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Rauschenbusch's Thesis

He had stated that the movement needed "a theology to make it effective" but also "Theology needs the (Social Gospel) movement to vitalize it"

He had said that Individualistic Gospel allowed people to see the sinfulness in each individual.

The people had become inspired to have faith in God, they believed that he would save every individual that came to him.

Walter had explained to them that Individualistic Gospel did not teach of sinfulness in the social order.

Christians in the movement had stressed the "kingdom of God" and had placed pressure on all Christians to bring it to Earth.

In result, he wrote his thesis so the movement would be more defined and recognized by the rest of the world.

Who were the people involved in the movement?

Problems

Rauschenbusch was and is still considered to be the the Father of Gospel Concern, mainly because of his thesis

Walter

Washington Gladden

Rauschenbusch

  • Born February 11, 1836 in Pottsgrove, Pennsylvania. Died July 2, 1918 in Columbus, Ohio.
  • Was one of the earliest and most influential people of the Social Gospel Movement. Is often called the "Father" of the Social Gospel Movement.
  • Religious editor in "The Independent".
  • Served as the minister of the First Congregational Church in Columbus, Ohio.
  • Served a term on city council.
  • Encouraged congregants to play

an active role in the community.

  • Attacked immorality in government

officials and citizens.

  • Born in Rochester New York on October 4, 1861 Died July 25, 1918
  • Walter was schooled in Germany and then the United States.
  • He once wrote. "I want to be a pastor, powerful with men, preaching to them Christ as the man in whom their affections and energies can find the satisfaction for which mankind is groaning."
  • In 1885 he became pastor of the Second German Baptist Church in New York City
  • Wrote "A Theology for the Social Gospel" in 1917
  • Poor working conditions
  • Alcohol consumption
  • Poverty
  • Immigrants

What was the Social Gospel Movement?

The Fall of The Social Gospel Movement

Poor Working Conditions

The Social Gospel Movement was a Protestant movement. The movement began in a response to rapid immigration, urbanization, and industrialization. The main goal was to improve the social welfare. This movement lasted from around 1870 to 1920. The reformers of this movement believed that the lack of human morality caused many social problems. This movement influenced people to behave more humanely and urged them to be more kind. It also taught that the Christian approach to problems could help solve it.

Since World War I there has been a great decline in the movement. There was a great growth in extremists during the movement. Fundamentalism became a mainstream practice. Also in a completely other direction, Neo-orthodoxy became big also. These two beliefs had contradicted each other completely and possibly had cotributed to the fall of the reform. Now there is a modern movement similar to the Social Gospel Movement, with "leaders" like Billy Graham.

Awful working conditions such as long hours and harsh conditions had caused much stress on laborers. Often times, they would experience fatigue, malnourishment, and depression. These pressures in workers lives had led them to seek help in one way or another. With so many people reaching out, the movement had taken their chance to bring them to God. Being a part of the church had made laborers feel like they could have hope to keep going and someone to carry their stress for them.

Alcohol Consumption

Organizations

  • 70 gallons of beer
  • 39 gallons of wine
  • 15.5 gallons of distilled liquor (brandy, whisky, rum)
  • Young Women's Christian Association (YWCA) 1855
  • Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA) 1844
  • The Salvation Army 1865
  • Women's Christian Temperance Union (WCTU) 1874

By the 1820's alcohol consumption had reached an alarming amount. The average american was drinking seven gallons of pure alcohol. Ministers, physicians, and other citizens were outraged by this. By the time the movement had began, ministers were able to reach out their voice. They had argued "that drinking alcohol had damaged peoples health and moral behavior and promoted poverty." As an attempt to control the use of alcohol, reformers began to teach temperance.

Poverty and Immigrants

These organizations had helped the movement to spread and become popular. Without their support, the movement may not have been as successful.

During this era, industrialization had caused a growth on all parts of the economy. This growth also gave rise to the new middle class, made a few very wealthy, and trapped masses of immigrants and unskilled laborers in lives of poverty. Immigrants had fled from economic issues and religious persecution just to be left without jobs and to face the pressure to convert to Christianity.

The Social Gospel Movement

By: Destanie Nester

January 14, 2014

In my opinion, this video represents the thinking of those in the movement. I also believe that it is a good representation of the difference between Fundamentalism and Neo-orthodoxy.

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