Reinhold Niebuhr and His Circle of Influence
"This book is a keenly perceptive and richly informed account of Reinhold Niebuhr's relationships with seven major intellectuals of his time, written with Daniel Rice's customary lucidity." - Gary Dorrien, Union Theological Seminary and Columbia University"Reinhold Niebuhr was a dialectical thinker, forming his ideas in response to provocations from his colleagues and critics. Daniel Rice gives us access to the people and ideas that were always on Niebuhr's mind as he wrote. Reinhold Niebuhr and His Circle of Influence is an important new look at a lively intellectual world that shaped policy and society during critical years of the twentieth century." - Robin W. Lovin, Southern Methodist University"Daniel Rice's book reminds us of Reinhold Niebuhr's vital place at the center of twentieth-century American intellectual and political life. The fascinating reconstructions of Niebuhr's exchanges with key figures like Norman Thomas, John Dewey, and Felix Frankfurter allow readers to experience the evolution of Niebuhr's characteristically realistic, yet consistently humane, theological perspective on pressing moral and political issues. This book will not only be of great interest to students of Niebuhr's thought but will also help to reestablish his importance in broader American intellectual history - at a time when his wisdom and insight remains as essential as ever." - Michael Joseph Smith, Sorensen Professor of Political & Social Thought, University of Virginia"This reverent, detailed, and highly focused book illuminates Reinhold Niebuhr's relationship with seven prominent contemporaries." -David A. Hollinger, The Journal of American History