tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4318375667051435937.post4313962616369232269..comments2023-08-25T16:13:51.356+01:00Comments on Martin In The Margins: Brooks and Dionne on Niebuhr and ObamaMartinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15608932251584881007noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4318375667051435937.post-54946143976951585612009-12-29T09:21:08.041+00:002009-12-29T09:21:08.041+00:00Martin and Minnie - Thanks for these comments, whi...Martin and Minnie - Thanks for these comments, which I've just come across, in this limbo time between Christmas and N Year festivities. An early Happy New Year to both of you, and thanks for continuing to read and comment on my blog - much appreciated.<br /><br />Martin - I have to admit my knowledge of Augustine is pretty limited - I've never finished the Confessions - but I suppose I meant pessimism about human nature - that sense of all-pervasive sin and human limitation which the Lutherans and the Calvinists returned to in Augustine - and which modern protestant 'realists' like Niebuhr and Elshtain take up.<br /><br />Minnie - I'm assuming the reference to F D Maurice was a response to my moan about the decline of the Christian Left. In my youth I was greatly influenced by Christian socialism, and mourn its passing. But I also remain interested (as does the other Martin - who posted the above comment) in the legacy of Distributism (another hangover from my dead and buried PhD thesis), whose time may yet come again...Martinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15608932251584881007noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4318375667051435937.post-52144602986872998502009-12-28T15:57:16.646+00:002009-12-28T15:57:16.646+00:00Depends what the faith in question is engaged with...Depends what the faith in question is engaged with, with what degree of sincerity and to what or which end(s)... <br />Whatever happened to F D Maurice & Co? They appear to have sunk in our intellectual history almost without trace.<br />But bless you (?!) for raising the question in general and in more specific terms on this post. Am now off to have a look through the video, a read of Niebuhr (about whom I know very little) and a good think - for all of which, many thanks in advance.Minniehttp://minniebeaniste.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4318375667051435937.post-55397213047437456532009-12-27T12:55:18.712+00:002009-12-27T12:55:18.712+00:00Thanks for the video--it will certainly fill up a ...Thanks for the video--it will certainly fill up a slow afternoon for me! I would add a little caveat to your excellent piece, which is that many list Augustine as an optimist rather than a pessimist; he writes pessimistically only about a world without faith.<br /><br />A very merry Christmas to you. I have been busy lately and have neglected blogland, but I always try and read your thoughts. Have the best of New Years.Martin Meenaghhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06092121503713511010noreply@blogger.com