Robust Liberalism: H. Richard Niebuhr and the Ethics of American Public Life

by Timothy A. Beach-Verhey

Overview

Concisely critiquing the internal contradictions and practical limitations of the social contract theory espoused by John Locke and John Rawls, Timothy Beach-Verhey presents a covenantal theory for political life based on H. Richard Niebuhr's theology of radical monotheism. Beach-Verhey challenges sectarian interpretations of Niebuhr's theology and cogently demonstrates that a properly understood, theocentric, covenantal social theory can unite a diverse people in a shared polity. In so doing, he shows how such an understanding of both liberal democratic practices and Christian norms can provoke both the moral vision and the virtues that are required for robust, open, and engaged public life. Robust Liberalism makes a powerful contribution to contemporary discussion of American public discourse.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781602582521
Publisher:	Baylor University Press
Publication date:	01/15/2011
Pages:	320
Product dimensions:	6.10(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.80(d)
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

Timothy A. Beach-Verhey is Pastor of Faison Presbyterian Church in North Carolina. He previously served as Assistant Professor of Theological Ethics and Director of the Program for the Theological Exploration of Vocation at Davidson College. He lives in Faison, North Carolina.

Table of Contents

Introduction

1. E Pluribus Unum: An Augustinian Conception of Faith, Pluralism, and Public Life

2. Opening the Circle: Story, Community, and Reality in Moral Reasoning

3. The Universal, the Particular, and Public Discourse: Beyond Secular Liberalism and Christian Traditionalism

4. The Christian Churches and American Public Life: A Particular Community Directed Through Faith Toward the Universal

5. Robust Liberalism: American Democracy and the Divine Commonwealth

What People are Saying About This

William Stacy Johnson

Timothy Beach-Verhey expertly shows how the religious and political vision of H. Richard Niebuhr—still vibrant and compelling after all these years—honors the diverse convictions of our various moral and faith communities while also giving due weight to our shared humanity. For anyone looking to navigate the challenges of our contemporary pluralistic world while nurturing a robust hope in God, I highly recommend this book.

Editorial Reviews

In this fine book on public theology, Timothy Beach-Verhey seeks to find a way for American Christians to contribute to public discourse wihtout seeking to dominate (as in the past) or to accommodate to its assumptions (our current temptation). He proposes a revival of the 'robust liberalism' of H. Richard Niebuhr because Niebuhr negotiates the relation between the particular and the universal better than any contemporary alternative.

Presbyterian Outlook Review

…an engaging guide to Niebuhr’s work, and [Beach-Verhey] provides a compelling account of Christian participation in the common good.

Modern Believing - Adam Hollowell

Beach-Verhey demonstrates deep insight into the cultural forces that paralyze public life in the United States. His theory about the nature of liberal democracy is similarly insightful, and his case for Niebuhr’s radical monotheism is quite compelling.

Journal for the Society for Christian Ethics - James M. Brandt