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Niebuhr argues that "man can transcend himself sufficiently to know that an ultimate word may be spoken against him; but he cannot himself speak that word" (NDM, 2:25 f.). "Man transcends himself sufficiently to know that he cannot be the centre of his own existence and that his nation, culture or civilization cannot be the end of history. This is the 'natural' ground for revelation. But he does not transcend himself in such a way as to be able to state the end of existence, except as, by faith, he apprehends the voice of God who speaks to him and 'against' him" (26, n. 13).

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