The Social Gospel Moverment

A cultural value that is important and must be taken to account is Direct vs. Indirect. I say this because how you communicate with some will greatly affect how much they retain of listen to. In this matter, Drew has expressed that he feels Christians are aggressive and history has shown their moral compass lacks right vs wrong and good and bad. Knowing this I would want to work around being direct and indirect when communicating with him. I would never want to be to direct and push him away nor would I want to be so indirect that it seems as if I’m walking on egg shells. In the end, how I communicate to him will greatly impact if he listens or shuts me out.

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

Every human being has a worldview whether they are aware of it or not. Although the notion of a worldview might appear basic in nature, the word itself simply meaning how one views the world around them, worldviews are much more complex and far reaching. A worldviews development occurs over the course of a lifetime, shaped by the complex and unique experiences of an individual and the sum of family traditions, religious beliefs and cultural histories. It is an all-encompassing interpretation of reality that plays a central and defining role in our attitudes and concepts about life. While worldviews are formed based on the answers to fundamental questions about human existence, they simultaneously shape

SOCIAL JUSTICE refers to the concept of a society in which justice is involved or achieved in every aspect in life. As part of individuality in the society they have to have social justice

‘Society ensures social justice by providing the conditions that allow associations and individuals to obtain their due.’ (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1928).

From the outlooks of the late 19th century, Protestant clergyman confided to attack the social injustices that the poor were facing. In doing so, they focused on the Social Gospel, applying the Christian ideology to solve social issues. The leader of this movement had been a New York minister, Walter Rauschenbusch, who through the form of writing preached the connection of Christianity to social justices.

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.”

Social justice is the equitable distribution of health care in a societal responsibility. This can be best achieved by letting a central agency, generally the government, take over the production and distribution functions.

Hebrews 1:2-3 says, “But in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe. The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven” (NIV). In an article in The Christian Crier, author Jack Wellman gives a great description of Jesus.

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.”

A social problem is a condition in which people in the community view as being undesirable. For example, Fort Worth has a high crime, violence, and drug abuse rate, which leads to a high homelessness rate. Social Service Agencies, such as Union Gospel Mission, help decrease the issue of homelessness. Union Gospel Mission, helps Fort Worth eliminate the number of individuals committing crimes, violence, and helps individuals dealing with substance abuse. They provide services that assist individuals in need, such as housing, meals, and employment. The coordinators and the directors of Union Gospel Mission aspire to help various individuals and build a strong organization for the community.

Social Justice: Justice in terms of the distribution of wealth, opportunities, and privileges within a society.

Assumptions about human nature in order to create social justice. According to Mill, social justice is “the idea that we can put in place a set of political institutions that will ensure the just distribution of benefits and costs throughout society.” In other words, social justice is in the hands of the government to create certain institutions that will greatly benefit everyone, and equally so. In order to do that, one must have an idea of the way human nature works so as to institute programs and such appropriately and properly.

Jesus Christ sought to improve the individual, the component of society, and as result, his teaching ideally aims to advance the well-being of society as a whole. The four Gospels and the book of Acts thoroughly demonstrate the extensive sociological knowledge that was present in Jesus’ teaching. His message facilitates personal reform, rather than change in the social structure alone. Although Jesus establishes the church as a social institution, he does so, only after a number of individuals become his followers.

In the Gospel, Jesus was described as merciful. He was merciful because he offered Simon a miracle of being abundant in fish. Simon was doubtful of Jesus' words due to the fact that he couldn't find any fish that day. Simon cast his net, but he did not believe the lord's word. When Simon found out that Jesus' words were true, he came back to the shore. As soon as Simon came back, he fell on his knees and told the Lord to leave him because he doubted