Hi everyone,
As a sort of introduction to the subject, and just to show that you can hardly find any expression that hasn’t been used already, this quote (and my interjections) from lutherproductions.com:
“Before World War I, the Social Gospel was the religious counterpart of U.S. “progressive” politics, which sought to alleviate suffering and injustice by changing society. Insofar as it responded to the urban poverty created by industrialism, it paralleled Europe’s Inner Mission.†… “In Germany in 1848 - the year of revolutions and worker-uprisings throughout Europe - Johann Wichern (1808-1881) founded the “Inner Mission”…†which reaches into the “Diakonie†of today (for which I work). “Its aims were to link all German Protestant charities and to revitalize Christian witness among the industrial masses. Amelia Sieveking mobilized women in humanitarian work. The Inner Mission emphasized the role of the laity and the power of Christian love to heal social ills.â€
“In the United States, Evangelicalism and the Social Gospel had goals similar to those of the European Awakenings and Inner Mission. The proponents of American Social Gospel for the most part embraced liberal theology. It saw sin and salvation as social rather than individual; hence the term Social Gospel. Proponents sought to practice Jesus’ call to love the neighbour and the prophets’ call for justice in specific programs such as the labour movement, settlement houses, and “program churches” which offered job training, language skills, and recreation for immigrants. The Salvation Army may be described as an evangelical expression of the Social Gospel.â€
“Walter Rauschenbusch was a theologian for the Social Gospel, and Washington Gladden (1836-1918) helped popularize the movement through books, lectures, and hymns. Charging that evangelicalism made salvation too individualistic, Rauschenbusch insisted that the Kingdom of God - not just personal salvation - was the goal of faith; Jesus’ Kingdom offered social salvation for social sin. Rauschenbusch perceived the ethics of the Bible - particularly of the prophets and the teachings of Jesus - to confront greed, individualism, and injustice. In his own day Rauschenbusch influenced progressive politicians such as Woodrow Wilson and later reformers including Martin Luther King, Jr.â€
demo.lutherproductions.com/histo … gospel.htm
What is my intention?
I believe that the intentions that came about under the name of “the Social Gospel†were correct but that the belief that “industrial capitalism” was inherently unjust, and that its particular institutions and economic situations would set individuals up for failure and consequently sinful lifestyles was undermined by the two wars and the fear of communism. This fear was so effective that anything vaguely socialist has had a hard stand.
The truth is that many people have to bear the struggle that globalisation (“industrial capitalism”) brings about, most of all those who live in underdeveloped countries. But people in some countries who have had relative comfort are beginning to feel the pinch. Injustice is beginning to become apparent, like towards the end of Thatcherism in the UK, modern day pensioners are going to prison because of overtaxing, the German unemployed are being denounced if neighbours suspect them of cheating the system and the militant French riot against the effects of globalisation. We have to ask how long it will take for urban poverty to return to these countries.
The situation reminds me of the situation at the time of Christ, perhaps more so than in the middle of the 19th century or following the industrial revolution, when the social reforms were made to cope with the rising problems. I see globalisation as a totalitarian movement, which exercises not so much political as rather industrial authority, and ultimately has absolute and centralized control through the World Bank and the World Trade Organisation. Our politicians, if they are not secretly or openly representatives of this industrial authority, are merely mediators between the people and this authority.
I doubt whether the aim of globalisation is, like “a totalitarian regime†to crush “all autonomous institutions in its drive to seize the human soul†as Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr. once wrote, but rather it wants unlimited control and influence for a very few, which is rather like the situation of Rome in the days of Christ. It will be the task of Christians, if they do not serve Mammon, to find ways to give unto Caesar, what belongs to Caesar, and to God that which belongs to God, and seek their own way through history.
I believe that the “Realm of God†which is in our midst, is waiting to be realised. The redemptive work of Christ was preparatory and exemplary, which his followers were to complete in their communities. Paul uses the term “body of Christ” many times in his letters. In a few of those places he is referring to Jesus’ actual body, but most of the time he is applying the term to the church -the local church:
And he is the head of the body, the church;
he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead,
so that in everything he might have the supremacy.
For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him,
and through him to reconcile to himself all things,
whether things on earth or things in heaven,
by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.
(Colossians 1:18-20 NIV)
Wherever Christians are in spiritual relationship there is the body of Christ in its entirety, for Christ is present there through his Spirit. This means that the fullness of God still dwells in Christ, that is in his “body†- the followers, and the reconciliatory or redemptive mission is ongoing. We are to continue his work looking for and inspiring faith amongst the burdened and weary, showing them the love of God at work.
What is really different about this message, is that the hope of the Jews, the Messiah, according to this message, is not one man, but the community of the Faithful collectively, which is called to redeem the world, to step in for people in need like we see with the kinsman-redeemer Boaz. This is more important than the political struggle of socialism, and an intuitive and direct reply to need.
Any thoughts?
Shalom