Oltre la tragedia e l'utopia. Realismo cristiano, potere politico e speranza in Reinhold Niebuhr

The essays contained in this volume aim to demonstrate not only the distinctive character of Niebuhr’s Christian realism, but above all its capacity to move beyond both tragedy and utopia. The volume gathers twelve essays, spanning a period from 1934 to 1963. The first six essays were written in the years preceding the outbreak of the Second World War or during its first year. At that time, the author’s main concern was, on the one hand, to challenge liberal illusions about domestic and international politics and, on the other, to support the defense of Western Europe against Adolf Hitler’s Germany. The final six essays were written during the most intense phase of the Cold War. Although his analyses from the 1930s never fully rejected a Marxian perspective, Niebuhr—aware of the threat posed by the Soviet Union—became one of the foremost Christian advocates of the American policy of containing communism. Yet he consistently remained a critical voice against the illusions of U.S. foreign policy, as demonstrated by his strong opposition to the Vietnam War. In offering his historical and political judgment, the Protestant theologian—as a Christian realist—thus appears capable of going beyond both tragedy and utopia. More than a coherent system of thought containing easy solutions to complex problems, Niebuhr’s reflection offers a *method* through which to engage in a form of critical thinking. In the face of any contradictory or negative experience, what prevails is never a disenchanted cynicism or an illusory perfectionism, but rather—and ultimately—hope.