Niebuhr w as
a blunt critic of morally complacent Christians.
He thought the church was full of idealists who believed that progress was inevitable and
that love alone would ultimately conquer injustice, some Niebuhr scholars say.
“He said there was a difference between being a ‘fool for Christ’ and a plain damn fool,” says Richard Crouter, author of the upcoming book “Reinhold Niebuhr: On Politics, Religion and Christian Faith.”
Excellent article.
As humans we are capable of great good, as well as terrible evil.
Most people just ramble along, being neither awful nor saintly much of the time.
In many ways this is a much more dangerous state than the others.
We never come alive, our souls wither, and may even die, when all we choose (and yes we CHOOSE) is mediocrity.