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Niebuhr was born in Wright City, Missouri, USA, and was the brother of Helmut Richard Niebuhr. He was educated at Yale University's school of divinity, and went to do evangelical work in Detroit.
Works
Niebuhr is often credited with authorship of the Serenity Prayer used by Alcoholics Anonymous. On this he said: "Of course, it may have been spooking around for years, even centuries, but I don't think so. I honestly do believe that I wrote it myself."
While teaching theology at Union Theological Seminary Niebuhr influenced Dietrich Bonhoeffer of the anti-nazi Confessing Church.