In the world's most developed democracies, anxiety about the future of democracy itself is palpable. The tension between moral aspiration and moral despair in modern political life has reached a point of crisis. Christian Realism arose during a similar time of crisis, when Reinhold Niebuhr used the insights of the Christian tradition to interpret the clash between democracy and totalitarianism in the first half of the 20th century. Beginning with Robin Lovin's account of Niebuhr's Christian realism as a nuanced blend of theological, moral, and political realisms, The Future of Christian Realism directly addresses fundamental topics in theology, ethics and politics. The contributors of this volume come from different traditions, span five continents, and together present a case for the continuing relevance of Christian realism. By paying close attention to many of the most pressing moral challenges facing societies today, the authors illustrate and evaluate the relevance of Christian realism in the contemporary world.
Dallas Gingles is director of the Houston-Galveston Extension Program of Perkins School of Theology, Southern Methodist University. Joshua Mauldin is associate director of the Center of Theological Inquiry in Princeton, New Jersey. Rebekah L. Miles is Susanna Wesley Professor of Ethics and Practical Theology at Perkins School of Theology, Southern Methodist University and President of the Niebuhr Society.
Preface and Acknowledgements, Dallas Gingles, Joshua Mauldin, and Rebekah Miles Introduction: Realism in an Age of Global Dysfunction, Eric Gregory Section One: Theological and Ethical Points of Departure Chapter One: The Christian Socialist Difference: Moral Realism, Robin Lovin, Reinhold Niebuhr, and Democratic Socialism, Gary Dorrien Chapter Two: The Future of Theological Realism, Gerald McKenny Chapter Three: Christian Realism and Doctrine, Douglas F. Ottati Chapter Four: The Future of Moral Realism, William Schweiker Chapter Five: Law and Christian Realism, Elisabeth Rain Kincaid Section Two: Christian Realism and Political Realities Chapter Six: Christian Realism and International Law, William P. George Chapter Seven: Christian Realism and International Relations. Kevin Carnahan Chapter Eight: Environmental Ethics and Christian Realism: Reckoning with and Hope Beyond an Era of Witting Ecological Ruin, Frederick Simmons Chapter Nine: The Children of Light in the Twenty-First Century: Global Conflict, Democracy, and the Politics of Despair, Joshua Mauldin Chapter Ten: Economics and the Future of Christian Realism, Nathan I.C. McLellan Chapter Eleven: Institutions and the Future of Christian Ethics, Dallas Gingles Chapter Twelve: Christian Realism and Race in the United States, Peter Paris Chapter Thirteen: Fostering the Impossible in a World Marked by Sin: Bringing the New Christian Realism into Conversation with the Opioid Crisis, Todd Whitmore Section Three: Global Perspectives on the Future of Christian Realism Chapter Fourteen: The Chinese Dream of Prosperity: Historical Roots, Ironies, and Challenges, Luping Huang Chapter Fifteen: Christian Realism in Japan, Yoshibumi Takahashi Chapter Sixteen: Christian Realism in the African Context, Simeon O. Ilesanmi Chapter Seventeen: A Gospel that Opens Up Free Spaces: Reinhold Niebuhr's Insights into Understanding Church and State in Russia Today, John P. Burgess Chapter Eighteen: Christian Realism in the United Kingdom, Nigel Biggar Chapter Nineteen: American Exceptionalism, Christian Realism, and the New Realities, Rebekah Miles Conclusion: Christian Realism in a Polarized Society, Robin W. Lovin About the Contributors
