An American Conscience: The Reinhold Niebuhr Story

Filmmaker Martin Doblmeier serves up a solid portrait of American Protestant theologian Reinhold Niebuhr (1892-1971), an activist Midwestern pastor who espoused socialism and pacifism while also showing concern for the downtrodden and minorities (including religious ones). Niebuhr joined the faculty of New York's Union Theological Seminary as Professor of Christian Ethics in 1928, becoming one of the country's leading public intellectuals as he applied moral principles to politics, economics, and international affairs (Niebuhr also originated the serenity prayer adopted by Alcoholics Anonymous). The film combines archival footage from Niebuhr's speeches and TV appearances (with interviewers such as Mike Wallace) together with narration by Doblmeier, quotations from Niebuhr's work read by Hal Holbrook, and interviews with political figures (Jimmy Carter, Andrew Young), scholars (Andrew Bacevich, Stanley Hauerwas, Cornel West), and journalists (David Brooks), as it traces changes in Niebuhr's thought over time, from unqualified idealism to what came to be called Christian realism. The result is a positive but nuanced depiction of an important thinker who influenced a wide range of individuals, including anti-Nazi German Lutheran pastor Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Martin Luther King, Jr., and political figures as diverse as Barack Obama and John McCain. Extras include bonus interview segments. Recommended. Aud: C, P. (F. Swietek)