Social Gospel

The Social Gospel Movement of the late 19th century arose in response to the disruptions of the era: urbanization, industrialization, immigration, wealth inequality, and labor unrest among them. Some religious leaders responded to this by asking, “What would Jesus Do?” and sought to bring a more just society into being. During the 1890s, Grinnell was a leading center of this movement through the leadership of George A. Gates, President of the College, and George D. Herron, the Professor of Applied Christianity. This collection contains images, texts, correspondence, and other materials that document the influence of the Social Gospel in Grinnell.