Indictments of the Social Gospel

[269 words] THE SOCIAL GOSPEL is a philosophy in religion that the church should concern itself with worldly problems rather than spiritual ones. It is more interested in ecology, biology, psychology and sociology than in theology. It is more concerned about preserving the whooping crane and alligator than about preaching Christ the emancipator. It spends more time fighting earthly pollution that MAY damage the body than with fighting spiritual plagues that WILL certainly damn the soul. THE SOCIAL GOSPEL is more interested in feeding the body than in nurturing the soul. Its goal is education, not salvation; recreation, not sanctification; fraternity, instead of eternity. It concerns itself with the “new morality” rather than with immortality; birth control rather than self-control; ministering to the “inner city” rather than seeking the heavenly city; slum clearance rather than with spiritual perseverance. THE SOCIAL GOSPEL philosophy is more interested in helping men make a…