The Social Gospel Movement

“Drawing support from the urban, college-educated middle class, Progressive reformers sought to eliminate corruption in government, regulate business practices, address health hazards, and improve working conditions.” Each American had their own ways of incorporating the upper class train of thought and applying it to their tactics of forced change among industrial and political governments. Progressives eventually formed their own political party in order to advance their ideas. Women were also active within the Progressive Era. The Progressive Era was the time that women began to push forward for the right to vote, and also advocate for their families. “At the end of the nineteenth century, women were considered the ‘Moral Guardians’ and protectors of the home.” In a literal sense, Progressives wanted to turn America into a Middle-class heaven, where civility, health, education, and economic security flourished. Without the influence of the almighty Rockefeller, and the rest of the 2% upper class, America may not have transitioned into the Progressive Era as

The Social Gospel is the idea of social problems being looked and fixed with a Christian point of view. The Gospel will always stay the same and we should refer the Social Gospel as living out the Gospel. The goal of the Social Gospel Movement was to tie salvation and good work together. They thought people should live the life of a Jesus Christ. Classes, counseling, job training and libraries were provided by churches to act according to the Social Gospel. The origins and issues of the Social Gospel Movement, how the Social Gospel related to a Progressive Era, the work of Walter Rauschenbusch, and how Social Gospel relates to the Gospel will be covered in this essay.

Music is an important aspect of every society. Music can tell stories, release emotions, build bridges and break down barriers, but above all music is entertaining. There are various forms of music but not many have as rich a history as gospel music. The importance of gospel music has been relevant in American music for more than a century and its importance to society is still relevant to this day (See Appendix A). Gospel music helped slaves escape to freedom and paved the way for other styles of music. It promotes a spirit of hope and provided an outlet to worship God. So how exactly has Gospel music impacted today’s society?

The Second Great Awakening and opportunities for education greatly altered women’s role in the household. They were given more freedom and power as a mother. In addition, women were able to work in jobs normally dominated by men. They were not confined in the house but were able to make contributions in society to gain their own income. Women also became the leaders of reform during this time period. They headed movements against slavery, mistreatment of the mentally ill, and restriction of women’s rights. With all these changes, women’s lives slowly evolved. All these radical ideas soon became the norm for

In the 1890s, American women emerged as a major force for social reform. Millions joined civic organizations and extended their roles from domestic duties to concerns about their communities and environments. These years, between 1890 and 1920, were a time of many social changes that later became known as the Progressive Era. In this time era, millions of Americans organized associations to come up with solutions to the many problems that society was facing, and many of these problems were staring American women right in the face.

The “social gospel” was the biggest inspiration and influence for Civil Rights leader, John Lewis. Which is prevalent throughout the first two books, of the March trilogy, written by Andrew Aydin and John Lewis himself. The Bible made its mark on Lewis when he was young, living on a farm. Leading him to the “social gospel” which started him down the path of nonviolence, and longing not just for personal reform but for social reform. As the Civil Rights movements became bigger, and as the philosophy of which John Lewis taught spread, others were inspired by the “social gospel.”

Through a multitude of significant changes physically, conceptually, economically, and more, the societal reformation of cities in the Progressive Era had set themselves as the foundations of American civilization. The juxtaposition between the rich and poor statuses in these urban areas show the drastic separation within developing cities. Through this division caused a wide variety of living conditions, the majority of which held the overcrowded sections of cities where the population mostly stayed while the higher end communities had more luxurious lives. Through this success of entrepreneurship and economic growth from all aspects in cities, the entire landscape, both physically through innovative architecture and the perspectives outside rural and suburban areas had on them, had transformed for the better in these areas.

The social gospel was the biggest inspiration and influence for Civil Rights leader, John Lewis. Which is prevalent throughout the first two books, of the March trilogy, written by Andrew Aydin and John Lewis himself. The Bible made its mark on Lewis when he was young farm boy. Leading him to the social gospel which started him down the path of nonviolence, and longing not just for personal reform but for social reform. As the Civil Rights movements became bigger, and as the philosophy of which John Lewis taught spread, others were inspired by the social gospel.

Women activists involved in the movement were called suffragists. The typical woman activist was middle class, and usually unmarried. These were the women who were not afraid to step outside their traditional role in American history. They were becoming frustrated with their status, economically, because they had just watched black slaves gain more rights than they held.

After the Civil War and during the Progressive Era there were the group of reformers that changed the landscape the United States. These reformers were mainly comprised of men and women from the large northern cities and rural religious communities of Wisconsin (Schultz, 2013). The industrial age created enormous amounts of wealth, but people were living in the worst conditions and working longer hours than ever before. The Social Gospel movement sought to improve the working conditions, restrict the child labor laws and fight for social justice (Fales, 2013). This methodology was directly against what the Industrialist believed. Which was a Darwinist attitude of the “survival of the fittest.”

In the 20th century, the Progressive Era was the age where people tried to solve social problems through individual and group action. This period concentrated on the problems people were experiencing in society and how they can use government power to bring about this change. To advocate for freedom and justice for all people was what social reformers fought so hard for, even risking their own lives by going to jail. Women like Charlotte Gilmen, and Margaret Sanger pushed for change so that women were able to experience the freedom and independence in society. Other reformers like muckrakers played a key role in exposing the harsh realities the American people have been facing for so many years with no economic help. With the help of women

With the changing of social conditions for women during the early 1800's, a combination of ideas for equality that led to the birth of the woman suffrage movement. When the men started leaving the farms and ranches in the 1800’s it shaped the break out for them to go into the world of business in shops, offices. With the alternative of constantly being under a man's authority the women now had the days to be in charge of the home, children, hired help and a little personal time. As the century moved on women grew to be lonely at home and realized that they had some impact in church areas and creating new ways for woman to educate

One of the fundamental rights in the U.S. constitution is guaranteed to all citizens in the first amendment. We have the right to practice any religion of our choosing, including the practice of no religion at all. The framers of the constitution even put the freedom of religion before our rights to free speech and free press (Haiman). This constitutional right allows America’s blend of naturalists, pantheists, theists, and spiritualists to practice their beliefs without interference from the government. This collection of religions adds to our diverse culture and creates an atmosphere of individuality without persecution. The Christian worldview possesses very unique qualities that separate it from the others. Christians believe that only one God exists (Timothy 2:5) and that he created mankind in his own image (Genesis 1:27). God then sent his son Jesus to die for the original sin of man and to allows us to ask forgiveness for our sins. Christian values are built off the teachings of the holy bible and are absolute with the teachings of God. In order to analyze the Christian worldview and actively practice it without persecution one must investigate the belief in God and his son Jesus, understand human nature, and accept restoration and redemption.

Throughout the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, Quakers (particularly Quaker women) were instrumental in several movements which advocated for social change. For example, despite the fact that Quakers represented a small percentage of America’s population, thirty percent of prison reformers and fifteen percent of suffragists born before 1830 were Quaker women, and forty percent of female abolitionists were Quakers. As previously stated, Quakers were thought to have a special penchant for working with Indians and, after the Revolutionary War, the United States federal government was as eager to use that skill as the Quakers were to offer

Rauschenbusch, Walter. A Theology for the Social Gospel. New York: The MacMillan Company, 1917. 279 pp.