LE3 .A278 1997

1997

Williams, Roy

Acadia University

Master of Arts

Masters

Theology

Acadia Divinity College

This thesis examines the Christian anthropology of Reinhold Niebuhr as presented in the two volume work, The Nature and Destiny of Man, and explores its relevance for social ethics, from an evangelical theological perspective. The contention is that despite some weaknesses in Niebuhr's approach, his anthropology provides a useful foundation and corrective for evangelical social ethics, which seek to wrestle with issues of contemporary significance. In order to provide a framework for analysis, Niebuhr is placed first in his proper personal, historical, and theological context. His anthropology is then elaborated and explored as it appears in The Nature and Destiny of Man. Elements of his doctrine of humanity are subsequently brought into synthesis for application to social ethics. Recommendations for further study are made, and an example is presented of how Niebuhr's anthropological paradigm works out in application to a specific, contemporary social issue, namely, the proliferation of information technology. All of this serves to demonstrate the enduring relevance of a theologian whose work has been widely lauded and criticised in the years since he first elaborated his anthropological approach to theology. Rediscovering Niebuhr on his own terms allows freedom to reapply his insights for the ethical and theological challenges of a new millennium.

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https://scholar.acadiau.ca/islandora/object/theses:2760