Dr. Jaclyn Stanke
Protestantism in the United States is more diverse and heterogeneous than many observers would think. Two of the most prevalent /important branches in twentieth century America were Evangelical and Mainline Protestantism. Since the early twentieth century, Evangelical elements of Protestant Christianity have obviously influenced American society. If one thinks of Christianity in the United States in the twentieth century, one’s mind can quickly think of conservative names or movements: Billy Graham, pro-life movements, and anti-gay marriage. But what about the Mainline groups? Mainline groups actively participated in movements like the Social Gospel and the Civil Rights Movement and after the success of these movements, the Evangelicals often joined or at least consented to the goals of the movements, revealing the Mainline’s subtle, but clear influence.
Evangelical Protestantism is the larger of the two traditions and has received the majority of attention and credit for shaping American society and culture, especially in recent historical analysis. This paper argues that the Mainline division deserves greater recognition of its influence on American society and culture through leading the charge for social reforms, recognizing and correcting its faults, and initiating reforms and new beliefs before the society instead of reacting against the reform movements. This paper begins with a brief section dealing with the background information of the two groups – information that is critical to understanding the depth and importance of the differences between the Mainline and Evangelical churches. The Mainline churches were social activists from their very beginnings, trying to improve society so that all people could experience better lives and see the love of God in this life. The Evangelicals tended to be more concerned with correct beliefs and doctrine the presentation of the Gospel, with a focus on the afterlife. These outlooks shaped their responses to the three movements, so much so, that their actions in response to major reform movements of the twentieth century were almost predictable.
The paper then looks at three crucial movements within the twentieth century – the Civil Rights Movement, the Women’s Rights Movement, and the Gay Rights Movement – and examines how each group was involved and their response to each movement. The Mainline denominations worked within the Civil Rights movement and gave needed active support. During the Women’s Rights Movement the Mainline churches pushed for equality for women in society and allowed for women to be ordained. While the first two movements will be noted, this paper focuses mostly on the Gay Rights Movement, because of its relevancy as a current issue, and seeks to examine and analyze reactions and decisions made by both sides of Protestantism (rejection of homosexuals in leadership roles in most Evangelical denominations versus ordination, full membership and acceptance into leadership roles in most Mainline denominations). By examining the statements and reactions from both Evangelicals and Mainline Protestants, this paper asserts the lasting and current influence of the Mainline churches.
