Social Gospel

The Social Gospel movement is a Protestant Christian movement that was most prominent in the late 19th century and early 20th century. The movement applies Christian principles to social problems.

Related Topics:
Protestant Christian - Movement - 19th century - 20th century - Christian - Social problem

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Part of the Christian "modernism" trend with a strong emphasis on social justice, the movement is a rival to evangelical and fundamentalist Christianity. Members of the movement see it as a return to the beginning of Christianity, that is to the message of Jesus.

Related Topics:
Social justice - Evangelical - Fundamentalist

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

In the United States prior to World War I, the Social Gospel was the religious wing of the progressive movement which had the aim of combatting injustice, suffering and poverty in society. In this context, it is seen as having provided the philosophical underpinning for the New Deal. After the war, the movement shifted its focus to the civil rights arena, and later, became outspoken in its opposition to the Vietnam War.

Related Topics:
United States - World War I - Progressive movement - New Deal - Civil rights - Vietnam War

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

With the ascendancy of the Christian right beginning in the 1980s, the Social Gospel agenda declined in the United States, but examples of its continued existence can still be found, notably the organization known as the Call to Renewal.

Related Topics:
Christian right - 1980s - Call to Renewal

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Sometimes seen as a branch of Christian socialism, the Social Gospel movement was especially influential in Canada and led many ministers to become active in the socialist movement in the form of the Cooperative Commonwealth Federation and later the New Democratic Party. It was reflected in the novel In His Steps that was written by the Congregational minister Charles Sheldon, who coined the motto "What would Jesus do?." Sheldon was committed to Christian Socialism and identified with the Social Gospel. One of the early theologians of the Social Gospel was Walter Rauschenbusch, and he indicated how Sheldon's novel inspired his theology. Social Gospel is still influential in Canada's United Church and in the Anglican Church but has less influence in the United States. It also remains influential among Christian socialist circles in Britain in the Church of England, Methodist and Calvinist movements.

Related Topics:
Christian socialism - Canada - Cooperative Commonwealth Federation - New Democratic Party - Congregational - Charles Sheldon - What would Jesus do? - Walter Rauschenbusch - United Church - Anglican Church - Church of England - Methodist - Calvinist

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

In Catholicism, liberation theology both have similarities to Social Gospel. In the Anglican Church, the social gospel has found expression in pacifism.

Related Topics:
Catholicism - Liberation theology - Anglican - Pacifism

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Prominent Social Gospel advocates have included:

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

• Jimmy Carter
• Dorothy Day
• Tommy Douglas
• Washington Gladden
• Adolf von Harnack
• Jesse Jackson
• Martin Luther King, Jr.
• Charles Clayton Morrison longtime editor of the Christian Century
• Walter Rauschenbusch
• Norman Thomas
• Henry A. Wallace
• Harry Ward
• James Woodsworth
 
Social Gospel: Social Gospel Movement in the United States ►