In 1896, Congregational minister Charles M. Sheldon wrote the seminal social gospel novel In His Steps: What Would Jesus Do. What began as an attempt to inspire college students in Topeka, Kansas became a national bestseller that continued to inspire millions long after its initial publication. Historians and literary critics disagree about the literary merit and historical significance of both Sheldon and his most famous novel. Much of this debate concentrates on the relative sophistication and originality of Sheldon's prose as well as the degree of liberal or conservative influences in the text. In the process, historians and literary critics set Sheldon apart from other social gospelers as a direct result of his popularity. This paper intends to further scholarship by placing Sheldon in conversation with other social gospel thinkers rather than distinguishing him as a "popular" figure. In doing so, historical understanding of social gospel movements can broaden to include figures like Sheldon and places like Kansas. The historiography of the social gospel currently stifles a movement that was more fluid than is typically considered. By bringing Sheldon fully into the social gospel movement, the historiography can maintain its urban, industrial, and intellectual core while also allowing for less acknowledged areas of the social gospel movement like frontier, rural, and middle-brow reformers and reform movements. Furthermore, Sheldon provides the best perspective on social gospel history and historiography because the phrase and concept driving In His Steps mainstreamed the social gospel. To avoid the popularity of In His Steps or the centrality of "What would Jesus do?" to the social gospel ignores the heart of the social gospel movement. / A Thesis submitted to the Department of Religion in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Masters of Arts. / Spring Semester, 2009. / January 16, 2009. / Christian Ethics, Charles M. Sheldon, Social Gospel, In His Steps: What Would Jesus Do, Walter Rauschenbusch, Kansas / Includes bibliographical references. / Amanda Porterfield, Professor Directing Thesis; John Corrigan, Committee Member; Molly Oshatz, Committee Member.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:fsu.edu/oai:fsu.digital.flvc.org:fsu_180988 |
| Contributors | Burnidge, Cara L. (authoraut), Porterfield, Amanda (professor directing thesis), Corrigan, John (committee member), Oshatz, Molly (committee member), Department of Religion (degree granting department), Florida State University (degree granting institution) |
| Publisher | Florida State University, Florida State University |
| Source Sets | Florida State University |
| Language | English, English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Text, text |
| Format | 1 online resource, computer, application/pdf |
| Rights | This Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s). The copyright in theses and dissertations completed at Florida State University is held by the students who author them. |
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