Niebuhr thesis is being that group relations can never be as ethical as those, which characterize individual relations. So I think what he is trying to say is that as an individual you can have your own authentic opinion then compared to a group opinion. Gilkey locates Moral Man not only in its historical context but also in relationship with his later theological works, especially The Nature and Destiny of Man.In Moral Man and Immoral Society, Niebuhr truly broke with this "social gospel" outlook, insisting that power is the principal ingredient in arbitrating the competing claims of nations, races, and social classes. According to Niebuhr, conflict and tension are permanent features ...view middle of the document...
These facts, for Niebuhr, explain why dominant groups rarely yield their privileges except when put under pressure by some offset social force.Moral, rational, and religious appeals might be subordinate factors in the struggle for justice, but Niebuhr still counted them as real. If rational and ethical considerations alone don't make oppressors yield just concessions to the oppressed, they often do enable them to internalize rather than contest reforms once they are established.According to Niebuhr political power is necessary in politics, Niebuhr insisted, but it should be exercised by women and men who possess determination, self-knowledge, forgiveness, and charity. Equipped with these faculties and theological virtues, they will be better able to fight for justice in a way that makes reconciliation possible.The promise of God's kingdom and His forgiveness helps him from becoming a dark or even having a cynical vision. "In history, men and women can only do what is possible within the specific and concrete circumstances of their time. For people to live with this terrible limitation on their moral impulses, Niebuhr thinks, they must believe that at the end of history God will complete, and thus give meaning to, their partial and ambiguous achievements." So therefore, they must rely on God's forgiveness to bear the evil and guilt that political action inevitably entails.2) I have seen a lot of protest done by college stud...
