Journal: Bibliotheca Sacra
Volume: BSAC 95:377 (Jan 1938)
Article: Christian Socialism: Its Historical Background and Successor
Author: Rollin Thomas Chafer

BSac 95:377 (Jan 38) p. 69

Christian Socialism:
Its Historical Background and Successor

Rollin Thomas Chafer

(Concluded from the October-December, 1937, Number)

{Editor’s note: Footnotes in the original printed edition were numbered 3–6, but in this electronic edition are numbered 1–4 respectively.}

IV. The True Utopia

Having considered a brief comparison of Christian Socialism with Socialism, on the one hand, and Christian Socialism with Biblical Christianity, on the other hand, we are perhaps better prepared to appreciate the following words by Dr. Joseph L. Ewing, which run the gamut of socialistic notions held by professed Christians on the extreme right, and ideas wedded to expressed hatred of all religion by those occupying the position on the extreme left: “There are, of course, many good...people who insist upon associating their Christian religion with socialism. Some rise to call themselves Christian socialists. But we must meet them with the word of a very able student in this field, who remarked when he referred to Christian socialism as ‘an anomaly and a smeary mess of conflicting moral and religious sentiment, described by real socialists and communists as the kindergarten of red radicalism.’ Moreover the remark is here in point, that the socialist political party as far back as 1912 declared by resolution that the ‘ethics of socialism and Christianity are direct opposites to each other.’ Today it is practically universal that when in the socialist group, backgrounds are considered, and instructions are given, the ‘Manifesto’ of atheist Karl Marx and the books and teachings of Lenin and Trotsky are regarded and accepted as standard.”1

Notwithstanding this wide range of viewpoint, the goal claimed by all varieties of socialists is the ideal state, a man-devised utopian society whose realization has never been approached in the earth, and whose motivating principles give

BSac 95:377 (Jan 38) p. 70

no promise that it ever will be realized. In spite of the testimony of history which exhibits the fact that recurring attempts at the establishment of ideal social conditions in the world have fallen far short of the goal, and have furnished the ground for reliable predictions of future failure of all such movements under human planning, we must account for the wide-spread and persistent notion that this world, staggering under sin, disease, suffering, unhappiness and premature death, is yet to enjoy a golden age in which true utopian conditions will be realized. This historic idea, although not originating amongst the sons of men, has been widely adopted by them and adapted to their conceptions, constituting through the centuries an unde...