Reinhold Niebuhr’s Christian Realism has many components to it. Post World War I, he moved away from his usual liberal/pacifist way of thinking after seeing that the war was based on power control and economical concerns, and this was something he did not want to support. He wanted to follow a more proactive way of doing things instead of just waiting for something to happen. Liberal’s pacifist way of thinking utilizing non-intervention ways to deal with evil in the world, could not be used anymore. “He argued that a chief reliance on the power of reason through education and moral suasion was naive and misplaced” (citation I). By doing nothing would allow evil to continue to control everything. Niebuhr also says humans in this world are self-glorifying, sinful in nature, and will never be equal to …show more content…
King’s action in Birminham exemplify his understanding of Christian Realism
Niebuhr helped King gain a better understand of how groups of people behaved, their motives, and the connection between power and morality ( Blakely, 2001). In King’s Letters from Birmingham Jail he addresses the “Human progress never rolls in on wheels of inevitability; it comes through tireless efforts of men willing to be co-workers with God, and without this hard work time itself becomes an ally of the forces of social stagnation. We must use time creatively in the knowledge, that the time is always ripe to do right.” (King, 1963, para. 21). King is agreeing with Reinbuhr in that he order for change and human progress to continue actual efforts must be made. The clergymen wanted him to wait and say it is not the right time, but King says that wait really means never. Just as Niebuhr disagrees with pacifists’ expectation that change will occur with no action, as does King with the issue of segregation. King also defends human rights take precedence over civil obedience. He found it morally ok to non-violently break unjust laws that went against human