What's The Meaning of the "Social Gospel?"?

Question

why did this notion become popular, and who started it?

yeah, that's the definition I read on Wikipedia. I appreciate it, but I was hoping for someone to answer who had studied it personally or had personal experience/opinions of it.

Answer 1

The Social Gospel believes that its priority is improving the social condition of people- feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, providing drink for the thirsty, etc. The Social Gospel has a tendency to forget or omit the Gospel itself- salvation from sin by grace through repentence and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Answer 2

The Social Gospel movement is a Protestant Christian intellectual movement that was most prominent in the late 19th century and early 20th century. Social Gospel principles continue to inspire newer movements such as Christians Against Poverty. The movement applies Christian principles to social problems, especially poverty, inequality, liquor, crime, racial tensions, slums, bad hygiene, poor schools, and the danger of war. Theologically, the Social Gospel leaders were overwhelmingly post-millennialist. That is because they believed the Second Coming could not happen until humankind rid itself of social evils by human effort. For the most part, they rejected pre-millennialist theology (which was predominant in the Southern United States), according to which the Second Coming of Christ was imminent, and Christians should devote their energies to preparing for it rather than addressing the issue of social evils. Social Gospel leaders were predominantly liberal politically and theologically.

:)

Answer 3

http://spider.georgetowncollege.edu/htallant/courses/his338/students/kpotter/theology.htm
The liberal belief they can have christianity the way they want by doing "good" and pushing their agenda.
They of course don't want to have Jesus as the means of salvation.