Where is the "Social Gospel" tradition in US politics?

[Minstrel Boy]

I've been watching, with equal parts of horror, fascination and boredom, DUers rip each other apart over religion. I've been tempted to jump in, but I hesitate, because I think the terms of reference are too foreign for me.

Historically, in Canada, when Christians have been politically mobilized, they have been mobilized on the Left.

Many of the founders of Canada's socialist party - the CCF, which became the NDP - were ministers and people of faith. They saw it as their priority, as men and women of God, to see the hungry were fed and the homeless were sheltered. It is because of that Social Gospel tradition that Canada has public health care.

Our largest Protestant denomination is a uniquely Canadian institution called the United Church of Canada (not to be confused with Unitarian), which is sometimes called "the NDP at prayer." It is institutionally radical. Longtime NDP MP Bill Blaikie, who finished second in the last leadership contest, is also a United Church Minister. Here's a snip from an interview a couple of years ago:

How does your Christian faith inform your politics?

Blaikie: My faith does inform my politics. If you judge your politics by whose side you should be on, I think it's pretty clear from the Biblical tradition whose side God is on. It's the vulnerable and oppressed. It's not on the side of the powerful or corporate elite. It's also clear that any society that reduces us to competitors-as opposed to co-operators-is not in tune with the Biblical message. Who is in charge? Who is in Lord? If the current powers and principalities which I regard as the global corporations -they're running the world and it's their view of the world that's in charge-then I think that's contrary to a view which holds that, instead of the view of the corporations, it should be the worldview that we have in the Biblical tradition and other faith traditions as well.

http://www.thesocialedge.com/archives/gerrymccarthy/2articles-sep2002.htm


See how my frame of reference is skewed when I read DU's religion wars?

And where is America's Social Gospel?