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Soundings, 2013
This article explores the reception of John Dewey's philosophical pragmatism by scholars in Afric... more This article explores the reception of John Dewey's philosophical pragmatism by scholars in African American religion and ethics and argues that Dewey's usefulness in these disciplines has not yet run dry. Cornel West and Eddie S. Glaude Jr. have drawn on Dewey's work to inform their scholarship on black religion. In response to Glaude's account of "postsoul politics" (by which he means the contemporary political struggle for racial justice, which is frustrated by excessive deference to the civil rights and black power movements), I suggest that cultivating a virtue of improvisation can facilitate democratic progress. Drawing on Dewey and Ralph Ellison to imagine such a virtue, I argue that improvisation could help democratic moral agents respond well to contemporary crises such as the mass incarceration of black men. I conclude that resources are available in black communities for democratic Christians to use in the struggle against racial injustice. The black struggle for democracy is currently subject to an ironic captivity, according to Eddie S. Glaude Jr. The quest for black liberation-including freedom from mass incarceration and ubiquitous suspicion, freedom to earn a livable wage at a dignified job and to obtain a quality public education, and many other forms of freedom-has stalled. This is because those who pursue racial liberation are crippled by the influence of Soundings 96.4_01_Morris.indd 355 19/08/13 3:51 PM
The Oxford Handbook of the Bible in America, 2018
The Bible has been tremendously influential in American politics by informing grand political the... more The Bible has been tremendously influential in American politics by informing grand political theories and by justifying specific policy positions. This chapter analyzes the Bible's role in political metanarratives and its use in policy positions. From the Puritans' invocation of Exodus and the City on a Hill through Cold War evangelicals' interpretations of Revelation, political metanarratives have been animated by divergent and contentious readings of the Bible. Christian uses of the Bible to inform policy stances on slavery, economics, and sexuality have been similarly diverse and contested. Current scholarship shows welcome democratic impulses by challenging long-standing metanarratives and suggesting new policy positions.
Political Theology, 2016
Although Reinhold Niebuhr's account of democracy aims to protect marginalized communities by rest... more Although Reinhold Niebuhr's account of democracy aims to protect marginalized communities by restraining sin through the diffusion of power, the conceptions of sin and love that inform his political theology have anti-democratic consequences for members of these communities. I address this inconsistency by revisiting his underdeveloped idea of mutual love and clarifying his account of sin. Mutual love occupies crucial terrain between agape and justice for Niebuhr, and therefore enables moral agents to achieve democratic goals. Given the nature and importance of mutual love, I clarify Niebuhr's account of sin by making his position on ''self-love'' more moderate than it often appears.
Political Theology, 2016
I argue that Frederick Douglass and William Lloyd Garrison held very different political theologi... more I argue that Frederick Douglass and William Lloyd Garrison held very different political theologies, even while they seemed to work productively together from 1841 to 1847. Examining Douglass's self-presentation on both sides of his split with Garrison, I conclude that he stifled his Christian moral vision in order to comply with Garrisonian theological ideals while working in New England. After moving to Rochester, New York, Douglass was free to give full voice to his authentic Christian political vision. I explore their differing approaches to the Bible's authority, theological anthropology, and the moral permissibility of force, which influenced their political responses to slavery. Scholars such as John Stauffer and John Sekora have argued that his departure facilitated esthetic and racial forms of emancipation for Douglass; I argue that leaving Garrison allowed Douglass to express not only his authentic literary and black identities, but his true Christian identity as well. KEYWORDS Frederick Douglass, William Lloyd Garrison, abolition, Bible, force Despite the apparently productive relationship they had from 1841 to 1847, Frederick Douglass and William Lloyd Garrison were quite different. Their meeting followed Douglass's escape from slavery in Maryland, and led to what seemed like a productive partnership. Garrison took Douglass under his wing. Douglass became one of the most eloquent abolitionist voices in United States' history. They explicitly praised each other in written work during their partnership. They both opposed colonization schemes and advocated immediate emancipation on the soil. And yet, the relationship between Douglass and Garrison was troubled from the beginning, largely because of Garrison's racial paternalism. The conflict was finally alleviated when Douglass left New England and moved to Rochester, New York, in 1847. This departure allowed details of Garrison's paternalism to become clear. Garrison hinted in the preface to Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass that some adjustments were needed to bring Douglass to his full potential. Douglass was very capable, "needing only but a comparatively small amount of cultivation to make him an ornament to society and blessing to
Journal of Religious Ethics, 2014
In this essay I argue that Reinhold Niebuhr's ethics of self-restraint, though promising, is base... more In this essay I argue that Reinhold Niebuhr's ethics of self-restraint, though promising, is based on an incomplete and imprecise moral psychology. Although Niebuhr claims that reason cannot provide a sufficient grounding to motivate self-restraint, he does not disclose which human capacity might serve this purpose. I suggest that we can address this oversight by strengthening Niebuhr's tentative embrace of David Hume, and by developing a concept of the emotions in order to explain how human beings can cultivate a stable inclination to self-restraint. This project is informed by and in the service of feminist critiques of Niebuhr and social concerns.
The Oxford Handbook of Reinhold Niebuhr, 2021
This chapter analyses Reinhold Niebuhr's concepts of tragedy and irony. It explains how he define... more This chapter analyses Reinhold Niebuhr's concepts of tragedy and irony. It explains how he defined these terms and identifies their place in his theological framework. Niebuhr identified the themes of tragedy and irony in his reflection on human nature, the crucifix ion, and moral concepts such as sin, love, and justice. The chapter also explores his use of the terms within the context of twentieth-century global and domestic politics, highlight ing his commentary on the Cold War, capitalism, and democracy in the United States. The chapter concludes by suggesting that the political tragedies and ironies Niebuhr identi fied are still with us today and that his concepts can be used to pursue the goals of his feminist, black, and Latinx critics.
Paradoxical Virtue: Reinhold Niebuhr and the Virtue Tradition, 2020
Religions, 2019
The recent deaths of unarmed black people, especially at the hands of law enforcement, have gener... more The recent deaths of unarmed black people, especially at the hands of law enforcement, have generated a troubling new ritual, in which the media publically asks family members if they will forgive their loved ones' killers. The first task of this paper is to cast these petitions for forgiveness as ritual. The second task is to show that black responses to the question of forgiveness challenge this ritual. Esaw Garner, Audrey DuBose, and Allison Jean disrupt the ritual and call white audiences to repentance.
Books by Daniel A Morris
I ask John Dewey and Reinhold Niebuhr—two of America’s most influential democratic theorists—the ... more I ask John Dewey and Reinhold Niebuhr—two of America’s most influential democratic theorists—the central question of democratic virtue. What virtues are necessary for democracy to flourish? I argue that their respective political theories imply that humility and mutuality are necessary for democracy’s success. This virtue-ethical reading of Dewey and Niebuhr also illuminates new dimensions of their critiques of capitalism. Both implied that the capitalist moral agent is deficient in humility and mutuality, making democracy and capitalism incompatible at the level of the moral agent. The irony is that they failed to notice this common ground. Instead of pursuing political consensus with each other, they quarreled publicly from the 1930s until Dewey’s death in 1952. This failure indicates their deficiencies in democratic tolerance. Although they showed libertarian tolerance to each other, they failed to exhibit the democratic species of this virtue, which would have served consensus despite divergent worldviews.
Book Reviews by Daniel A Morris
Journal of Moral Theology, 2020
A review of the Cambridge Companion to Natural Law Ethics.
Soundings, 2013
This article explores the reception of John Dewey's philosophical pragmatism by scholars in Afric... more This article explores the reception of John Dewey's philosophical pragmatism by scholars in African American religion and ethics and argues that Dewey's usefulness in these disciplines has not yet run dry. Cornel West and Eddie S. Glaude Jr. have drawn on Dewey's work to inform their scholarship on black religion. In response to Glaude's account of "postsoul politics" (by which he means the contemporary political struggle for racial justice, which is frustrated by excessive deference to the civil rights and black power movements), I suggest that cultivating a virtue of improvisation can facilitate democratic progress. Drawing on Dewey and Ralph Ellison to imagine such a virtue, I argue that improvisation could help democratic moral agents respond well to contemporary crises such as the mass incarceration of black men. I conclude that resources are available in black communities for democratic Christians to use in the struggle against racial injustice. The black struggle for democracy is currently subject to an ironic captivity, according to Eddie S. Glaude Jr. The quest for black liberation-including freedom from mass incarceration and ubiquitous suspicion, freedom to earn a livable wage at a dignified job and to obtain a quality public education, and many other forms of freedom-has stalled. This is because those who pursue racial liberation are crippled by the influence of Soundings 96.4_01_Morris.indd 355 19/08/13 3:51 PM
The Oxford Handbook of the Bible in America, 2018
The Bible has been tremendously influential in American politics by informing grand political the... more The Bible has been tremendously influential in American politics by informing grand political theories and by justifying specific policy positions. This chapter analyzes the Bible's role in political metanarratives and its use in policy positions. From the Puritans' invocation of Exodus and the City on a Hill through Cold War evangelicals' interpretations of Revelation, political metanarratives have been animated by divergent and contentious readings of the Bible. Christian uses of the Bible to inform policy stances on slavery, economics, and sexuality have been similarly diverse and contested. Current scholarship shows welcome democratic impulses by challenging long-standing metanarratives and suggesting new policy positions.
Political Theology, 2016
Although Reinhold Niebuhr's account of democracy aims to protect marginalized communities by rest... more Although Reinhold Niebuhr's account of democracy aims to protect marginalized communities by restraining sin through the diffusion of power, the conceptions of sin and love that inform his political theology have anti-democratic consequences for members of these communities. I address this inconsistency by revisiting his underdeveloped idea of mutual love and clarifying his account of sin. Mutual love occupies crucial terrain between agape and justice for Niebuhr, and therefore enables moral agents to achieve democratic goals. Given the nature and importance of mutual love, I clarify Niebuhr's account of sin by making his position on ''self-love'' more moderate than it often appears.
Political Theology, 2016
I argue that Frederick Douglass and William Lloyd Garrison held very different political theologi... more I argue that Frederick Douglass and William Lloyd Garrison held very different political theologies, even while they seemed to work productively together from 1841 to 1847. Examining Douglass's self-presentation on both sides of his split with Garrison, I conclude that he stifled his Christian moral vision in order to comply with Garrisonian theological ideals while working in New England. After moving to Rochester, New York, Douglass was free to give full voice to his authentic Christian political vision. I explore their differing approaches to the Bible's authority, theological anthropology, and the moral permissibility of force, which influenced their political responses to slavery. Scholars such as John Stauffer and John Sekora have argued that his departure facilitated esthetic and racial forms of emancipation for Douglass; I argue that leaving Garrison allowed Douglass to express not only his authentic literary and black identities, but his true Christian identity as well. KEYWORDS Frederick Douglass, William Lloyd Garrison, abolition, Bible, force Despite the apparently productive relationship they had from 1841 to 1847, Frederick Douglass and William Lloyd Garrison were quite different. Their meeting followed Douglass's escape from slavery in Maryland, and led to what seemed like a productive partnership. Garrison took Douglass under his wing. Douglass became one of the most eloquent abolitionist voices in United States' history. They explicitly praised each other in written work during their partnership. They both opposed colonization schemes and advocated immediate emancipation on the soil. And yet, the relationship between Douglass and Garrison was troubled from the beginning, largely because of Garrison's racial paternalism. The conflict was finally alleviated when Douglass left New England and moved to Rochester, New York, in 1847. This departure allowed details of Garrison's paternalism to become clear. Garrison hinted in the preface to Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass that some adjustments were needed to bring Douglass to his full potential. Douglass was very capable, "needing only but a comparatively small amount of cultivation to make him an ornament to society and blessing to
Journal of Religious Ethics, 2014
In this essay I argue that Reinhold Niebuhr's ethics of self-restraint, though promising, is base... more In this essay I argue that Reinhold Niebuhr's ethics of self-restraint, though promising, is based on an incomplete and imprecise moral psychology. Although Niebuhr claims that reason cannot provide a sufficient grounding to motivate self-restraint, he does not disclose which human capacity might serve this purpose. I suggest that we can address this oversight by strengthening Niebuhr's tentative embrace of David Hume, and by developing a concept of the emotions in order to explain how human beings can cultivate a stable inclination to self-restraint. This project is informed by and in the service of feminist critiques of Niebuhr and social concerns.
The Oxford Handbook of Reinhold Niebuhr, 2021
This chapter analyses Reinhold Niebuhr's concepts of tragedy and irony. It explains how he define... more This chapter analyses Reinhold Niebuhr's concepts of tragedy and irony. It explains how he defined these terms and identifies their place in his theological framework. Niebuhr identified the themes of tragedy and irony in his reflection on human nature, the crucifix ion, and moral concepts such as sin, love, and justice. The chapter also explores his use of the terms within the context of twentieth-century global and domestic politics, highlight ing his commentary on the Cold War, capitalism, and democracy in the United States. The chapter concludes by suggesting that the political tragedies and ironies Niebuhr identi fied are still with us today and that his concepts can be used to pursue the goals of his feminist, black, and Latinx critics.
Paradoxical Virtue: Reinhold Niebuhr and the Virtue Tradition, 2020
Religions, 2019
The recent deaths of unarmed black people, especially at the hands of law enforcement, have gener... more The recent deaths of unarmed black people, especially at the hands of law enforcement, have generated a troubling new ritual, in which the media publically asks family members if they will forgive their loved ones' killers. The first task of this paper is to cast these petitions for forgiveness as ritual. The second task is to show that black responses to the question of forgiveness challenge this ritual. Esaw Garner, Audrey DuBose, and Allison Jean disrupt the ritual and call white audiences to repentance.
I ask John Dewey and Reinhold Niebuhr—two of America’s most influential democratic theorists—the ... more I ask John Dewey and Reinhold Niebuhr—two of America’s most influential democratic theorists—the central question of democratic virtue. What virtues are necessary for democracy to flourish? I argue that their respective political theories imply that humility and mutuality are necessary for democracy’s success. This virtue-ethical reading of Dewey and Niebuhr also illuminates new dimensions of their critiques of capitalism. Both implied that the capitalist moral agent is deficient in humility and mutuality, making democracy and capitalism incompatible at the level of the moral agent. The irony is that they failed to notice this common ground. Instead of pursuing political consensus with each other, they quarreled publicly from the 1930s until Dewey’s death in 1952. This failure indicates their deficiencies in democratic tolerance. Although they showed libertarian tolerance to each other, they failed to exhibit the democratic species of this virtue, which would have served consensus despite divergent worldviews.
Journal of Moral Theology, 2020
A review of the Cambridge Companion to Natural Law Ethics.