Helmut Richard Niebuhr was a pivotal figure in 20th-century American Christian theological ethics. His work, particularly concerning the relationship between faith and culture and the nature of ethical responsibility, significantly shaped post-liberal theology. Alongside his colleague Hans Wilhelm Frei, Niebuhr established a distinct theological approach at Yale, influencing subsequent generations of thinkers. His explorations delve into how individual identity and societal engagement are intrinsically linked to theological understanding.
This 50th-anniversary edition, with a new foreword by the distinguished historian Martin E. Marty, who regards this book as one of the most vital books of our time, as well as an introduction by the author never before included in the book, and a new preface by James Gustafson, the premier Christian ethicist who is considered Niebuhr’s contemporary successor, poses the challenge of being true to Christ in a materialistic age to an entirely new generation of Christian readers.