Film Screening - An American Conscience: The Reinhold Niebuhr Story

Film Screening: An American Conscience: The Reinhold Niebuhr Story

Monday, March 5,  2018
Santa Barbara Public Library
Public Event

Following the screening UCSB Global Studies Professor Mark Juergensmeyer, shared his memories as a Masters student at Union Theological Seminary in NYC where Niebuhr was one of his teachers. Professor Juergensmeyer also fielded questions from the audience and further discussed the importance of Reinhold Niebuhr and his writings, such as the well-known serenity prayer that reads:

God, give us grace to accept with serenity
the things that cannot be changed,
Courage to change the things
which should be changed,
and the Wisdom to distinguish
the one from the other.

Living one day at a time,
Enjoying one moment at a time,
Accepting hardship as a pathway to peace,
Taking, as Jesus did,
This sinful world as it is,
Not as I would have it,
Trusting that You will make all things right,
If I surrender to Your will,
So that I may be reasonably happy in this life,
And supremely happy with You forever in the next.
Amen.
- Reinhold Niebuhr