A Study of the ethics of Reinhold Niebuhr focusing on his thought of individuality

Abstract

Reinhold Niebuhr is generally renowned as the establisher or the exponent of social ethics throughout the world. This research is, on the contrary, arguing how he develops his concepts of individualization in terms of ethics as it is focusing on the anthropological thoughts of Niebuhr. Niebuhr completely analyzes the understanding of human beings that human beings individualize themselves as creaturely beings who contain the image of God based upon the neo-Augustinian theology. Thus, Niebuhr develops his ethical thoughts concentrating on the concept of “individualization.” The process of individualization begins from the understanding of human finiteness and freedom which are one of the main ideas of human nature. This individualizing process is the basis of the ethics of agape (divine love) that is the foundation of Niebuhr’s ethics for society. Humanity’s acknowledgement of society and love is the fundamental way of individualization, especially since both loves of self-giving and forgiving are the main origination of individualization of the self which formulates morality not only human relations but also the individuals relation to God. Only this love makes people meet others and have a relationship in community. Sometimes, the community supports individuals to fulfill their individuality; however, it frequently frustrates their desire to attain individuality because the individual’s morality conflicts with the communal order or morality. This situation is the place of Christian realism in Niebuhr. Love, equality, and justice are the main basis of Christian realism, that is, Christian realism tells us the harmony of equality and justice based on love as the possibility of Christian ethics. In short, this research paper delves into how individualization unfolds one of the main thoughts of the ethics of Reinhold Niebuhr.