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130-404: The term Social Gospel was first used by Charles Oliver Brown in reference to Henry George 's 1879 treatise Progress and Poverty , which sparked the single tax movement. The Social Gospel affected much of Protestant America . The Presbyterians described their goals in 1910 by proclaiming: The great ends of the church are the proclamation of the gospel for the salvation of humankind;

260-806: A Bachelor of Arts degree in June 1875. At the time of General Sherman's speech at the Michigan Military Academy , Brown was the pastor of the Congregational church of Rochester, MI. "The Rev. Mr. Charles O. Brown accepted the call made by the church and began his ministry on September 3, 1876 at a salary of $ 900.00 per year and house rent." From 1880 - 1885 he served at the Congregational Church of Galesburg, MI, taught at Olivet College in Olivet, MI, and served as pastor of

390-641: A broad scholarly consensus, the Synoptic Gospels (the first three—Matthew, Mark, and Luke) are the most reliable sources of information about Jesus. Matthew, Mark, and Luke are known as the Synoptic Gospels, from the Greek σύν ( syn , 'together') and ὄψις ( opsis , 'view'), because they are similar in content, narrative arrangement, language and paragraph structure, and one can easily set them next to each other and synoptically compare what

520-631: A contributing factor in the movement's decline. While the Social Gospel was short-lived historically, it had a lasting impact on the policies of most of the mainline denominations in the United States. Most began programs for social reform, which led to ecumenical cooperation in 1910 while in the formation of the Federal Council of Churches . Although this cooperation was about social issues that often led to charges of socialism. It

650-571: A decision to bring all such special cases before the Methodist Stationing Committee, however, the decisions were rescinded. The Social Gospel theme is reflected in the novels In His Steps (1897) and The Reformer (1902) by the Congregational minister Charles Sheldon , who coined the motto " What would Jesus do? " In his personal life, Sheldon was committed to Christian socialism and identified strongly with

780-487: A dual paternity, since there it is stated he descended from the seed or loins of David. By taking him as his own , Joseph will give him the necessary Davidic descent. Some scholars suggest that Jesus had Levite heritage from Mary, based on her blood relationship with Elizabeth . In Matthew, Joseph is troubled because Mary, his betrothed, is pregnant, but in the first of Joseph's four dreams an angel assures him not to be afraid to take Mary as his wife because her child

910-480: A free dispensary for medical emergencies, an employment bureau for job seekers, a summer camp for children, night schools for extended learning, and English language classes for immigrants. Myron Reed of the First Congregational Church became a spokesman, 1884 to 1894 for labor unions on issues such as worker's compensation. His middle-class congregation encouraged Reed to move on when he became

1040-541: A given name. It derives from the Greek Χριστός ( Christos ), a translation of the Hebrew mashiakh ( משיח ) meaning " anointed ", and is usually transliterated into English as " messiah ". In biblical Judaism, sacred oil was used to anoint certain exceptionally holy people and objects as part of their religious investiture. Christians of the time designated Jesus as "the Christ" because they believed him to be

1170-429: A hope and desire that some day you can use the skill you have acquired here. ‘Suppress it! You don’t know the horrible aspects of war. I’ve been through two wars and I know. I’ve seen cities and homes in ashes. I’ve seen thousands of men lying on the ground, their dead faces looking up at the skies. I tell you, war is hell!’ The reporters had missed the biggest story of the day. Brown, seated alongside Sherman, wrote down

1300-454: A key convention guiding both the composition and the interpretation of writings". Whether the gospel authors set out to write novels, myths, histories, or biographies has a tremendous impact on how they ought to be interpreted. Some recent studies suggest that the genre of the Gospels ought to be situated within the realm of ancient biography. Although not without critics, the position that

1430-642: A major force inside mainstream churches; indeed, those churches were losing strength. Examples of the Social Gospel's continued influence can still be found in Jim Wallis 's Sojourners organization's Call to Renewal and more local organizations like the Virginia Interfaith Center. Another modern example can be found in the work of John Steinbruck , senior pastor of Luther Place Memorial Church in Washington, DC, from 1970 to 1997, who

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1560-629: A pension increase. The young bugler was a member of the historic expedition which captured the Confederate president, Jefferson Davis . Brown was not officially mustered into the Union Army until February 18, 1864, when he was 16 years of age. His father signed a "Consent in Case of Minor" affidavit. Young Brown was mustered in as a musician, given an advance pay of $ 13, and paid a bounty of $ 60 ($ 240 remaining balance). Proof of Brown's service at

1690-646: A powerful instrument of the Social Gospel. Nearly all the denominations (including Catholics) engaged in foreign missions, which often had a social gospel component in terms especially of medical uplift. The Black denominations, especially the African Methodist Episcopal church (AME) and the African Methodist Episcopal Zion church (AMEZ), had active programs in support of the Social Gospel. Both evangelical ("pietistic") and liturgical ("high church") elements supported

1820-484: A profound effect upon the American Federation of Labor (AFL). The AFL began a movement called Labor Forward , which was a pro-Christian group who "preached unionization like a revival." In Philadelphia , this movement was counteracted by bringing revivalist Billy Sunday , himself firmly anti-union, who believed "that the organized shops destroyed individual freedom." The Social Gospel movement peaked in

1950-452: A replacement has cost theology and Christians at large a great deal: the way we view Jesus and the synoptic gospels, the ethical principles of Jesus, and worship rituals have all been affected by this replacement. In promoting a return to the doctrine of the "Kingdom of God", he clarified that the "Kingdom of God": is not subject to the pitfalls of the Church; it can test and correct the Church;

2080-464: A socialist, and he organized a nondenominational church. The Baptist minister Jim Goodhart set up an employment bureau, and provided food and lodging for tramps and hobos at the mission he ran. He became city chaplain and director of public welfare of Denver in 1918. Besides these Protestants, Reform Jews and Catholics helped build Denver's social welfare system in the early 20th century. Mark A. Matthews (1867–1940) of Seattle's First Presbyterian Church

2210-512: A successful ministry, and the second shows Jesus rejected and killed when he travels to Jerusalem. Often referred to as " rabbi ", Jesus preaches his message orally. Notably, Jesus forbids those who recognize him as the messiah to speak of it, including people he heals and demons he exorcises (see Messianic Secret ). John depicts Jesus's ministry as largely taking place in and around Jerusalem, rather than in Galilee; and Jesus's divine identity

2340-628: A systematic tool for using it was necessary. In A Theology for the Social Gospel , Rauschenbusch states that the individualistic gospel has made sinfulness of the individual clear, but it has not shed light on institutionalized sinfulness: "It has not evoked faith in the will and power of God to redeem the permanent institutions of human society from their inherited guilt of oppression and extortion." This ideology would be inherited by liberation theologians and civil rights advocates and leaders such as Martin Luther King Jr. The "Kingdom of God"

2470-562: A team on the canal from Toledo to Cincinnati ( Miami and Erie Canal ). He attended the Toledo Grammar School. After the outbreak of the American Civil War in 1861, Brown's father, Major Oliver M. Brown, was involved in organizing Company C of the 3rd Ohio Cavalry . Charles Oliver Brown went off to war with his father as a bugler at the age of 13 and saw action in 25 battles. He was wounded in action and earned

2600-498: A town in Galilee in present-day Israel , where he lived with his family. Although Joseph appears in descriptions of Jesus's childhood, no mention is made of him thereafter. His other family members, including his mother, Mary , his four brothers James , Joses (or Joseph) , Judas , and Simon , and his unnamed sisters, are mentioned in the Gospels and other sources. Jesus's maternal grandparents are named Joachim and Anne in

2730-481: A trio of female blackmailers, has come through his trials all right. The Overman girl who personated as the victim of Mr. Brown, broke down and made a full confession of the plan to blackmail the minister, the part each was to play, and the amount they had determined upon as hush money. The scamps came very near catching the pastor in the toils." Brown served on a committee which authored and published The History of The Third Ohio Cavalry ( 3rd Ohio Cavalry ). The book

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2860-589: Is Hell." Following the Civil War, Brown survived a highly publicized blackmail incident in San Francisco, became a sought after speaker, and was frequently quoted on his writings on the development of Congregational churches. Charles Oliver Brown was born in Battle Creek, MI on July 22, 1848, but moved to Toledo, OH at the age of 4 where his father had a blacksmith shop. At the age of 11, he drove

2990-525: Is a prophetic, future-focused ideology and a revolutionary, social and political force that understands all creation to be sacred; and it can help save the problematic, sinful social order. In this book, he explains that Christians must be like the Almighty who became man in Jesus Christ , who was with everyone equally and considered people as a subject of love and service. Many reformers inspired by

3120-514: Is an excellent accounting of a typical Civil War cavalry regiment. The text includes several poems written by members of the Regiment. The following lines are included in Brown's poem, My Bugle : Reveille in early morning, Say at four o'clock or three, That was not the same exactly, For you comrades, or for me. Oft' I saw you coatless, hatless, Sometimes pantless tumble out, When the orderly

3250-679: Is considered the messiah and a prophet of God , who was sent to the Israelites and will return to Earth before the Day of Judgement . Muslims believe Jesus was born of the virgin Mary but was neither God nor a son of God. Most Muslims do not believe that he was killed or crucified but that God raised him into Heaven while he was still alive . Jesus is also revered in the Baháʼí Faith , Druze Faith and Rastafari . In contrast, Judaism rejects

3380-899: Is crazy . Jesus responds that his followers are his true family. In the Gospel of John, Jesus and his mother attend a wedding at Cana , where he performs his first miracle at her request. Later, she follows him to his crucifixion, and he expresses concern over her well-being. Jesus is called a τέκτων ( tektōn ) in Mark 6:3 , a term traditionally understood as carpenter but could also refer to makers of objects in various materials, including builders. The Gospels indicate that Jesus could read, paraphrase, and debate scripture, but this does not necessarily mean that he received formal scribal training. The Gospel of Luke reports two journeys of Jesus and his parents in Jerusalem during his childhood. They come to

3510-472: Is crucial to Rauschenbusch's proposed theology of the social gospel. He states that the ideology and doctrine of "the Kingdom of God," of which Jesus Christ reportedly "always spoke" has been gradually replaced by that of the Church. This was done at first by the early church out of what appeared to be necessity, but Rauschenbusch calls Christians to return to the doctrine of "the Kingdom of God." Of course, such

3640-430: Is described as both imminent and already present in the ministry of Jesus. Jesus promises inclusion in the Kingdom for those who accept his message. He talks of the " Son of man ", an apocalyptic figure who will come to gather the chosen. Jesus calls people to repent their sins and to devote themselves completely to God. He tells his followers to adhere to Jewish law , although he is perceived by some to have broken

3770-536: Is hypothesized that accounts of his teachings and life were initially conserved by oral transmission , which was the source of the written Gospels. Christian theology includes the beliefs that Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit , was born of a virgin named Mary , performed miracles , founded the Christian Church , died by crucifixion as a sacrifice to achieve atonement for sin , rose from

3900-506: Is in them. Scholars generally agree that it is impossible to find any direct literary relationship between the Synoptic Gospels and the Gospel of John. While the flow of many events (e.g., Jesus's baptism, transfiguration , crucifixion and interactions with his apostles ) are shared among the Synoptic Gospels, incidents such as the transfiguration and Jesus's exorcising demons do not appear in John, which also differs on other matters, such as

4030-407: Is likely that the Social Gospel's strong sense of leadership by the people led to women's suffrage , and that the emphasis it placed on morality led to prohibition . Biographer Randall Woods argues that Social Gospel themes learned from childhood allowed Lyndon B. Johnson to transform social problems into moral problems. This helps explain his longtime commitment to social justice, as exemplified by

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4160-557: Is openly proclaimed and immediately recognized. Scholars divide the ministry of Jesus into several stages. The Galilean ministry begins when Jesus returns to Galilee from the Judaean Desert after rebuffing the temptation of Satan . Jesus preaches around Galilee, and in Matthew 4:18–20 , his first disciples , who will eventually form the core of the early Church, encounter him and begin to travel with him. This period includes

4290-563: The Cleansing of the Temple . The Synoptics emphasize different aspects of Jesus. In Mark, Jesus is the Son of God whose mighty works demonstrate the presence of God's Kingdom . He is a tireless wonder worker, the servant of both God and man. This short gospel records a few of Jesus's words or teachings. The Gospel of Matthew emphasizes that Jesus is the fulfilment of God's will as revealed in

4420-616: The Gospel of James . The Gospel of Luke records that Mary was a relative of Elizabeth, the mother of John the Baptist. Extra-biblical contemporary sources consider Jesus and John the Baptist to be second cousins through the belief that Elizabeth was the daughter of Sobe , the sister of Anne. The Gospel of Mark reports that at the beginning of his ministry , Jesus comes into conflict with his neighbours and family. Jesus's mother and brothers come to get him because people are saying that he

4550-807: The Grand Army of the Republic and frequently attended veteran's reunions. Brown and his wife May attended the 75th anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg where President Franklin Roosevelt dedicated the Peace Memorial. In 1940, one year before he died, Brown was one of a squad of Civil War veterans invited to the Chicago showing of the movie, Gone with the Wind . Very few Civil War veterans fought in

4680-572: The Great Society and his commitment to racial equality. The Social Gospel explicitly inspired his foreign-policy approach to a sort of Christian internationalism and nation building. The Social Gospel Movement has been described as "the most distinctive American contribution to world Christianity." The Social Gospel, after 1945, influenced the formation of Christian democracy political ideology among Protestants and Catholics in Europe. Many of

4810-462: The Jordan River and the temptations he suffered while spending forty days in the Judaean Desert , as a preparation for his public ministry . The accounts of Jesus's baptism are all preceded by information about John the Baptist . They show John preaching penance and repentance for the remission of sins and encouraging the giving of alms to the poor as he baptizes people in the area of

4940-1009: The Sea of Galilee along the Jordan River . The final ministry in Jerusalem begins with Jesus's triumphal entry into the city on Palm Sunday . In the Synoptic Gospels, during that week Jesus drives the money changers from the Second Temple and Judas bargains to betray him. This period culminates in the Last Supper and the Farewell Discourse . Near the beginning of his ministry, Jesus appoints twelve apostles . In Matthew and Mark, despite Jesus only briefly requesting that they join him, Jesus's first four apostles, who were fishermen, are described as immediately consenting, and abandoning their nets and boats to do so. In John, Jesus's first two apostles were disciples of John

5070-685: The Sermon on the Mount , one of Jesus's major discourses, as well as the calming of the storm , the feeding of the 5,000 , walking on water and a number of other miracles and parables . It ends with the Confession of Peter and the Transfiguration. As Jesus travels towards Jerusalem, in the Perean ministry, he returns to the area where he was baptized, about a third of the way down from

5200-625: The Temple in Jerusalem for the presentation of Jesus as a baby in accordance with Jewish Law, where a man named Simeon prophesies about Jesus and Mary. When Jesus, at the age of twelve, goes missing on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem for Passover , his parents find him in the temple sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking questions, and the people are amazed at his understanding and answers. Mary scolds Jesus for going missing, to which Jesus replies that he must "be in his father's house". The synoptic gospels describe Jesus's baptism in

5330-477: The four evangelists , each with close ties to Jesus: Mark by John Mark , an associate of Peter ; Matthew by one of Jesus's disciples; Luke by a companion of Paul mentioned in a few epistles; and John by another of Jesus's disciples, the " beloved disciple ". According to the Marcan priority , the first to be written was the Gospel of Mark (written AD 60–75), followed by the Gospel of Matthew (AD 65–85),

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5460-608: The historical reliability of the Gospels and how closely they reflect the historical Jesus . Jesus was circumcised at eight days old, was baptized by John the Baptist as a young adult, and after 40 days and nights of fasting in the wilderness, began his own ministry . He was an itinerant teacher who interpreted the law of God with divine authority and was often referred to as " rabbi ". Jesus often debated with fellow Jews on how to best follow God , engaged in healings, taught in parables , and gathered followers, among whom twelve were appointed as his chosen apostles . He

5590-643: The American social order. The Cooperative Commonwealth Federation , a political party that was later reformulated as the New Democratic Party , was founded on social gospel principles in the 1930s by J. S. Woodsworth , a Methodist minister, and Alberta MP William Irvine. Woodsworth wrote extensively about the social gospel from experiences gained while working with immigrant slum dwellers in Winnipeg from 1904 to 1913. His writings called for

5720-567: The Baptist testifies that he saw the Spirit descend on Jesus. John publicly proclaims Jesus as the sacrificial Lamb of God , and some of John's followers become disciples of Jesus. Before John is imprisoned, Jesus leads his followers to baptize disciples as well, and they baptize more people than John. The Synoptics depict two distinct geographical settings in Jesus's ministry. The first takes place north of Judea , in Galilee, where Jesus conducts

5850-635: The Baptist. The Baptist sees Jesus and calls him the Lamb of God; the two hear this and follow Jesus. In addition to the Twelve Apostles, the opening of the passage of the Sermon on the Plain identifies a much larger group of people as disciples. Also, in Luke 10:1–16 Jesus sends 70 or 72 of his followers in pairs to prepare towns for his prospective visit. They are instructed to accept hospitality, heal

5980-545: The Catholic parishes being established in working class areas instead. Lubieniecki also argued that the social gospel movement limited its appeal because of anti-Catholicism and antisemitism - Rauschenbusch stated that social concerns could not be sufficiently addressed by non-Protestants, and regarded Catholicism as inherently anti-democratic and contrary to the American values of individual liberty. Likewise, some social gospel ministers believed that Jews and Catholics threatened

6110-504: The Children of God because it would divide Satan's house and bring his kingdom to desolation; furthermore, he asks his opponents that if he exorcises by Beelzebub , "by whom do your sons cast them out?". In Matthew 12:31–32 , he goes on to say that while all manner of sin, "even insults against God" or "insults against the son of man", shall be forgiven, whoever insults goodness (or "The Holy Spirit ") shall never be forgiven; they carry

6240-645: The Confession of Peter and the Transfiguration of Jesus. These two events are not mentioned in the Gospel of John. In his Confession, Peter tells Jesus, "You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God." Jesus affirms that Peter's confession is divinely revealed truth. After the confession, Jesus tells his disciples about his upcoming death and resurrection. In the Transfiguration, Jesus takes Peter and two other apostles up an unnamed mountain, where "he

6370-475: The First Congregational Church of Kalamazoo, MI. "A lifelong Republican, Dr. Brown came very nearly being elected United States senator from Iowa during his stay in Dubuque. In those days the state legislature elected the senators. Friends asked him to run for the post. 'I have a job now for which some people think I'm well fitted,' he replied, and made no effort to gain election. Despite his indifference he

6500-498: The Gospel of Luke (AD 65–95), and the Gospel of John (AD 75–100). Most scholars agree that the authors of Matthew and Luke used Mark as a source for their gospels. Since Matthew and Luke also share some content not found in Mark, many scholars assume that they used another source (commonly called the " Q source ") in addition to Mark. One important aspect of the study of the Gospels is the literary genre under which they fall. Genre "is

6630-406: The Gospels are a type of ancient biography is the consensus among scholars today. Concerning the accuracy of the accounts, viewpoints run the gamut from considering them inerrant descriptions of Jesus's life, to doubting whether they are historically reliable on a number of points, to considering them to provide very little historical information about his life beyond the basics. According to

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6760-461: The Jordan River around Perea and foretells the arrival of someone "more powerful" than he. In the Gospel of Mark, John the Baptist baptizes Jesus, and as he comes out of the water he sees the Holy Spirit descending to him like a dove and a voice comes from heaven declaring him to be God's Son. This is one of two events described in the Gospels where a voice from Heaven calls Jesus "Son",

6890-507: The Kingdom of God "here and now". This political party took power in the province of Saskatchewan in 1944. This group, led by Tommy Douglas , a Baptist minister, introduced universal medicare, family allowance and old age pensions. This political party has since largely lost its religious basis, and became a secular social democratic party. The Social Service Council (SSC) was the "reforming arm of Protestantism in Canada", and promoted idea of

7020-738: The New Testament also include references to key episodes in his life, such as the Last Supper in 1 Corinthians 11 :23–26. Acts of the Apostles refers to Jesus's early ministry and its anticipation by John the Baptist . Acts 1:1–11 says more about the Ascension of Jesus than the canonical gospels do. In the undisputed Pauline letters , which were written earlier than the Gospels, Jesus's words or instructions are cited several times. Some early Christian groups had separate descriptions of Jesus's life and teachings that are not in

7150-426: The New Testament. These include the Gospel of Thomas , Gospel of Peter , and Gospel of Judas , the Apocryphon of James , and many other apocryphal writings . Most scholars conclude that these were written much later and are less reliable accounts than the canonical gospels. The canonical gospels are four accounts, each by a different author. The authors of the Gospels are pseudonymous, attributed by tradition to

7280-406: The Oak Park, Illinois periodical, Oak Leaves noted in 1940, "When Oak Leaves editors are in need of accurate information about obscure bits of history or literature, Dr. Brown can be depended upon to throw light on the subject when other sources fail." Eyewitness, Charles O. Brown, said that, 'the reason the reporters missed the famous statement, and later denied that it had been made, was that

7410-456: The Ohio State Fair in 1880. The following account was published in the History of Oakland County regarding Sherman's address to the cadets of the Michigan Military Academy . Brown was very clear that he heard the remark at the Michigan Military Academy , Orchard Lake , on June 19, 1879. General Sherman was one of the most popular personalities at the time and his presence attracted between 7,000 - 10,000 spectators. In support of Brown's memory,

7540-440: The Old Testament, and the Lord of the Church. He is the " Son of David ", a "king", and the Messiah. Luke presents Jesus as the divine-human saviour who shows compassion to the needy. He is the friend of sinners and outcasts, who came to seek and save the lost. This gospel includes well-known parables, such as the Good Samaritan and the Prodigal Son . The prologue to the Gospel of John identifies Jesus as an incarnation of

7670-474: The People's Church, saying "The Church was afraid it might give offense to the rich and powerful." The People's Church was successful for a time, with People's Churches founded in Vancouver, Victoria, Edmonton, and Calgary. In Winnipeg, Methodist minister and Social Gospeler William Ivens started another workers church, the "Labor Church," in 1918. Both Smith and Ivens tried to take leaves of absence from their Methodist ministries, which were initially granted. Upon

7800-426: The Republican state convention as a candidate for governor of the state. Although informed that his nomination and election were virtually assured, he refused to withdraw his resignation from the Tacoma church, and went to San Francisco." So Brown can be linked to General William Tecumseh Sherman by another of the General's famous quotes: "If nominated, I will not run. If elected, I will not serve.", While pastor of

7930-432: The San Francisco church, Brown's character came under scrutiny and was the victim of an attempted blackmail scheme with a female member of the congregation. "Up to the closing days of 1895, to all outward appearances Dr. Brown's ministry had run along on a sound spiritual basis, notwithstanding at times he lacked poise in dealing with current church problems and personalities, and did not have the Victorian polish which many in

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8060-416: The Social Crisis (1907) and Christianizing the Social Order (1912), as well as Samuel Zane Batten 's The New Citizenship (1898) and The Social Task of Christianity (1911). In the United States, the Social Gospel is still influential in liberal Protestantism. Social Gospel elements can also be found in many service and relief agencies associated with Protestant denominations and the Catholic Church in

8190-425: The Social Gospel formed a group called the Brotherhood of the Kingdom . Pastors and leaders will join the organization to debate and implement the social gospel. In 1907, he published the book Christianity and the Social Crisis , which would influence the actions of several actors of the social gospel. His work may be "the finest distillation of social gospel thought." Rauschenbusch railed against what he regarded as

8320-448: The Social Gospel movement hoped that, if by public measures as well as enforced schooling , the poor could develop talents and skills, causing the quality of their moral lives to improve. Important concerns of the Social Gospel movement were labor reforms such as abolishing child labor and regulating the hours of work by mothers. By 1920, they were crusading against the 12-hour day for workers at U.S. Steel . Washington Gladden (1836–1918)

8450-424: The Social Gospel movement. Walter Rauschenbusch , one of the leading early theologians of the Social Gospel in the United States, indicated that his theology had been inspired by Sheldon's novels. Members of the Brotherhood of the Kingdom produced many of the written works that defined the theology of the Social Gospel movement and gave it public prominence. These included Walter Rauschenbusch 's Christianity and

8580-413: The Social Gospel's ideas also reappeared in the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s. "Social Gospel" principles continue to inspire newer movements such as Christians Against Poverty . Reinhold Niebuhr has argued that the 20th century history of Western democracies has not vindicated the optimistic view of human nature which the social gospelers shared with the Enlightenment. Labor historians argue that

8710-432: The Social Gospel, although only the pietists were active in promoting Prohibition. In the United States prior to the First World War , the Social Gospel was the religious wing of the progressive movement which had the aim of combating injustice, suffering and poverty in society. Denver, Colorado , was a center of Social Gospel activism. Thomas Uzzel led the Methodist People's Tabernacle from 1885 to 1910. He established

8840-479: The Synoptics, the last week in Jerusalem is the conclusion of the journey through Perea and Judea that Jesus began in Galilee. Jesus rides a young donkey into Jerusalem, reflecting the tale of the Messiah's Donkey , an oracle from the Book of Zechariah in which the Jews' humble king enters Jerusalem this way. People along the way lay cloaks and small branches of trees (known as palm fronds ) in front of him and sing part of Psalms 118:25–26. Jesus next expels

8970-439: The United States. Concurrent with this missionary movement in Africa, both Protestant and Catholic political activists helped to restore democracy to war-torn Europe and extend it overseas. Protestant political activism emerged principally in France, the Lowlands, and Scandinavia under the inspiration of both social gospel movements and neo-Calvinism. Catholic political activism emerged principally in Italy, France, and Spain under

9100-406: The World , the True Vine and more. In general, the authors of the New Testament showed little interest in an absolute chronology of Jesus or in synchronizing the episodes of his life with the secular history of the age. As stated in John 21:25 , the Gospels do not claim to provide an exhaustive list of the events in Jesus's life. The accounts were primarily written as theological documents in

9230-534: The [Social Gospel] Movement failed in its campaign to be the leading voice of the worker and to convert the urban immigrant masses". Lubieniecki notes that social gospel appealed predominantly to the white American Protestant middle-class and ultimately related more with the middle class than with the working class. Social gospel ministers did not connect to the struggling ethnic urban poor, and social gospel congregations would often relocate their parish into well-off neighborhoods, abandoning poor districts. This resulted in

9360-470: The age of 93 (1848–1941). His life experiences began early when at the age of 11 he drove a team on the canal from Toledo to Cincinnati ( Miami and Erie Canal ). He served as a bugler in the American Civil War at age 13, became a minister, was a noted speaker in the United States and Canada, and became a key figure in the controversy around General William Tecumseh Sherman 's famous remark, "War

9490-535: The angel Gabriel that she will conceive and bear a child called Jesus through the action of the Holy Spirit. When Mary is due to give birth, she and Joseph travel from Nazareth to Joseph's ancestral home in Bethlehem to register in the census ordered by Caesar Augustus . While there Mary gives birth to Jesus, and as they have found no room in the inn, she places the newborn in a manger . An angel announces

9620-523: The belief that Jesus was the awaited Messiah, arguing that he did not fulfill messianic prophecies , was not lawfully anointed and was neither divine nor resurrected. A typical Jew in Jesus's time had only one name , sometimes followed by the phrase "son of [father's name]" , or the individual's hometown. Thus, in the New Testament, Jesus is commonly referred to as "Jesus of Nazareth ". Jesus's neighbours in Nazareth referred to him as "the carpenter,

9750-441: The birth to a group of shepherds , who go to Bethlehem to see Jesus, and subsequently spread the news abroad. Luke 2:21 tells how Joseph and Mary have their baby circumcised on the eighth day after birth , and name him Jesus, as Gabriel had commanded Mary. After the presentation of Jesus at the Temple , Joseph, Mary and Jesus return to Nazareth. Jesus's childhood home is identified in the Gospels of Luke and Matthew as Nazareth,

9880-633: The bugle, and when the regiment was veteranized he was enlisted as a bugler, and in August, 1864, was appointed regimental bugler by Colonel Seidel and served in that capacity until the close of the war." Brown enrolled in Olivet College in 1871. In his Junior year he was listed as an Instructor in Penmanship and Book-keeping. In his Senior year he was listed as an Instructor in Greek and Teacher of Penmanship and Book-keeping. He graduated with

10010-400: The church, transferred his ministrations to a hall, and planned the sale of the church, expecting, when the trouble blew over, to build elsewhere. Their plans running into difficulties, he went East on vacation, and while there accepted a call to Chicago." Apparently Brown was vindicated of the charges. "Rev. Mr. Brown, of San Francisco, who came within a point of becoming the ruined victim of

10140-569: The constituency prized so highly. "But at this juncture his relations with a woman parishioner were called in question by a hostile witness in a police court case in which he appeared as prosecuting witness, and became a front-page newspaper sensation. He denied everything, and resented all inquiry. Sharp and acrimonious differences of opinion rocked the church. At the end of April 1896, the tension became so great he resigned. The faction of church officers who supported him having come into control as others stepped to one side, led by Isaac H. Morse, closed

10270-503: The context of early Christianity , with timelines as a secondary consideration. In this respect, it is noteworthy that the Gospels devote about one third of their text to the last week of Jesus's life in Jerusalem , referred to as the Passion . The Gospels do not provide enough details to satisfy the demands of modern historians regarding exact dates, but it is possible to draw from them a general picture of Jesus's life story. Jesus

10400-431: The crowds regularly respond to Jesus's miracles with awe and press on him to heal their sick. In John's Gospel, Jesus is presented as unpressured by the crowds, who often respond to his miracles with trust and faith. One characteristic shared among all miracles of Jesus in the gospel accounts is that he performed them freely and never requested or accepted any form of payment. The gospel episodes that include descriptions of

10530-502: The dead . The nature miracles show Jesus's power over nature, and include turning water into wine , walking on water, and calming a storm, among others. Jesus states that his miracles are from a divine source. When his opponents suddenly accuse him of performing exorcisms by the power of Beelzebul , the prince of demons, Jesus counters that he performs them by the "Spirit of God" ( Matthew 12:28 ) or "finger of God", arguing that all logic suggests that Satan would not let his demons assist

10660-519: The dead, and ascended into Heaven , from where he will return . Commonly, Christians believe Jesus enables people to be reconciled to God. The Nicene Creed asserts that Jesus will judge the living and the dead , either before or after their bodily resurrection , an event tied to the Second Coming of Jesus in Christian eschatology . The great majority of Christians worship Jesus as

10790-565: The divine Word ( Logos ). As the Word, Jesus was eternally present with God, active in all creation, and the source of humanity's moral and spiritual nature. Jesus is not only greater than any past human prophet but greater than any prophet could be. He not only speaks God's Word; he is God's Word. In the Gospel of John, Jesus reveals his divine role publicly. Here he is the Bread of Life , the Light of

10920-621: The early 20th century, but scholars debate over when the movement began to decline, with some asserting that the destruction and trauma caused by the First World War left many disillusioned with the Social Gospel's ideals while others argue that the war stimulated the Social Gospelers' reform efforts. Theories regarding the decline of the Social Gospel after the First World War often cite the rise of neo-orthodoxy as

11050-467: The elderly." During the New Deal of the 1930s, Social Gospel themes could be seen in the work of Harry Hopkins , Will Alexander , and Mary McLeod Bethune , who added a new concern with African Americans. After 1940, the movement lessened, but it was invigorated in the 1950s by black leaders like Baptist minister Martin Luther King Jr. and the civil rights movement. After 1980, it weakened again as

11180-563: The enlargement and professionalization of missionary women's roles starting in 1886 with the Southern Methodist Woman's Parsonage and Home Mission Society. By 1900, says historian Edward Ayers, the white Baptists, although they were the most conservative of all the denominations in the South, became steadily more concerned with social issues, taking stands on "temperance, gambling, illegal corruption, public morality, orphans and

11310-508: The guilt of their sin forever. In John, Jesus's miracles are described as "signs", performed to prove his mission and divinity. In the Synoptics, when asked by some teachers of the Law and some Pharisees to give miraculous signs to prove his authority, Jesus refuses, saying that no sign shall come to corrupt and evil people except the sign of the prophet Jonah . Also, in the Synoptic Gospels,

11440-644: The incarnation of God the Son and the awaited messiah , or Christ , a descendant from the Davidic line that is prophesied in the Old Testament . Virtually all modern scholars of antiquity agree that Jesus existed historically . Accounts of Jesus's life are contained in the Gospels , especially the four canonical Gospels in the New Testament . Academic research has yielded various views on

11570-479: The incarnation of God the Son, the second of three persons of the Trinity . The birth of Jesus is celebrated annually, generally on 25 December, as Christmas . His crucifixion is honoured on Good Friday and his resurrection on Easter Sunday . The world's most widely used calendar era —in which the current year is AD 2024 (or 2024 CE )—is based on the approximate birthdate of Jesus . In Islam , Jesus

11700-485: The individual; social democracies had sacrificed the individual for the community. Both parties returned to a traditional Christian teaching of "social pluralism" or "subsidiarity," which stressed the dependence and participation of the individual in family, church, school, business, and other associations. Both parties stressed the responsibility of the state to respect and protect the "individual in community." Charles Oliver Brown Charles Oliver Brown lived to

11830-490: The inspiration of both Rerum Novarum and its early progeny and of neo-Thomism. Both formed political parties, which now fall under the general egis of the Christian Democratic Party movement. Both Protestant and Catholic parties inveighed against the reductionist extremes and social failures of liberal democracies and social democracies. Liberal democracies, they believed, had sacrificed the community for

11960-504: The law himself, for example regarding the Sabbath . When asked what the greatest commandment is, Jesus replies: "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind ... And a second is like it: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself. ' " Other ethical teachings of Jesus include loving your enemies , refraining from hatred and lust, turning

12090-485: The messiah, whose arrival is prophesied in the Hebrew Bible and Old Testament. In postbiblical usage, Christ became viewed as a name—one part of "Jesus Christ". Etymons of the term Christian (meaning a follower of Christ) has been in use since the 1st century. The four canonical gospels ( Matthew , Mark , Luke , and John ) are the foremost sources for the life and message of Jesus. But other parts of

12220-412: The miracles of Jesus also often include teachings, and the miracles themselves involve an element of teaching. Many of the miracles teach the importance of faith. In the cleansing of ten lepers and the raising of Jairus's daughter , for instance, the beneficiaries are told that their healing was due to their faith. At about the middle of each of the three Synoptic Gospels are two significant events:

12350-425: The money changers from the Second Temple , accusing them of turning it into a den of thieves through their commercial activities. He then prophesies about the coming destruction, including false prophets, wars, earthquakes, celestial disorders, persecution of the faithful, the appearance of an "abomination of desolation", and unendurable tribulations. The mysterious "Son of Man", he says, will dispatch angels to gather

12480-435: The movement had little influence on the labor movement, and attribute that failure to professional elitism and a lack of understanding of the collective nature of the movement. Labor did not reject social gospellers because they were unaware of them but, rather, because their tactics and ideas were considered inadequate. Paul Lubienecki wrote that "contrary to analysis of some historians the historical evidence demonstrated that

12610-410: The movement opened settlement houses, most notably Hull House in Chicago operated by Jane Addams . They helped the poor and immigrants improve their lives. Settlement houses offered services such as daycare, education, and health care to needy people in slum neighborhoods. The YMCA was created originally to help rural youth adjust to the city without losing their religious faith, but by the 1890s became

12740-407: The names Yehoshua and Yeshua to the verb meaning "save" and the noun "salvation". The Gospel of Matthew tells of an angel that appeared to Joseph instructing him "to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins". Since the early period of Christianity, Christians have commonly referred to Jesus as "Jesus Christ". The word Christ was a title or office ("the Christ"), not

12870-515: The names on the two lists. Various theories have been put forward to explain why the two genealogies are so different. Matthew and Luke each describe Jesus's birth, especially that Jesus was born to a virgin named Mary in Bethlehem in fulfilment of prophecy . Luke's account emphasizes events before the birth of Jesus and centers on Mary, while Matthew's mostly covers those after the birth and centers on Joseph. Both accounts state that Mary,

13000-581: The nickname, "The Boy Bugler" of Sherman's Army. At age 16 he was made chief of the regiment's 26 buglers, the youngest chief bugler in the Union forces at that time. Young Brown blew the cavalry charge that sent 3,000 men into battle at the Battle of Lovejoy's Station during Sherman's sweep on the Atlanta Campaign . At the Battle of Selma he carried a message through the thick of fire, and for that act of bravery, Congress in later years voted him

13130-515: The other being the Transfiguration . The spirit then drives him into the wilderness where he is tempted by Satan . Jesus then begins his ministry in Galilee after John's arrest. In the Gospel of Matthew, as Jesus comes to him to be baptized, John protests, saying, "I need to be baptized by you." Jesus instructs him to carry on with the baptism "to fulfill all righteousness". Matthew details three temptations that Satan offers Jesus in

13260-456: The other cheek , and forgiving people who have sinned against you. John's Gospel presents the teachings of Jesus not merely as his own preaching, but as divine revelation . John the Baptist, for example, states in John 3:34 : "He whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for he gives the Spirit without measure." In John 7:16 Jesus says, "My teaching is not mine but his who sent me." He asserts

13390-560: The physical world to the spiritual . Common themes in these tales include the kindness and generosity of God and the perils of transgression. Some of his parables, such as the Prodigal Son , are relatively simple, while others, such as the Growing Seed , are sophisticated, profound and abstruse. When asked by his disciples why he speaks in parables to the people, Jesus replies that the chosen disciples have been given to "know

13520-454: The reporters rushed away as soon as Sherman started reading his long, technical speech. But before he sat down, the General suddenly said, ‘Cadets of the graduating class’ – the students arose and saluted – and then changed it to ‘Boys,’ making this statement: ‘I’ve been where you are now and I know just how you feel. It’s entirely natural that there should beat in the breast of every one of you

13650-470: The same thing in John 14:10 : "Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own; but the Father who dwells in me does his works." Approximately 30 parables form about one-third of Jesus's recorded teachings. The parables appear within longer sermons and at other places in the narrative. They often contain symbolism, and usually relate

13780-629: The secrets of the kingdom of heaven", unlike the rest of their people, "For the one who has will be given more and he will have in abundance. But the one who does not have will be deprived even more", going on to say that the majority of their generation have grown "dull hearts" and thus are unable to understand. In the gospel accounts, Jesus devotes a large portion of his ministry to performing miracles , especially healings. The miracles can be classified into two main categories: healing miracles and nature miracles. The healing miracles include cures for physical ailments, exorcisms , and resurrections of

13910-428: The selfishness of capitalism and promoted instead a form of Christian socialism that supported the creation of labor unions and cooperative economics. The social gospel movement was not a unified and well-focused movement, for it contained members who disagreed with the conclusions of others within the movement. Rauschenbusch stated that the movement needed "a theology to make it effective" and likewise, "theology needs

14040-463: The shelter, nurture, and spiritual fellowship of the children of God; the maintenance of divine worship; the preservation of truth; the promotion of social righteousness; and the exhibition of the Kingdom of Heaven to the world. In the late 19th century, many Protestants were disgusted by the poverty level and the low quality of living in the slums. The social gospel movement provided a religious rationale for action to address those concerns. Activists in

14170-515: The sick, and spread the word that the Kingdom of God is coming. In Mark, the disciples are notably obtuse. They fail to understand Jesus's miracles, his parables, or what "rising from the dead" means. When Jesus is later arrested, they desert him. In the Synoptics, Jesus teaches extensively, often in parables , about the Kingdom of God (or, in Matthew, the Kingdom of Heaven ). The Kingdom

14300-464: The social gospel to vitalize it." In A Theology for the Social Gospel (1917), Rauschenbusch takes up the task of creating "a systematic theology large enough to match [our social gospel] and vital enough to back it." He believed that the social gospel would be "a permanent addition to our spiritual outlook and that its arrival constitutes a state in the development of the Christian religion", and thus

14430-548: The social gospel. Under the "aggressive leadership of Charlotte Whitton ", the Canadian Council of Child Welfare, opposed "a widening of social security protection..." and "continued to impede the implementation of provincial mothers' pensions", instead pressing for the "traditional private charity" model. Charlotte Whitton argued that children should be removed from their homes "instead of paying money to needy parents" Charlotte Whitton, as Christie and Gauvreau point out,

14560-476: The son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon ", "the carpenter's son", or " Joseph 's son"; in the Gospel of John, the disciple Philip refers to him as "Jesus son of Joseph from Nazareth". The English name Jesus , from Greek Iēsous , is a rendering of Joshua (Hebrew Yehoshua , later Yeshua ), and was not uncommon in Judea at the time of the birth of Jesus. Popular etymology linked

14690-481: The speech verbatim.". In preparation for the publishing of The Yale Book of Quotations , Editor Fred R. Shapiro spent time researching the source of "War is Hell." His research suggests that the phrase can be traced back to Napoleon Bonaparte . At one time he was vice president of La Salle Extension University , which he helped organize. Brown was one of the first speakers engaged by the Chautauqua , part of

14820-412: The start of the war can be found in two references. The first is a Carte de visite of him, in uniform, carrying a pistol. The second is this quote from the history of the 3rd Ohio Cavalry , "One other of the boys that were with us when we left Monroeville was the son of Lieutenant Brown of Company C. He went with the regiment as his father's servant-he was then thirteen years old. Charley learned to blow

14950-442: The time with Bishop John Heyl Vincent , founder of that movement. "He could be on the road from one year's end to the other filling engagements, so popular is he as a publicist." He is the author of two books, one on the "Evidences of Christianity" first delivered in short talks to audiences of his young people. The second is on "Labor and Its Troubles" . Following the end of the American Civil War , Brown became very active in

15080-409: The war and lived to see the movie. Jesus Christ Jesus ( c.  6 to 4 BC  – AD 30 or 33), also referred to as Jesus Christ , Jesus of Nazareth , and many other names and titles , was a 1st-century Jewish preacher and religious leader, and the central figure of Christianity , the world's largest religion . Most Christian denominations believe Jesus to be

15210-413: The wilderness. In the Gospel of Luke, the Holy Spirit descends as a dove after everyone has been baptized and Jesus is praying . Later John implicitly recognizes Jesus after sending his followers to ask about him. Luke also describes three temptations received by Jesus in the wilderness, before starting his ministry in Galilee. The Gospel of John leaves out Jesus's baptism and temptation. Here, John

15340-425: Was Jewish, born to Mary , wife of Joseph . The Gospels of Matthew and Luke offer two accounts of his genealogy . Matthew traces Jesus's ancestry to Abraham through David . Luke traces Jesus's ancestry through Adam to God. The lists are identical between Abraham and David but differ radically from that point. Matthew has 27 generations from David to Joseph, whereas Luke has 42, with almost no overlap between

15470-447: Was a leading city reformer, who investigated red light districts and crime scenes, denouncing corrupt politicians, businessmen, and saloon keepers. With 10,000 members, his was the largest Presbyterian Church in the country, and he was selected the national moderator in 1912. He built a model church, with night schools, unemployment bureaus, kindergarten, an anti-tuberculosis clinic, and the nation's first church-owned radio station. Matthews

15600-648: Was also a member of the SSC, The SSC's mandate included the "intensive Christian conquest of Canada". The Social Gospel was a significant influence in the formation of the People's Church in Brandon, Manitoba, in 1919. Started by Methodist minister A. E. Smith , the People's Church attempted to provide an alternative to the traditional church, which Smith viewed as unconcerned with social issues. In his autobiography All My Life Smith describes his last sermon before starting

15730-422: Was an American Congregational clergyman. His words and actions earned him the title of "a pioneer" of the Social Gospel even before the term came into use. Gladden spoke up for workers and their right to organize unions. For Gladden, the "Christian law covers every relation of life" including the relationship between employers and their employees. His 1877 book The Christian Way: Whither It Leads and How to Go On

15860-399: Was an articulate and passionate preacher of the Social Gospel and a leading voice locally and nationally for the homeless, Central American refugees, and victims of persecution and prejudice. Because the Social Gospel was primarily concerned with the day-to-day life of laypeople, one of the ways in which it made its message heard was through labor movements. Particularly, the Social Gospel had

15990-517: Was arrested in Jerusalem and tried by the Jewish authorities , turned over to the Roman government, and crucified on the order of Pontius Pilate , the Roman prefect of Judaea . After his death, his followers became convinced that he rose from the dead , and following his ascension, the community they formed eventually became the early Christian Church that expanded as a worldwide movement . It

16120-746: Was conceived by the Holy Spirit. In Matthew 2:1 – 12 , wise men or Magi from the East bring gifts to the young Jesus as the King of the Jews . They find him in a house in Bethlehem. Herod the Great hears of Jesus's birth and, wanting him killed, orders the murders of male infants in Bethlehem and its surroundings. But an angel warns Joseph in his second dream, and the family flees to Egypt —later to return and settle in Nazareth . In Luke 1:31–38, Mary learns from

16250-546: Was engaged to a man named Joseph, who was descended from King David and was not his biological father, and both support the doctrine of the virgin birth of Jesus , according to which Jesus was miraculously conceived by the Holy Spirit in Mary's womb when she was still a virgin. At the same time, there is evidence, at least in the Lukan Acts of the Apostles , that Jesus was thought to have had, like many figures in antiquity,

16380-646: Was his first national call for such a universal application of Christian values in everyday life. The book began his leadership in the Social Gospel movement. Historians consider Gladden to be one of the Social Gospel movement's "founding fathers". Another of the defining theologians for the Social Gospel movement was Walter Rauschenbusch, a Baptist pastor of the Second German Baptist Church in Hell's Kitchen , New York City . In 1892, Rauschenbusch and several other leading writers and advocates of

16510-510: Was nominated and lost the election by only three votes. "From Dubuque Dr. Brown went to Tacoma, Wash., to assume a pastorate, and subsequently received a call to San Francisco, to become pastor of the largest Congregational church on the Pacific coast. He accepted the call and tendered his resignation to the Tacoma church. Meantime his friends in Tacoma had been preparing for his nomination by

16640-420: Was shouting, "Roust about, men; roust about!" And the bugler, like an umpire Of a modern baseball game, Sometimes had to dodge the missiles, And keep sounding just the same. Brown figured in the controversy during the early 1930s as to whether General William Tecumseh Sherman actually made the remark, "War is Hell." Most authors have first attributed Sherman's statement, "War is Hell" to his presentation at

16770-586: Was the most influential clergymen in the Pacific Northwest, and one of the most active Social Gospelers in America. The American South had its own version of the Social Gospel, focusing especially on Prohibition. Other reforms included protecting young wage-earning women from the sex trade, outlawing public swearing, boxing, dogfights and similar affronts to their moral sensibilities. The Methodist Episcopal Church, South, took on new responsibilities with

16900-553: Was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became dazzling white". A bright cloud appears around them, and a voice from the cloud says, "This is my Son, the Beloved; with him I am well pleased; listen to him." The description of the last week of the life of Jesus (often called Passion Week ) occupies about one-third of the narrative in the canonical gospels, starting with Jesus's triumphal entry into Jerusalem and ending with his Crucifixion. In

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