1173. Niebuhr is unambiguous . . .

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Niebuhr is unambiguous in asserting that human beings, at least, are creators as well as creatures and, as such, co-workers with God or Christ. Thus he says, for example, "The same Lord who is the pledge of God's grace to us is also our example. He bids us 'to work while it is day, for the night cometh when no one can work.' He assures us that we are co-workers together with him. . . . Man in the Christian view is undoubtedly a creator, and he undoubtedly participates in the strange drama, in which he is also a creature, the mystery of which he cannot fully discern and the destinies of which he cannot fully bring under his control." Or, again, he speaks of Christian eschatology constantly reminding human beings, including Christians, "how great the difference is between the Lord of history and the little creatures who are called to be coworkers together with him" (Essays in Applied Christianity: 332, 318).

23 May 2003