Leaves from the Notebook of a Tamed Cynic [Paperback]

Reinhold Niebuhr (Author), Martin E. Marty (Foreword)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1, 1990

Renowned theologian Reinhold Niebuhr began his career as pastor of Bethel Evangelical Church in Detroit, Michigan, where he served from 1915-1928. Leaves From the Notebook of a Tamed Cynic is Niebuhr's account of the frustrations and joys he experienced during his years at Bethel. Addressed to young ministers, this book provides reflections and insights for those engaged in the challenging yet infinitely rewarding occupation of pastoral ministry. Niebuhr's powerful book remains as useful and relevant today as it was eighty years ago.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Reinhold Niebuhr (1892 - 1971) was an ethicist, theologian, and political philosopher who taught at Union Theological Seminary in New York City from 1928 to 1960. Before that, for thirteen years, he was minister of Detroit's Bethel Evangelical Church.

Product Details

• Paperback: 152 pages
• Publisher: Westminster / John Knox Press (January 1, 1990)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0664251641
• ISBN-13: 978-0664251642
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #92,886 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

28 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Green, alive and leafy, May 26, 2003

By 

FrKurt Messick "FrKurt Messick" (Bloomington, IN USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Leaves from the Notebook of a Tamed Cynic (Paperback)

Reinhold Niebuhr's small book, Leaves from the Notebook of a Tamed Cynic, is perhaps his most famous and popular book. It has informed and helped to shape the lives and ministries of seminarians, educators, ministers and other prophetic and ethical people since it was first published early in this century. Niebuhr recounts with astonishing honesty the difficulties facing those who would do ministry, and act ethically, in the church today. His criticism is not held back from any sacred topics.

`I make no apology for being critical of what I love. No one wants a love which is based upon illusions, and there is no reason why we should not love a profession and yet be critical of it.'

Niebuhr talks about the shock of coming to realise the limitations of his ministry, going from being a fresh-from-seminary full-of-grace minister to a person confronting another person in the 'real world'. He talks about

`...the difficulty of acting as priest. It is not in your power to determine the use of a symbol. Whether it is a blessing or a bit of superstition rests altogether with the recipient.'

This real world also presents problems. Parishioners tend to ask practical questions, rather than theoretical ones. They ask, Why won't Jesus heal me? Didn't he heal others? It is in the Bible, after all.

`I do believe that Jesus healed people. I can't help but note, however, that a large proportion of his cures were among the demented.'

He talks about the practical limitations of doing ethical ministry and prophesy for the average pulpit preacher.

`I am not surprised that most prophets are itinerants. Critics of the church think we preachers are afraid to tell the truth because we are economically dependent upon the people of our church. There is something in that....'

Finally, Niebuhr comes to have realistic expectations of the church and his own ministry in it.

`The church is like the Red Cross service in war time. It keeps life from degenerating into a consistent inhumanity, but it does not materially alter the fact of the struggle itself. The Red Cross neither wins the war nor abolishes it.'

Niebuhr in this small work has given great insight. Barely 150 short pages of his journal from 1915-1928 as a parish minister--although he became much better known as a philosopher in later years, this book is most likely his best seller, and the one with the most profound day-to-day impact for his readers.

A must-read for anyone with a calling to ministry; a should-read for anyone in a helping and caring profession. It gives insight into how to remain human and fallible in the face of a congregation's (and one's own!) expectations of holiness and godly perfection.

19 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Timeless., June 26, 2000

By 

Scott Austin (Rochester, New York United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Leaves from the Notebook of a Tamed Cynic (Paperback)

It's too easy for us young ministers to dismiss a book that was originally published in 1929. This book drove from me the tendency to do so-forever, I hope.

A series of journal entries dating from 1915 through 1928, "Leaves From the Notebook of a Tamed Cynic" details a young minister's struggles, both inward and outward. Although there is some material that is somewhat irrelevant (mostly due to the fact that we are not experiencing the Great War at the moment), the vast majority of this little book hit home for me, a 22 year-old pastor just starting in ministry.

You are likely to lose count of the number of times you think, "I know that feeling!" while reading "Leaves." Join Niebuhr as he analyzes denominational systems, his parishoners, and ultimately...himself. Empathize with the cynicism of a young pastor struggling to make a difference. Come to realize that we have more in common with our older counterparts than we think.

Perhaps the most important of the many lessons found in "Leaves" is that as he grew in experience and age, he came to know himself, his people, and his God better. Reading this book was a step on that same road for me.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A huge help through the early years of ministry, December 21, 2004

By 

Darren Pollock "dmpollock" (Grand Rapids, MI) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Leaves from the Notebook of a Tamed Cynic (Paperback)

This little gem was probably my favorite book from seminary. Niebuhr takes you with him on the difficult journey through the first years of his parish ministry and teaches you how to think theologically about really practical dilemmas that arise as a clergyperson. My favorite thing about the book is that it is not written as a memoir, but in the moment, so you don't have an old, brilliant theologian reflecting on his years in ministry, but rather a young, brilliant pastor who doesn't know all the answers and doesn't pretend to. I feel like Reinhold has become a close friend though the end of seminary and my first year working in the church, because he gives words to and insight into many of the struggles I have had.