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DR. GARY SCOTT SMITH AND DR. J.D. WYNEKEN: THE CHURCH AND THE SOCIAL GOSPEL |
Should churches and individual Christians seek to help people with material problems and social needs, remedy social ills, and improve social institutions? Throughout history many congregations, Christian organizations, and individual believers have labored to do these things. Today, however, some political conservatives denounce the ‘social gospel’ as misguided and unbiblical and counsel Christians to avoid or leave congregations that stress social justice. These commentators and others who censure the church’s social mission misread both history and the Bible. Certainly, some social gospel advocates have ignored evangelism and individual piety, and others have rejected Christian orthodoxy. However, many other Christians have endeavored both to save souls and help the poor and oppressed. They have often argued that these two missions are integrally related.
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