It's Happening Everywhere!
Why we "oppose the Social Gospel" is the theme of the March '57 issue of "Faith and Freedom". (Published by Spiritual Mobilization, 1521 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles 17, California). There are some quotations from this edition that will interest you — if not startle you. They provoke questions and reflective thinking by close observers of brotherhood trends.
One statement made is, "The Social Gospel has been aimed at the serving of the body, not the spirit." (p. 8) Question? Could this be the tap root of some of the problems facing the Lord's church today?
The author asks, "What has happened to the Church? This is the most tragic consequence. The church has degenerated into a social service organization. We saw the rise of the technically-expert Christian and the loss of the full-life Christian. We built a church bureaucracy and only nominal Christians". The editor was referring to Denominations, but could there not be a trend in the body of Christ which could cause it to "degenerate into a social service organization"? Could it cause Churches of Christ to be the "feeders" of a church bureaucracy of institutions designed to "care for the body", e.g., children's homes, old folk's homes, hospitals, rescue homes, etc. But what about the "nominal Christians"? We already have heard preachers and elders speak of "Sunday morning disciples", "dead churches", "half-converted" and "indifferent" members. Could it be that one of the tentacles of the "Social Gospel" octopus is entangling itself in, and wrapping itself around, the church of Christ? Could it be possible that it has already happened?
The editor had several writers from the different denominations discuss the effects of the "Social Gospel" on their particular sects. These men wrote about the National Council of Churches, and the Baptist, Christian Reformed, Methodist, Lutheran, Congregational Christian, Presbyterian and Catholic Churches. A "Rev. Irving E. Howard" said, "The social Action movement of the Congregational Christian Churches buries one root in the Social Gospel, one root in the New Deal of 1930's and one root in neo-orthodox theology." He also said, "At present, Congregational Social Action concentrates upon desegregation, foreign aid and the ecumenical movement, all of which can be given Christian cooperation. They accuse anyone opposing these of being against the brotherhood of man, widows and orphans and Christian cooperation."
End Of Quote. No Comment
(If you would like a copy of the "Faith and Freedom" quoted above, write to the address given in the introductory statement.)