“The social gospel” is a phrase you might see thrown around in a Tweet or an opinion piece. It might sound like a modern trend, but it started in the late 1800s and sparked a debate that’s still going on to this day.
Where Did the Social Gospel Start?
After the American Civil War, industrialization radically changed the economy. “The Gilded Age” was a time of unprecedented prosperity in America. It was also a time of great inequality. Industrialization brought massive wealth to investors and helped build a larger, more prosperous middle class. But that industrialization was built on the backs of factory workers (many of them children). Hours were long and brutal, and conditions were unregulated and dangerous.
Many American churches were detached from the suffering around them. They focused on personal holiness and personal salvation. Some Christian leaders took issue with this. They saw how Jesus cared for the sick, the disabled, and the poor. They asked the church, “If Jesus were here now, what would he do?”
What Were the Goals of the Social Gospel?
Proponents of the social gospel desired to reduce suffering and corruption in society. They devoted themselves to many causes, but here are some notable ones:
- Abolishing child labor
- Lobbying for the eight-hour workday
- Denouncing corrupt politicians and businesses
- Advocating for prohibition
- Better education (including education for immigrants)
- Healthcare for the needy
Many of these causes were advanced through settlement houses—communities built in the middle of slums where middle- and working-class families lived and worked side by side. The social gospel movement sought to live out the words of Isaiah 58.
No, this is the kind of fasting I want:
Free those who are wrongly imprisoned;
lighten the burden of those who work for you.
Let the oppressed go free,
and remove the chains that bind people.
Share your food with the hungry,
and give shelter to the homeless.
Give clothes to those who need them,
and do not hide from relatives who need your help.
(Isaiah 58:9-7, NLT)
Members of the social gospel movement saw a need in their society and clear commands in Scripture. They sought to live those commands out in a tangible way. While they made mistakes (such as prohibition), they inspired Christians to make many positive changes in society. Unfortunately, the social gospel also pushed for changes in theology.
The Theology of the Social Gospel
Walter Rauschenbusch, likely the most well-known leader of the social gospel movement, published a book in 1917 entitled A Theology for the Social Gospel. In it, he outlined his belief—and the belief of many social gospel adherents—that the gospel was ultimately about social reform.
Rauschenbusch didn’t believe in the inerrancy of Scripture, and he didn’t believe Jesus’s sacrifice paid for our personal sins. Instead, he believed Jesus died to set an example, elevating love instead of selfishness as the basis for society. Jesus talked about a “Kingdom of God,” didn’t he? Rauschenbusch and others believed the message of the Kingdom was “social salvation” for the world—a change in society itself, more so than the salvation of individuals.
The social gospel movement didn’t consider original sin a significant problem. They thought people were basically good, and corrupt societal systems pushed humans toward evil more than anything else. By changing these systems, the social gospel movement believed they could build Christ’s Kingdom here on earth in a literal way. Yes, individual salvation was important, but not so important as changing society. A changed society could save everyone!
Many social gospel adherents also claimed Christ’s Second Coming wouldn’t happen until human effort freed the world from these social evils. So yes, Jesus set an example through his life and death, and yes, Jesus would rule in eternity, but according to the social gospel, Jesus didn’t complete our salvation. Instead, it’s up to humanity to complete Jesus’s mission and bring salvation at a societal level.
Rauschenbusch and others accomplished a great deal of good through their emphasis on social reform, but they did so in a way that confused the heart of the gospel. The Bible became a helpful inspiration for social causes rather than the foundation for truth. Sin became a societal problem rather than a heart problem—and when personal responsibility for sin became peripheral, so did Christ’s sacrifice.
Are There Problems with Social Gospel Theology?
The social gospel isn’t strictly false. It’s incomplete. It elevates some of God’s commands to the exclusion of others.
Which is more important? To look after orphans and widows in their distress, or to keep oneself from being polluted by the world (James 1:27)? To do justice and love mercy, or to walk humbly with our God (Micah 6:8)? To love God, or to love our neighbor (Matthew 22:35-40)?
Some truths in Scripture are offensive to people—for example, the truth of sin. The truth is that Jesus is the only way to God. The truth is that each of us needs to repent and change. To believers of the social gospel, it felt kinder to encourage people, care for them, and stand against societal injustice.
But asking “What would Jesus do?” in some situations, but not others, is dishonest.
Jesus said it was better to lose an eye than to lust. He spoke boldly on the reality of Hell. He rejected political power, claiming his Kingdom was not of this world. He even declared that a relationship with him was more important than caring for the poor (Matthew 26:6-13). To Jesus, his death was more than an example to inspire us—it was a sacrifice to pay the price for our sins (Matthew 26:26-28).
If we want to ask, “What would Jesus do?” we can’t just pick our favorite parts about Jesus. We have to embrace the whole picture. Otherwise, we aren’t truly loving Jesus—we are loving our idea of Jesus.
And the real Jesus is far more wonderful than anything we can imagine.
What Is the Social Gospel Movement Today?
While the official social gospel movement ended around 1920, it has successors who have drawn from its ideas. However, it’s hard—and in many ways, unhelpful—to throw all these successors into one group and slap a label on them.
“The religious left” is one such label. Many left-leaning policies were a common goal of the social gospel movement: universal healthcare, a wide social safety net for the poor, a strong stance against racism, support for immigrants, and more. However, the social gospel never fit into a single political box; many proponents were very conservative on social issues. Both then and now, the social gospel lacks a one-to-one correlation to a political party.
Many of the theological problems of the social gospel have carried over to the religious left today. However, that doesn’t mean that every Christian passionate about serving the poor, pursuing racial reconciliation, and bettering society is a heretic. The reason labels are dangerous is they prevent us from seeing the individual. And believe it or not, it’s possible to have sound theology and pursue justice in society.
Does the Gospel Motivate Christians Seek Social Justice?
The social gospel got some important things wrong. But it also got some important things right. In the late 1800s, faith was private for many American Christians. It was limited to attending a church on Sundays, private prayer, and private Bible reading. Many of us today live that same life.
You could have perfect theology. You could attend every church service. You could resist every temptation. But if you aren’t going forth and loving your neighbor, are you imitating Christ?
Jesus did more than preach. He healed the sick. He ate meals with sinners. He called out corruption among religious leaders. He warned sternly against hoarding earthly wealth. He drove out the moneychangers and animal sellers taking advantage of foreigners and the poor.
The early church reconciled Jews and Gentiles. They provided food and clothing for the poor. They sold their belongings to fund their ministries. Even people who weren’t Christians appreciated them because of how they blessed their communities.
Social justice is a politically weighted term, and politics make things complicated. But sometimes, loving our neighbor means being willing to learn about something complicated so we can love them better. In the United States, the social gospel movement helped end child labor. It spread God’s love to the orphan, the widow, and the foreigner. It stood up to corruption in powerful places. Its members sacrificed comfort and wealth to live out Christ’s love.
Each movement (and each generation) has its strengths and weaknesses. We can learn a great deal from the social gospel—both its failures and its successes—and we should keep asking its all-important question: What would Jesus do?
Photo Credit: Getty Images/Sasiistock
This article is part of our Christian Terms catalog, exploring words and phrases of Christian theology and history. Here are some of our most popular articles covering Christian terms to help your journey of knowledge and faith:
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