Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-jkksz Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-27T09:45:15.441Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

‘A Man of the Hour and the Time’: The Legacy of Gustav Niebuhr

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 July 2009

William G. Chrystal
William G. Chrystal
Affiliation:
minister of the First Congregational Church, Stockton, California.
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Extract

When he was confirmed in 1906 into the membership of Saint John's Church of Lincoln, Illinois, Reinhold Niebuhr, in the custom of the Evangelical Synod, recited a memory verse assigned him by his pastor: “I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you” (Jeremiah 31:3). No doubt this verse, especially selected for the young Niebuhr, also expressed a father's love and faithfulness, since it was given to Reinhold by Pastor Gustav Niebuhr.

Type
Research Article
Information
Church History , Volume 49 , Issue 4 , December 1980 , pp. 416 - 432
Copyright
Copyright © American Society of Church History 1980

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1. Reinhold Niebuhr, “Lebenslauf”, 1907, MS, Elmhurst College, Elmhurst, Ill. Unless otherwise indicated, all translations from the German are the author's.

2. “An Interview with Reinhold Niebuhr”, preprinted from the February 1966 McCall's, n.p.

3. Richard, H. Niebuhr dedicated his first book, The Social Sources of Denominationalism (New York; 1929),Google Scholar “To the Memory of my Father” Reinhold Niebuhr inscribed Does Civilization Need Religion? (New York, 1927) to both his mother and father; about his father he said: “To the Memory of my Father who taught me that the critical faculty can be united with a reverent spirit”. Along with Gustav Niebuhr, Lydia Niebuhr was a great formative influence. Reinhold Niebuhr's great teacher and “Mark Hopkins”, (as Reinhold later liked to refer to him), Samuel D. Press, quoted Goethe to express their effect on Reinhold: “Vom Vater hab ich die Statur, des Lebens Ernste Fuehrung; Von Mutter hab ich die Froh-Natur, die Lust zum Fabulieren”. See Chrystal, William G., ed., Young Reinhold Niebuhr: His Early Writings, 1911–1931 (St. Louis, 1977), p. 23.Google Scholar

4. Reinhold Niebuhr, “Intellectual Autobiography”, Kegley, Charles W. and Bretall, Robert W., eds., Reinhold Niebuhr: His Religious, Social and Political Thought (New York, 1956), p. 3.Google Scholar

5. Theophil H. Twente to the author, 29 October 1976. Dr. Twente, an Elmhurst and Eden classmate of Reinhold Niebuhr, heard this story from Dr. Goebel.

6. Kettlehut, Theodor, “Lebensabriss des Entschlafenen”, Der Evangelische Diakonissen-Herold, vol. 7, no. 4 (05 1913), p. 2.Google Scholar

7. The Reminiscences of Reinhold Niebuhr (New York, 1957), p. 1.Google Scholar

8. Kettlehut, , “Lebensabriss des Entschlafenen”, p. 2.Google Scholar

9. Niebuhr, Gustav, “Die Zukunft der Deutschen Evang. Synod von N.A.,” Der Evangelische Diakonissen-Herold, vol. 7, no. 3 (02 1913), p. 8.Google Scholar

10. See “Kirchliches”, Der Friedensbote, vol. 36, no. 12 (15 06 1885), P. 92.Google Scholar Pastor G. Muller officiated.

11. Niebuhr, Gustav, “Correspondenz aus San Francisco”, Der Friedensbote, vol. 37, no. 4 (15 02 1886), p. 30.Google Scholar

12. Niebuhr, Gustav, “Correspondenz aus San Francisco”, Der Friedensbote, vol. 37, no. 11 (1 06 1886), p. 87.Google Scholar

13. Meyer, Alfred, “Zum 25jährigen Jubiläum des Pacific-Distrikts der Evang. Synode von Nord-Amerika”, Protokoll der 25. Jahres-Konfrenz des Pacific-Distrikts (St. Louis, Mo., 1919), p. 3.Google Scholar

14. Sturm, Carl F., “Kurzer Ansprache”, Der Evangelische Diakonissen-Herold, vol. 7, no. 4 (05 1913), pp. 9–10.Google Scholar

15. See Niebuhr, Gustav, “Der Widerstreit der Pflichten”, Theologische Zeitschrift, vol. 16, no. 9 (09 1888), pp. 267–275.Google Scholar

16. See Abele, Ralph C., “A Woman Named Lydia…” United Church Herald, vol. 2, no. 17 (17 09 1959), pp. 10–12.Google Scholar

17. According to the Evangelischer Kalender for the years from 1886–1892, Gustav Niebuhr resided at 520 Greenwich Street in San Francisco.

18. An updated obituary, “Rev. Gustav Niebuhr was Taken Suddenly”, obviously clipped from the Lincoln, Illinois, paper at the time of his death, refers to Niebuhr's having been “transferred” to Wright City from California. This suggests continued Home Mission Board involvement.

19. Apparently, the Home was originally named “Bethesda”, but owing to the fact that there were other institutions by that name in the U.S., the name “Emmaus” was selected. See Niebuhr, Gustav, “Zur Notiz” Der Friedensbote, vol. 44, no.9(1 05 1893), p.71.Google Scholar

20. “History of the Development of the Emmaus Asylums for Epileptics and Feeble-Minded at Marthasville and St. Charles, Mo.,” in Twenty-Fifth Anniversary, Emmaus Asylums for Epileptics and Feeble-Minded, Marthasville and St. Charles, Mo., September 3, 1918, pp. 11–13.Google Scholar

21. See Der Friedensbote, vol. 46, no. 5 (1 03 1895), p. 36.Google Scholar

22. Goebel, Louis W., Recollections (privately printed, n.d.), p. 51.Google Scholar

23. Ibid., p. 52.

24. Ibid., p. 17.

25. Niebuhr apparently began this work in July of 1899. See Jens, F.P., “Anhang mit einer kurzen Geschichte der zum Evangelischen Diakonieverband gehörenden Diakonissenhäuser und Diakonievereine”, in Berufslehre für Diakonissen (St. Louis, Mo., 1916), p. 122.Google Scholar

26. Niebuhr, Gustav, “Was ist bisher in Bezug auf die Pflege der Epileptischen und Schwachsinnigen geschehen?” Der Bote aus Emmaus, vol. 1, no. 1 (08 1900), p. 3.Google Scholar

27. Niebuhr, Gustav, “Gott sei Dank!” Der Bote aus Emmaus, vol. 1, no. 1 (08 1900), p. 6.Google Scholar

28. Zimmer, Pastor G.A., Chronik der Deutschen Evangel. Christus-Gemeinde zu Salt Lake City im Staate Utah, 20 Juni 1904, p. 572.Google Scholar A similar handwritten record exists for Zions-Gemeinde as well.

29. Both sources cited in note 28 speak of his departure for St. Louis. While he was in the West, the family stayed in Saint Charles.

30. Reminiscences of Reinhold Niebuhr, p. 1.

31. Goebel, , Recollections, p. 51.Google Scholar

32. Niebuhr, Gustav, “Zur gef. Notiz”, Der Friedensbote, vol. 53, no. 14 (6 04 1902), p. 108.Google Scholar

33. The undated obituary, “Rev. Gustav Niebuhr was Taken Suddenly”, provides the month of his call, although the year 1901 is an obvious error.

34. See Niebuhr, Gustav, “Aus dem Evang. Diakonissenhaus, Lincoln, Ill.,” Der Friedensbote, vol. 54, no. 50 (13 12 1903), p. 395.Google Scholar The initial cost of building the hospital was $40,000. At the time of Niebuhr's report in December, $20,000 was still outstanding.

35. Ibid.

36. Niebuhr, Gustav, “Die Grundzüge des Diakonissenwerkes” Evangelischer Diakonissenfreund, vol. 12, no. 12 (12 1904), p. 3.Google Scholar It is also interesting to note that Niebuhr believed, “daily experince in family life teaches us that women, generally speaking, are more qualified for nursing the sick than are men”. Ibid., p. 2. Thus in Niebuhr's opinion, deaconess work took advantage of women's special nursing skills while providing them a unique Christian vocation. The author thanks Dr. John W. Flucke for his translation from the German of this and a number of other essays by Gustav Niebuhr.

37. Ibid.

38. Niebuhr, Gustav, “Die Grundzüge des Diakonissenwerkes” Schluss [Conclusion], Evangelischer DiakonissenJreund, vol. 13, no. 1 (01 1905), p. 2.Google Scholar (Trans. John W. Flucke.)

39. Ibid. Niebuhr considered this tendency to be predominant in churches of English influence. And he went so far as to say, “The movement for women's liberation with its aversion to family duties, to the blessing of children, and above all to humble service will, I fear, eventually become the greatest curse of this nation, otherwise so abundantly blessed”.

40. Ibid. After noting that Fliedner considered the crown of deaconess work to be deaconess service in the congregation, Niebuhr pointed Out that this probably would not be so in America. For one thing, American congregations were too small when compared to those of Europe. Thus Niebuhr concluded, “The American deaconess, like the Catholic sister, will have her greatest success in benevolent institutions, especially in hospitals. And indeed we may be satisfied if the responsibility of Home Missions in this field is to some degree met. Hundreds of thousands of sufferers in hospitals and asylums, despite good external care, still await the ministrations of the true Good Samaritan, the Christ-loving deaconess”. Ibid., p. 3.

41. At the time of his death in April 1913, Niebuhr was also chairman of the Evangelical Deaconess Associations.

42. “Der Diakonissen-Herold”, Der Evangelische Diakonissen-Herold, vol. 1, no. 1 (07 1906), p.1.Google Scholar

43. Since the Conference was held in Lincoln, Illinois, Niebuhr was also the host preacher. His opening sermon was entitled, “What kind of work should the work of the Church be?” See Protokoll der 21. Jahreskonferenz des Nord-Illinois-Distrikts der Deutschen Evang. Synode von Nord-Amerika, (Lincoln, Ill., 06 1907), p. 1.Google Scholar

44. Obituary, , “Pastor G. Niebuhr”, Evangelischer Wohltätigkeitsfreund, vol. 5, no. 4 (05 1913), p.3.Google Scholar

45. Undated obituary, “Rev. Gustav Niebuhr Was Taken Suddenly”. Until now the date of Gustav's trip to Germany was unclear. By Reinhold's calculations (see note 46), his father made the trip in 1893. Reinhold, who was born in 1892, however, would hardly have remembered it “very clearly.” From the obituary one can see that his father's breakdown and trip occurred in 1906 or 1907.

46. Reminiscences of Reinhold Niebuhr, pp. 4–5.Google Scholar

47. Gustav Niebuhr, Die Evangelische Synode von Nord-Amerika und die Logenfrage, Herausgegeben auf Beschluss der Bloomington Pastoralkonferenz, n.p., n.d.

48. Six theses from Niebuhr's, lecture, “Die Aufgabe der Diakonie bei der Losung der sozialen Frage”, may be found in Protokoll der Dritten Konferenz des Evangelischen Diakonie-Verbandes in der Deutschen Evangelischen Synode von Nord-Amerika, (Chicago, 1911), pp. 5–6.Google Scholar

49. Niebuhr, Gustav, “Modern Methods and their Application to the Old Gospel Truth”, Messenger of Peace, vol. 12, no.10 (15 01 1913), P. 1.Google Scholar

50. Niebuhr, Gustav, “In What Way and to What Extent Should the Church Exercise Influence on Social and Political Conditions?” part one, Messenger of Peace, vol. 12, no. 11 (15 05 1913), p. 2.Google Scholar

51. Niebuhr, Gustav, “In What Way and to What Extent Should the Church Exercise Influence on Social and Political Conditions?” part two, Messenger of Peace, vol. 12, no. 4 (1 06 1913), pp. 1–2.Google Scholar

52. Ibid., p. 2.

53. Undated obituary, “Rev. Gustav Niebuhr Was Taken Suddenly”.

54. “Auf Niebuhrs Hinschied”, Der Evangelische Diakonissen-Herold, Memorial Ausgabe, vol. 7, no. 4 (05 1913), p. 1.Google Scholar

55. Tillich, Paul, “Sin and Grace in the Theology of Reinhold Niebuhr”, Landon, Harold R., ed., Reinhold Niebuhr: A Prophetic Voice in Our Time (Greenwich, Conn., 1962), p. 33.Google Scholar

56. Reminiscences of Reinhold Niebuhr, p. 4.

57. Niebuhr, Reinhold, “Dr. Press and Evangelical Theology”, (Address delivered on the occasion of the retirement of Dr. Press from the Presidency of Eden Seminary, 1941), p. 2.Google Scholar

58. Ibid.

59. Niebuhr, Gustav, “Die Zukunft der Deutschen Evang. Synode von N.A.,” p. 9.Google Scholar (Trans. John W. Flucke.) See Irion, Andreas, Erklärung des Kleinen Evangel: Katechismus (St. Louis, 1870).Google Scholar

60. “What Is Disturbing the Lutherans?” The Christian Century, vol. 43, no. 25 (22 07 1926), p. 910.Google Scholar Although this is an unsigned piece, Reinhold Niebuhr's authorship is unmistakable. For not only does he include the Evangelical Synod as “one Lutheran denomination”-something which made his Synod colleagues fume-he zeroed in on the inadequacy of its educational system, which was one of his pet peeves.

61. Niebuhr, Reinhold, Reflections on the End of an Era (New York, 1934), p. ix.Google Scholar

62. Niebuhr, Reinhold, “The Failure of German-Americanism”, Atlantic Monthly, vol. 118, no. 1 (07 1916), p. 16.Google Scholar

63. “Die Zukunft der Deutschen Evang. Synode Von N.A.,” p. 11. (Trans. John W. Flucke.

64. Niebuhr, Reinhold, “An Anniversary Sermon”, Chrystal, ed., Young Reinhold Niebuhr, pp. 61–62.Google Scholar

65. Reinhold Niebuhr, “Where Shall We Go?” ibid., pp. 101–108.

66. See Goebel, Louis W., “The Merger of the Evangelical Synod of North America and the Reformed Church in the United States,” twelve-page manuscript dated 30 07 1935,Google Scholar Eden Archives, for an interesting behind-the-scenes look at the merger of the Evangelical and Reformed Church. Goebel's account pays full tribute to the legion efforts of H. Richard Niebuhr. Both Reinhold and H. Richard Niebuhr also played modest unofficial roles in the merger of the Evangelical and Reformed Church with the Congregational Christian Churches. It is therefore clear that the basically Lutheran Evangelical Synod owed its merger with Reformed bodies in large measure to the Niebuhr brothers, who were plainly responding to an Evangelical perspective learned from their father, placed in the context of American religious life.

67. Niebuhr, Reinhold, “Some Things I Have Learned”, Saturday Review, vol. 48, no. 45 (6 11 1965), P. 63.Google Scholar

68. Niebuhr, Gustav, “Glaube und Fanatismus”, Der Friedensbote, vol. 52, no. 7 (17 02 1901), p. 52.Google Scholar (Trans. John W. Flucke.)

69. Ibid.

70. “Dr. Press and Evangelical Theology”, p. 4.

71. Niebuhr, Gustav, “Das Wort vom Kreuz”, Der Friedensbote, vol. 50, no. 11 (12 03 1899), p. 81.Google Scholar

72. Niebuhr, Gustav, “Modern Methods and their Application to the Old Gospel Truth’, p. 2.Google Scholar