The Kingdom of God in America

by H. Richard Niebuhr

Martin Marty, in his new introduction for the Wesleyan reissue of H. Richard Niebuhr's The Kingdom of God in America, calls it "a classic." First published in 1938,

"It remains the classic reflection of the Protestant roots and ethos behind pluralistic America and its religions today." Marty notes that the new "raw and rich pluralism" that challenges the Protestant hegemony in American life has left many Protestants longing to "get back to their roots." Niebuhr's book , perhaps more than any other, identifies and describes those roots for Protestants, especially Congregationalists, Episcopalians, Presbyterians, Methodists, Quakers, Baptists, and Lutherans.

Introduction by Martin E. Marty.

Genres: Theology, Religion, History, American History, Christianity, Politics, Christian

247 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1937

About the author

Helmut Richard Niebuhr was one of the most important Christian theological-ethicists in 20th century America, most known for his 1951 book Christ and Culture and his posthumously published book The Responsible Self. The younger brother of theologian Reinhold Niebuhr, Richard Niebuhr taught for several decades at Yale Divinity School. His theology (together with that of his colleague at Yale, Hans Wilhelm Frei) has been one of the main sources of post-liberal theology, sometimes called the "Yale school". He influenced such figures as James Gustafson and Stanley Hauerwas.

Reviews

[David C Ward · Rating 4 out of 5]

An appeal to study the history of religion as a study first of all in the history of faith and belief, not in relationship to society and economy. Thus the book has an implicitly evangelical and revivalist air to it as it charts the progress - the flow and ebb - of the idea of the Kingdom of God and concludes with the institutionalization (and stagnation) of the present moment. It influenced a while generation of historians from Perry Miller to Morgan to Heimart but is anyone interested in these questions any more, either in the church or society? The conservatism of the evangelical movement seems to have doomed it.
First publishe in the 1930s; reading a reprint edition from 1956, owned by father when he taught at Princeton in the 50s. It’s nice to read his notes and annotations across the past.

[Mike E.]

A God without wrath brought men without sin into a Kingdom without judgment through the ministrations of a Christ without a Cross.

[Brent · Rating 4 out of 5]

Niebuhr has an interesting thesis in this short book as it could be described as a theological historiography of the development of Protestantism in America. He has some good points that he hammers home as he postulates a type of Protestant dialectical from the Sovereignty of God to the Kingdom of Christ and finally to the coming kingdom. As always with interpretations of history, they can tend to broad brush issues, but Niebuhr does a good job at correcting some other issues that we have misconstrued, like public educations tenancy to teach kids about the Puritans by giving them Jonathan Edward's "Sinners" sermon.

The last chapter was by far the best if the first few were a little tedious to read through. According to Niebuhr's interpretation, we have ousted God and his sovereignty from religion to now we have human autonomy, with just a wee bit of religion which mostly God needs as a support. But the tides have been turning, and people are seeing the limits of a Christless Gospel, so Niebuhr wrote in the 1930's. Perhaps we are finally seeing that wave in the next movement of his dialectical process.

"A God without wrath brought men without sin into a kingdom without justice through the ministrations of a Christ without a cross" (193).

[Drew · Rating 4 out of 5]

A bit tedious at the outset, but the payoff in the final chapter is worth it. More theological history than religious history, this is rightly called a classic. Those familiar with H Richard Niebuhr will see familiar themes, such as the relationship of the gospel to the world, well represented here. Niebuhr (both of them) deserves to be read still today.

[Ryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Can be considered a more optimistic sequel to the equally compelling Social Sources of Denominationalism.