social gospel
noun
1
: the application of Christian principles to social problems
2
Social Gospel
: a movement in American Protestant Christianity especially in the first part of the 20th century to bring the social order into conformity with Christian principles
Examples of social gospel in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Many proponents of the early 20th century social gospel saw their efforts to help the needy as part of building a Christian society.
—
Peter Smith,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
17 Feb. 2024
Over subsequent decades, escalating inequality has yielded a significant number of ultrawealthy individuals who heeded Novak’s call to defend capitalism against the depredations of the social gospel.
—
Katherine Stewart,
The New Republic,
9 Mar. 2021
The sermons at Bethany advanced the social gospel, aiming to attract the working poor and the foreign born to a Christian—that is, Protestant—way of living that would help them better themselves in a rapidly industrializing world.
—
Marc Levinson,
WSJ,
28 Oct. 2018
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Peter Smith,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
17 Feb. 2024
Over subsequent decades, escalating inequality has yielded a significant number of ultrawealthy individuals who heeded Novak’s call to defend capitalism against the depredations of the social gospel.
—
Katherine Stewart,
The New Republic,
9 Mar. 2021
The sermons at Bethany advanced the social gospel, aiming to attract the working poor and the foreign born to a Christian—that is, Protestant—way of living that would help them better themselves in a rapidly industrializing world.
—
Marc Levinson,
WSJ,
28 Oct. 2018
Cite this Entry
“Social gospel.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/social%20gospel. Accessed 4 Jul. 2026.
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