the tension of impossible ideal     158
Myth, symbol and paradox     161
Myth      161
Symbol     165
Paradox     166
Considerations     168
Christian Realism     170
Introduction     170
Christian Realism     172
Social Realism     172
Human possibilities     173
Power and justice     175
Love, justice and pacifism     178
Considerations     180
Conclusion     187
Introduction     187
Consequences for the study of Niebuhr's theology     187
Niebuhr's method: a Pragmatic approach to theology     189
Niebuhr's theology as a response to problem of evil     192
Niebuhr's Pragmatic approach     194
Niebuhr establishes the problem of evil as humanity's problem     196
The Cosmological Chart     201
Bibliography     203
Published Works By Reinhold Niebuhr     203
Collections of Reinhold Niebuhr's shorter writings     203
Article by Reinhold Niebuhr Cited in the Thesis     204
Secondary Sources on Reinhold Niebuhr     204
Other Works     205
Journal Articles and Theses     212
Index     213

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

"A helpful study of Niebuhr's thought, demonstrating its internal coherence while at the same time challenging it at a number of key points with thoroughness and fairness."
—Richard S. Briggs, All Nations Christian College, Ware, UK

"Dr. Lovatt's serious and systematic study sets the will-to-power in the context of Niebuhr's theology as a whole. In particular he relates it to the perennial problem of evil, arguing that Niebuhr's understanding radically questions the way we normally look at this. this valuable study looks at Niebuhr in a fresh way and shows his continuing importance."
—Rt. Rev. Richard Harries, Bishop of Oxford

"An exceptionally readable and penetrating study of its subject with important implications for today."
—Peter Lewis, the cornerstone Church, Nottingham

"In fashion or out of fashion, Reinhold Niebuhr remains one of the great American theologians, with an impact on church and theology worldwide. Dr. Lovatt's study of Niebuhr's writings, both sympathetic and critical, demonstrates the continuing contemporary importance of dialogue with classical thinkers in the Christian tradition."
—George Newlands, University of Glasgow

"This is a critically sympathetic account of Niebuhr's theology which not only casts new light on his "realism" but has argued very convincingly for regarding theodicy as the nerve of the theology as a whole."
—Emeritus Professor John Heywood Thomas

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