Urban revivalism (Palmer, Moody)v Social Gospel (Gladden,Rauschenbusch)

Question 1

What were Urban Revivalism and Social Gospel responding to?

Answer 1

Gilded Age: Rise of the modern corporation, national brand names, national communication and transportation, especially railroad

Question 2

2 Gilded Agers that preach the gospel of wealth

Answer 2

Andrew Carnegie (anybody can get rich), Russell Conwell (god wants you to be rich)

Question 3

Urban Revivalism theme and people

Answer 3

saving souls is how to cure ills of society; Phoebe Palmer, Dwight Moody

Question 4

Urban Revivalism: Dwight Moody’s theme

Answer 4

I look upon this world as a “wrecked vessel” and God says to me, “Moody, save all you can”

Question 5

Moody’s 3 R’s

Answer 5

3 R’s: ruin by sin, redemption by Christ, regeneration by Holy Spirit
Focused on conversion!

Question 6

Urban Revivalism: Phoebe Palmer theme

Answer 6

sanctification: complete, purifying love and devotion to Christ that perfected a person after conversion.

Question 7

Palmer: 4 convictions that structure her ministry

Answer 7

Sanctification was expressed through urban/community engagement: urban missions

women should preach

strict standards of personal conduct (no drinking, smoking, gambling, dancing, etc.) that created social stability and promoted personal happiness and health.

Zero toleration of double standard for men: making money while professing Christ

Question 8

Social Gospel: Theme and people

Answer 8

Fix social ills first; Washington Gladden, Walter Rauschenbusch

Question 9

Social Gospel and Urban Revivalism disagreements

Answer 9

religiously inspired ethical and political platform for economic equality, fairness and humane conditions that focused on saving the body rather than the soul (297) through the implementation of social service programs and institutions

Question 10

Social Gospel: Washington Gladden

Answer 10

Social salvation;
Christian identity= purpose of Jesus rather than personal relationship with Jesus;
not a personal affair with Jesus, happens on a social scale in collectives

Question 11

Social Gospel: Walter Rauschenbusch

Answer 11

Unlike traditionalist/fundamentalist perspective of urban revivalism, social gospel sought a theology to make it effective; theology is dead unless it is actively addressing social ailments

Wrote books about experience of urban poverty in Hell’s Kitchen

“if theology stops growing or is unable to adjust itself to its modern environment….it will die…The social gospel needs a theology to make it effective; but theology needs the social gospel to vitalize it” (p. 1).