Reinhold Niebuhr’s Neo-orthodox Theological Anthropology in the face of liberal theology

Neo-orthodox Christian theology, also known as the theology of reform, crisis, and dialectics, was the first voice to oppose liberal Christian theology, which was the dominant theology in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The neo-orthodox theologians, though not entirely in agreement, are in unison against the teachings of liberal theology and a new return to reform theology. Reinhold Niebuhr was the original founder of American neo-Orthodox theology. Anthropology is the main axis of Niebuhr theology and the basis of his theological teachings of social ethics and political theology. He begins his theology not from God as the source and end, the Absolute and the Infinite, but from human, and believes that the problems of modern man stem from his inability to true self-knowledge. Modern thought about man heterogeneously has combined elements of classical Greek, biblical, and modern thought. Therefore, it is necessary to identify and track all these components separately. Niebuhr believes that the human intellect understands truth by reducing it to a system of coherence. Understanding the complete truth and becoming aware of the supernatural secrets is possible only through religious wisdom. Rejecting the various schools of rationalism, naturalism, and romantism as the ultimate solution, Niebuhr considers the mythical interpretation of the Bible to be the best approach to understanding human. For a better analysis of Niebuhr’s anthropology, we have divided it into three main sections: the theology of the self, the theology of sin, and the theology of grace.

Niebuhr does not provide a logical definition of human nature, but rather describes the paradoxical state of man with two poles of finiteness and freedom. His anthropology is based on three principles from the Bible: 1) Human is a creature. 2) Human has been created in the image of God. 3) Human is inevitably a sinner, although sin is not a necessity of his nature. Niebuhr rejects the dualistic view of human nature in the classical and mystical schools, which leads to the evil of the body and the good of the soul, and considers the salvation of human in the liberation of the soul from the body. His approach to the “self” is holistic and gestaltic, and he considers the “self” to have a paradoxical unity. Human’s paradoxical condition causes him anxiety. Neither limitedness nor anxiety is a sin, but a misinterpretation of anxiety that leads man to rebel against God and usurp His position. Human is not able to save himself only with his inner resources, but through the grace of God Almighty.

In this research, in addition to a complete analysis of Niebuhr’s anthropology, his theological method is also surveyed. Finally, while criticizing Niebuhr thought in method and content, some points about Niebuhr’s theology lessons are provided for our theological thought.