“My mother had heard the story of Hannah and Samuel, so she prayed that if God would give her a son, she would give that son to God. That was a perfectly appropriate thing for her to do, but as I observe, she did not have to tell me she had made such a promise. In particular, she did not have to tell me when I was six.”

American Protestant theologian, ethicist, and public intellectual

Stanley Martin Hauerwas is an American Protestant theologian, ethicist, and public intellectual. He is known for his work in theology and ethics, and for engaging public life as a writer and teacher. His reputation rests on shaping modern Christian ethical thought and on speaking to questions that reach beyond the church. As a theologian and public intellectual, he is associated with reflection on faith, morals, and the responsibilities of public life.