“Niemöller about the Question of Guilt,” by Martin NiemöllerJuly 8, 1946 You are concerned with the question of guilt and…

Repentance, like faith, must be individual.

Those wishing to improve the world should begin with that part of the world over which they have the greatest control: themselves.

Ironically, it is possible to boast of one’s humility. In this article, originally published in Christianity and Crisis on April 19, 1943, Paul Ramsey aims to explain why. While Ramsey advocates constant repentance as a logical consequence of a Christian self-evaluation and imperfect humanity, he portrays such repentance as moral hygiene rather than attitude. He avoids the divestment camp, which prioritizes a clear conscience over achieving moral good at the cost of personal iniquity. In its most essential form, this is repentance for our assumption of righteousness.