Robust Liberalism: H. Richard Niebuhr and the Ethics of American Public Life

…an engaging guide to Niebuhr’s work, and [Beach-Verhey] provides a compelling account of Christian participation in the common good.

— Adam Hollowell, Duke University ― Modern Believing

Beach-Verhey demonstrates deep insight into the cultural forces that paralyze public life in the United States. His theory about the nature of liberal democracy is similarly insightful, and his case for Niebuhr’s radical monotheism is quite compelling.

— James M. Brandt, Saint Paul School of Theology ― Journal for the Society for Christian Ethics

In this fine book on public theology, Timothy Beach-Verhey seeks to find a way for American Christians to contribute to public discourse wihtout seeking to dominate (as in the past) or to accommodate to its assumptions (our current temptation). He proposes a revival of the ‘robust liberalism’ of H. Richard Niebuhr because Niebuhr negotiates the relation between the particular and the universal better than any contemporary alternative.

― Presbyterian Outlook Review

Timothy Beach-Verhey expertly shows how the religious and political vision of H. Richard Niebuhr–still vibrant and compelling after all these years–honors the diverse convictions of our various moral and faith communities while also giving due weight to our shared humanity. For anyone looking to navigate the challenges of our contemporary pluralistic world while nurturing a robust hope in God, I highly recommend this book.

— William Stacy Johnson, Arthur M. Adams Professor of Theology, Princeton Theological Seminary