Idea ewolucji społecznej Benjamina Kidda w ruchach ewangelii społecznej w Stanach Zjednoczonych Ameryki. Modernizacja czy status quo?

The idea of social and civilization evolution, not based on reason and science, but on the power of religion and the church, was created by Benjamin Kidd in 1894. At that time, it enjoyed global interest and contributed to the creation of a new scientific thought – sociology. Its creator was called a „social prophet,” and his work became an inspiration for thinkers and activists of the social gospel movement, led at that time by, among others, Washington Gladden, Walter Rauschenbusch, Lyman Abbott, William D.P. Bliss or Josiah Strong. At the height of his fame, Kidd’s work inspired the founders and activists of the social gospel, but was also the subject of public criticism. Over time, however, religious thought in the United States of America has undergone a metamorphosis, also in the space of the social gospel movement. Hence, the important question is whether the contemporary thought of this British sociologist is still present and plays a role in shaping the doctrine of the social gospel? Is the social evolution described by Kidd present in the dogma of contemporary liberal Protestantism? Can we still talk about social evolution according to Kidd in the context of the influence of liberal evangelism on the activities of social gospel movements? These and other questions will be answered in this article.