Social salvation and humanization: the concept of salvation in the writings of Walter Rauschenbusch and Madathilparampil Mammen Thomas

Walter Rauschenbusch (1861–1918) was a key figure in the Social Gospel movement that flourished in the United States during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. M. M. Thomas (1916–1996) tackled the social and political problems of India from a Christian perspective during the second half of the 20th century. Walter Rauschenbusch claimed that “the evils of one generation are caused by the wrongs of the generation that preceded and will in turn condition the sufferings and temptations of those who come after.” Against the evils of his time Rauschenbusch opted for a social salvation which he termed as Christianizing the Social Order. M. M. Thomas was one of the most remarkable Indian theologians, a social activist and a renowned ecumenical leader. It was vital for him to show that Christianity is an intrinsic part of India and not a foreign import. Important for M. M. Thomas was the humanizing effect of Christianity. He maintained that humanization is an integral part of the Christian message of salvation. This investigation introduces the concepts of both theologians and compares how they faced, analysed, and handled the social problems of their respective times.