The Future of Christian Realism

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.

In the world’s most developed democracies, anxiety about the future of democracy is palpable. The tension between moral aspiration and moral despair 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.

Beginning with Robin Lovin’s account of Christian realism as a nuanced blend of theological, moral, and political realisms, The Future of Christian Realism addresses fundamental topics in theology, ethics, and politics. The contributors 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 enduring relevance of Christian realism.

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