The Social Gospel

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.”

“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.”

“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.”
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

Hi Bob,

Even as I agree with the general thrust of your post, I have to ask, how do those individuals who ‘see the light’ organize themselves into a voice of change without being co-opted by the globalization effort? It seems to me that the globalization forces gobble up anything and everything to further their ends.

How does one make a difference?

JT

Hi JT,

I’m glad you asked :slight_smile:

I think it has to start just the way it did in Jerusalem all those thousands of years ago. We have to understand that Christ brought a turning point in to Jewish religious thinking, which wasn’t intellectually new – Rabbis before him had similar ideas. What was new about Christ was what is termed as Christ’s obedience to prophecy. I like to use the example of his reading a text from Isaiah in the Synagogue and then saying, “What I have read to you has just happened before your ears…”

Throughout the turmoil of oppression and occupation, Jews were crying out for redemption, longing for some perspective. Jesus came and told them it is here. You don’t have to wait, let the party begin. “Gird your loins” means “get ready to rumble!” - what are we waiting for? This means that Christians who see the light are called to look at prophecy and understand what God wants to do amongst them and let it happen. We don’t have to wait for the realm of God - it is in our midst.

This message is going to get the same treatment as the seed that the sower sows – some will fall on hard ground, some on stony ground, some among weeds and thorns, and some on good land. All we have to do is be good land and let the blessing grow. The power of the Gospel is in letting it happen, and by doing so, a whole lot of other things will become possible. Christ is recorded as having said, “You’re amazed at the things you see me doing, wait until you get started and you will see bigger things yet!”

Faith is following this call and precisely why it isn’t just believing something is true. It is the first step. But, I have no illusions, it started slowly then too, and only when Paul understood that this message had to get out and around the world, did it have a widespread effect – until the Greeks started philosophising it. I don’t want to criticise this overly, but it did stop the movement in it’s tracks. This kind of movement is namely especially effective amongst the poor and uneducated who obeyed the prophecy. But the Churches of today are full of educated people who are concerned more with the weeds and thorns or with the apocalypse – which is probably even worst.

How do you know the difference? By it’s fruit! That is what Christ said and I think that there is no other way to know whether someone truly is spiritual and inspired, or whether he is following Christ. Of course I’m not saying that success is the proof, since success is in need of definition, but you can tell whether something is wholesome and gives people rest, or whether it makes people “labour and heavy laden.”

Shalom

Hi Bob,

If I’m reading correctly, you are suggesting a spiritual awakening not connected to religion. The churches represent the status quo, the upside-down social structure as it exists. If religion were to truly serve mankind it would call for rebellion, which is the internal journey. But they call for some form of mild revolution, which is simply the old structure dressed up in new clothes.

If the controllers are ever to be challenged, there must be rebellion, each defining themselves from within, and refusing the social ‘role’ taught to them from birth. Is it possible? On a large enough scale to make a difference? Perhaps. I don’t see our conditions dire enough to believe that we are any closer than we ever have been.

“Render unto Caesar…” Perhaps as political expediency, but ultimately each individual must rebell and tell Caesar what is acceptable and what isn’t. There are no masters unless we create and allow them. Given The Western concept of that which we call God, the concept of lord and master is in place and serves society well in controlling the individual. The churches do not serve the individual in finding their freedom and thereby finding God. The churches are part of that social structure that convinces the individual that it is noble to live in poverty. They are the very ones who proclaim that, no matter what happens to you, it is “God’s will”.

We need personal rebellion, but it is only the few who attempt and succeed. Many revolt, we see that constantly, but theirs’ is but a changing of lord and master. They remain chained to their slavery, convinced that they are ‘changing the world’.

Will we see rebellion? I have little hope of that. Those who control society know how to manage revolution, but they have no way to attack genuine rebellion. They don’t have to. Rebellion is only for the few as it has been for millenia.

JT

Hi JT,

They don’t even call for that, Churchgoers are compromised by absolute obedience to state authority, because Paul once wrote that state authority is to be obeyed – but he didn’t mean that the state was to be obeyed before God. It is the same as Jesus said: “give unto Caesar what is Caesar’s” but to God what is his. It isn’t rebellion that is called for, but clearly dissent and resistance in service for people. What is often forgotten today is that the early church was mostly made of slaves or poor people, which is exactly the group of people that the western church shuns.

The effect of Christ’s “revolution” took some years to find it’s footing, but became widespread because religion was something that became practical and indeed impressive. Many opponents could only respond with denunciation to the Roman officials, which is where the many rumours arose about slaughtered children and of blood drinking ceremonies. But generally, society noticed it’s Christians positively – even if with scepticism.

I think that it is this aspect, the positive, practical and impressive witness of God at work in the world that is completely lacking in modern society. I am quite convinced that there would be an opposition to such a community, since, like many other positive examples of autonomous communal thinking, there is less profit to be made – which must be against some law!

I think we must try to manage as far as we can without “Caesar”, and use communal effort to build micro-societies for ourselves. We must get control of our lives back and reduce as best we can the influence of the state in our lives. No-one denies that there is a requirement for countries to provide security and that such communities would have a role to play in the larger society, which has always been forthcoming, but we need to shrug off corporate control by keeping the ball down and in our own pitch.

The message is that the time of the grace of God is now! It always was, but somewhere at the beginning of our time count, people became aware that it was. Despite the cultural developments (which were available only to a few) the European society went through hell in the dark ages, and spread that hell abroad too. In that gloom, the light of this mystical Gospel managed to give people hope – even when facing the Devil and his vassals. That is why, when people started fighting the hypocrisy of the Church, they should have done so on the basis of the prime message.

I think that anyone who has seen this light may spark it off - it is waiting to ignite. It is a message of peace and will bring peace, but in all probability not without facing the sword or the cross of “Caesar”. The problem will be to prove to people that it is necessary before they feel the pinch – otherwise we may have to wait until it hurts before people are willing to move.

Shalom

Hi Bob,

It would seem that we must fall back to the position of the mystics who have always existed in small numbers in every time. Between the secular and its’ handmaiden, religion, the mystic remains on the fringe of social movement. I see nothing to suggest that it will ever be different. Perhaps you are right and maybe the embers can come to flame, but it seems highly unlikely that it will occur in our time - if at all.

JT