Confronting the Will-to-Power

The author takes up Niebuhr's theology and presents it to be, at its heart, an attempt to grapple with the most powerful and most dangerous aspect of human nature: a quality Niebuhr describes as the will-to-power. Lovatt argues forcibly that Niebuhr identifies the fundamental nature of human sin as having very specific qualities; and that Niebuhr, over his various works, develops a theology which seeks to deal effectively with this quality, both theologically and practically. Lovatt discusses the main areas of doctrine covered by Niebuhr, and considers how his position reflects his underlying agenda to grapple with the reality of the will-to power. this leads to some important conclusions about Niebuhr, modern theology, and the present day problem of evil. A helpful study of Niebuhr's thought, demonstrating its internal coherence while at the same time challenging it at a number of key points with thoroughness and fairness. --Richard S. Briggs, All Nations Christian College, Ware, UK Dr. Lovatt's serious and systematic study sets the will-to-power in the context of Niebuhr's theology as a whole. In particular he relates it to the perennial problem of evil, arguing that Niebuhr's understanding radically questions the way we normally look at this. this valuable study looks at Niebuhr in a fresh way and shows his continuing importance. --Rt. Rev. Richard Harries, Bishop of Oxford An exceptionally readable and penetrating study of its subject with important implications for today. --Peter Lewis, the cornerstone Church, Nottingham In fashion or out of fashion, Reinhold Niebuhr remains one of the great American theologians, with an impact on church and theology worldwide. Dr. Lovatt's study of Niebuhr's writings, both sympathetic and critical, demonstrates the continuing contemporary importance of dialogue with classical thinkers in the Christian tradition. --George Newlands, University of Glasgow This is a critically sympathetic account of Niebuhr's theology which not only casts new light on his realism but has argued very convincingly for regarding theodicy as the nerve of the theology as a whole. --Emeritus Professor John Heywood Thomas After working in agriculture and the ceramics industry, Mark Lovatt returned to college to do A levels. He read Philosophy and Theology at the University of Nottingham. Following its successful completion, he began his PhD in Theology, again at Nottingham, working part-time as an HGV driver. He graduated in December 1999. He is now an information technology consultant, based in Nottingham.