author
Clarence Reidenbach
A minister and thinker from the early 20th century, he wrote a probing study of patriotism that asks when love of country becomes an ethical problem. His work stands out for treating a heated public subject with calm, careful moral analysis.
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About the author
Clarence Reidenbach was an American minister and writer best known for A Critical Analysis of Patriotism as an Ethical Concept, a dissertation presented to Yale University in 1918. The book examines patriotism not just as a feeling, but as a moral idea, asking how loyalty to a nation relates to justice, duty, and human values.
Available records also show that he served for many years as pastor of the First Congregational Church in Oakland, California, and later was named pastor emeritus. That mix of academic philosophy and church leadership helps explain the tone of his writing: serious and reflective, but aimed at questions people face in public life.
Though not a widely famous literary figure today, Reidenbach's work still has interest for readers who enjoy thoughtful nonfiction, ethics, religion, and political ideas. His writing comes from the years around the First World War, which gives it a strong historical edge while keeping its central question surprisingly current.